S-2229

AN ACT Relating to drivers' licenses; amending RCW 13.40.265, 46.20.265, 46.20.285, 46.20.308, 46.20.355, 46.29.040, 46.61.503, and 46.61.5152; creating a new section; repealing RCW 46.61.5057; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent and purpose of this act to clarify procedural issues and make technical corrections to statutes relating to drivers' licenses. This act should not be construed as changing existing public policy.

Sec. 2. RCW 13.40.265 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 435 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) If a juvenile thirteen years of age or older is found by juvenile court to have committed an offense while armed with a firearm or an offense that is a violation of RCW 9.41.040(1)((~~(e)~~)) (b)(iii) or chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the court shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four hours after entry of the judgment.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in (c) of this subsection, upon petition of a juvenile who has been found by the court to have committed an offense that is a violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the court may at any time the court deems appropriate notify the department of licensing that the juvenile's driving privileges should be reinstated.

(c) If the offense is the juvenile's first violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the juvenile may not petition the court for reinstatement of the juvenile's privilege to drive revoked pursuant to RCW 46.20.265 until ninety days after the date the juvenile turns sixteen or ninety days after the judgment was entered, whichever is later. If the offense is the juvenile's second or subsequent violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the juvenile may not petition the court for reinstatement of the juvenile's privilege to drive revoked pursuant to RCW 46.20.265 until the date the juvenile turns seventeen or one year after the date judgment was entered, whichever is later.

(2)(a) If a juvenile enters into a diversion agreement with a diversion unit pursuant to RCW 13.40.080 concerning an offense that is a violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the diversion unit shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four hours after the diversion agreement is signed.

(b) If a diversion unit has notified the department pursuant to (a) of this subsection, the diversion unit shall notify the department of licensing when the juvenile has completed the agreement.

Sec. 3. RCW 46.20.265 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 439 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In addition to any other authority to revoke driving privileges under this chapter, the department shall revoke all driving privileges of a juvenile when the department receives notice from a court pursuant to RCW 9.41.040(5), 13.40.265, 66.44.365, 69.41.065, 69.50.420, 69.52.070, or a substantially similar municipal ordinance adopted by a local legislative authority, or from a diversion unit pursuant to RCW 13.40.265. The revocation shall be imposed without hearing.

(2) The driving privileges of the juvenile revoked under subsection (1) of this section shall be revoked in the following manner:

(a) Upon receipt of the first notice, the department shall impose a revocation for one year, or until the juvenile reaches seventeen years of age, whichever is longer.

(b) Upon receipt of a second or subsequent notice, the department shall impose a revocation for two years or until the juvenile reaches eighteen years of age, whichever is longer.

(c) Each offense for which the department receives notice shall result in a separate period of revocation. All periods of revocation imposed under this section that could otherwise overlap shall run consecutively and no period of revocation imposed under this section shall begin before the expiration of all other periods of revocation imposed under this section or other law.

(3) If the department receives notice from a court that the juvenile's privilege to drive should be reinstated, the department shall immediately reinstate any driving privileges that have been revoked under this section if the minimum term of revocation as specified in RCW 13.40.265(1)(c), 66.44.365(3), 69.41.065(3), 69.50.420(3), 69.52.070(3), or similar ordinance has expired, and subject to subsection (2)(c) of this section.

(4)(a) If the department receives notice pursuant to RCW 13.40.265(2)(b) from a diversion unit that a juvenile has completed a diversion agreement for which the juvenile's driving privileges were revoked, the department shall reinstate any driving privileges revoked under this section as provided in (b) of this subsection, subject to subsection (2)(c) of this section.

(b) If the diversion agreement was for the juvenile's first violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the department shall not reinstate the juvenile's privilege to drive until the later of ninety days after the date the juvenile turns sixteen or ninety days after the juvenile entered into a diversion agreement for the offense. If the diversion agreement was for the juvenile's second or subsequent violation of chapter 66.44, 69.41, 69.50, or 69.52 RCW, the department shall not reinstate the juvenile's privilege to drive until the later of the date the juvenile turns seventeen or one year after the juvenile entered into the second or subsequent diversion agreement.

Sec. 4. RCW 46.20.285 and 1996 c 199 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

The department shall forthwith revoke the license of any driver for the period of one calendar year unless otherwise provided in this section, upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction of any of the following offenses, when the conviction has become final:

(1) For vehicular homicide the period of revocation shall be two years. The revocation period shall be tolled during any period of total confinement for the offense;

(2) Vehicular assault. The revocation period shall be tolled during any period of total confinement for the offense;

(3) Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle, upon a showing by the department's records that the conviction is the second or subsequent such conviction for the driver within a period of five years. ((~~Upon a showing that the conviction is the third such conviction for the driver within a period of five years, the period of revocation shall be two years~~)) The revocation period shall be as provided in RCW 46.61.5055;

(4) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;

(5) Failure to stop and give information or render aid as required under the laws of this state in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another or resulting in damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended by another;

(6) Perjury or the making of a false affidavit or statement under oath to the department under Title 46 RCW or under any other law relating to the ownership or operation of motor vehicles;

(7) Reckless driving upon a showing by the department's records that the conviction is the third such conviction for the driver within a period of two years.

Sec. 5. RCW 46.20.308 and 1995 c 332 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any person who operates a motor vehicle within this state is deemed to have given consent, subject to the provisions of RCW 46.61.506, to a test or tests of his or her breath or blood for the purpose of determining the alcohol concentration or presence of any drug in his or her breath or blood if arrested for any offense where, at the time of the arrest, the arresting officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or was in violation of RCW 46.61.503.

(2) The test or tests of breath shall be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer having reasonable grounds to believe the person to have been driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or the person to have been driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having alcohol in a concentration of 0.02 or more in his or her system and being under the age of twenty-one. However, in those instances where the person is incapable due to physical injury, physical incapacity, or other physical limitation, of providing a breath sample or where the person is being treated in a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, emergency medical vehicle, ambulance, or other similar facility in which a breath testing instrument is not present or where the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is under the influence of a drug, a blood test shall be administered by a qualified person as provided in RCW 46.61.506(4). The officer shall inform the person of his or her right to refuse the breath or blood test, and of his or her right to have additional tests administered by any qualified person of his or her choosing as provided in RCW 46.61.506. The officer shall warn the driver that:

(a) His or her license, permit, or privilege to drive will be revoked or denied if he or she refuses to submit to the test;

(b) His or her license, permit, or privilege to drive will be suspended, revoked, denied, or placed in probationary status if the test is administered and the test indicates the alcohol concentration of the person's breath or blood is 0.10 or more, in the case of a person age twenty-one or over, or 0.02 or more in the case of a person under age twenty-one; and

(3) Except as provided in this section, the test administered shall be of the breath only. If an individual is unconscious or is under arrest for the crime of vehicular homicide as provided in RCW 46.61.520 or vehicular assault as provided in RCW 46.61.522, or if an individual is under arrest for the crime of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs as provided in RCW 46.61.502, which arrest results from an accident in which there has been serious bodily injury to another person, a breath or blood test may be administered without the consent of the individual so arrested.

(4) Any person who is dead, unconscious, or who is otherwise in a condition rendering him or her incapable of refusal, shall be deemed not to have withdrawn the consent provided by subsection (1) of this section and the test or tests may be administered, subject to the provisions of RCW 46.61.506, and the person shall be deemed to have received the warnings required under subsection (2) of this section.

(5) If, following his or her arrest and receipt of warnings under subsection (2) of this section, the person arrested refuses upon the request of a law enforcement officer to submit to a test or tests of his or her breath or blood, no test shall be given except as authorized under subsection (3) or (4) of this section.

(6) If, after arrest and after the other applicable conditions and requirements of this section have been satisfied, a test or tests of the person's blood or breath is administered and the test results indicate that the alcohol concentration of the person's breath or blood is 0.10 or more if the person is age twenty-one or over, or is 0.02 or more if the person is under the age of twenty-one, or the person refuses to submit to a test, the arresting officer or other law enforcement officer at whose direction any test has been given, or the department, where applicable, if the arrest results in a test of the person's blood, shall:

(a) Serve notice in writing on the person on behalf of the department of its intention to suspend, revoke, deny, or place in probationary status the person's license, permit, or privilege to drive as required by subsection (7) of this section;

(b) Serve notice in writing on the person on behalf of the department of his or her right to a hearing, specifying the steps he or she must take to obtain a hearing as provided by subsection (8) of this section;

(c) Mark the person's Washington state driver's license or permit to drive, if any, in a manner authorized by the department;

(d) Serve notice in writing that the marked license or permit, if any, is a temporary license that is valid for sixty days from the date of arrest or from the date notice has been given in the event notice is given by the department following a blood test, or until the suspension, revocation, or denial of the person's license, permit, or privilege to drive is sustained at a hearing pursuant to subsection (8) of this section, whichever occurs first. No temporary license is valid to any greater degree than the license or permit that it replaces; and

(e) Immediately notify the department of the arrest and transmit to the department within seventy-two hours, except as delayed as the result of a blood test, a sworn report or report under a declaration authorized by RCW 9A.72.085 that states:

(i) That the officer had reasonable grounds to believe the arrested person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, or both, or was under the age of twenty-one years and had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more;

(ii) That after receipt of the warnings required by subsection (2) of this section the person refused to submit to a test of his or her blood or breath, or a test was administered and the results indicated that the alcohol concentration of the person's breath or blood was 0.10 or more if the person is age twenty-one or over, or was 0.02 or more if the person is under the age of twenty-one; and

(iii) Any other information that the director may require by rule.

(7) The department of licensing, upon the receipt of a sworn report or report under a declaration authorized by RCW 9A.72.085 under subsection (6)(e) of this section, shall suspend, revoke, deny, or place in probationary status the person's license, permit, or privilege to drive or any nonresident operating privilege, as provided in RCW 46.20.3101, such suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status to be effective beginning sixty days from the date of arrest or from the date notice has been given in the event notice is given by the department following a blood test, or when sustained at a hearing pursuant to subsection (8) of this section, whichever occurs first.

(8) A person receiving notification under subsection (6)(b) of this section may, within thirty days after the notice has been given, request in writing a formal hearing before the department. The person shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars as part of the request. If the request is mailed, it must be postmarked within thirty days after receipt of the notification. Upon timely receipt of such a request for a formal hearing, including receipt of the required one hundred dollar fee, the department shall afford the person an opportunity for a hearing. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the hearing is subject to and shall be scheduled and conducted in accordance with RCW 46.20.329 and 46.20.332. The hearing shall be conducted in the county of the arrest, except that all or part of the hearing may, at the discretion of the department, be conducted by telephone or other electronic means. The hearing shall be held within sixty days following the arrest or following the date notice has been given in the event notice is given by the department following a blood test, unless otherwise agreed to by the department and the person, in which case the action by the department shall be stayed, and any valid temporary license marked under subsection (6)(c) of this section extended, if the person is otherwise eligible for licensing. For the purposes of this section, the scope of the hearing shall cover the issues of whether a law enforcement officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while having alcohol in his or her system in a concentration of 0.02 or more and was under the age of twenty-one, whether the person was placed under arrest, and (a) whether the person refused to submit to the test or tests upon request of the officer after having been informed that such refusal would result in the revocation of the person's license, permit, or privilege to drive, or (b) if a test or tests were administered, whether the applicable requirements of this section were satisfied before the administration of the test or tests, whether the person submitted to the test or tests, or whether a test was administered without express consent as permitted under this section, and whether the test or tests indicated that the alcohol concentration of the person's breath or blood was 0.10 or more if the person was age twenty-one or over at the time of the arrest, or was 0.02 or more if the person was under the age of twenty-one at the time of the arrest. The sworn report or report under a declaration authorized by RCW 9A.72.085 submitted by a law enforcement officer is prima facie evidence that the officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, or both, or the person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while having alcohol in his or her system in a concentration of 0.02 or more and was under the age of twenty-one and that the officer complied with the requirements of this section.

A hearing officer shall conduct the hearing, may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents, and shall administer oaths to witnesses. The hearing officer shall not issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness at the request of the person unless the request is accompanied by the fee required by RCW 5.56.010 for a witness in district court. The sworn report or report under a declaration authorized by RCW 9A.72.085 of the law enforcement officer and any other evidence accompanying the report shall be admissible without further evidentiary foundation and the certifications authorized by the criminal rules for courts of limited jurisdiction shall be admissible without further evidentiary foundation. The person may be represented by counsel, may question witnesses, may present evidence, and may testify. The department shall order that the suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status either be rescinded or sustained.

(9) If the suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status is sustained after such a hearing, the person whose license, privilege, or permit is suspended, revoked, denied, or placed in probationary status has the right to file a petition in the superior court of the county of arrest to review the final order of revocation by the department in the same manner as an appeal from a decision of a court of limited jurisdiction. Notice of appeal must be filed within thirty days after the date the final order is served or the right to appeal is waived. Notwithstanding RCW 46.20.334, RALJ 1.1, or other statutes or rules referencing de novo review, the appeal shall be limited to a review of the record of the administrative hearing. The appellant must pay the costs associated with obtaining the record of the hearing before the hearing officer. The filing of the appeal does not stay the effective date of the suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status. A petition filed under this subsection must include the petitioner's grounds for requesting review. Upon granting petitioner's request for review, the court shall review the department's final order of suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status as expeditiously as possible. The review must be limited to a determination of whether the department has committed any errors of law. The superior court shall accept those factual determinations supported by substantial evidence in the record: (a) That were expressly made by the department; or (b) that may reasonably be inferred from the final order of the department. The superior court may reverse, affirm, or modify the decision of the department or remand the case back to the department for further proceedings. The decision of the superior court must be in writing and filed in the clerk's office with the other papers in the case. The court shall state the reasons for the decision. If judicial relief is sought for a stay or other temporary remedy from the department's action, the court shall not grant such relief unless the court finds that the appellant is likely to prevail in the appeal and that without a stay the appellant will suffer irreparable injury. If the court stays the suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status it may impose conditions on such stay.

(10) If a person whose driver's license, permit, or privilege to drive has been or will be suspended, revoked, denied, or placed in probationary status under subsection (7) of this section, other than as a result of a breath or blood test refusal, and who has not committed an offense within the last five years for which he or she was granted a deferred prosecution under chapter 10.05 RCW, petitions a court for a deferred prosecution on criminal charges arising out of the arrest for which action has been or will be taken under subsection (7) of this section, the court may direct the department to stay any actual or proposed suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status for at least forty-five days but not more than ninety days. If the court stays the suspension, revocation, denial, or placement in probationary status, it may impose conditions on such stay. If the person is otherwise eligible for licensing, the department shall issue a temporary license, or extend any valid temporary license marked under subsection (6) of this section, for the period of the stay. If a deferred prosecution treatment plan is not recommended in the report made under RCW 10.05.050, or if treatment is rejected by the court, or if the person declines to accept an offered treatment plan, or if the person violates any condition imposed by the court, then the court shall immediately direct the department to cancel the stay and any temporary marked license or extension of a temporary license issued under this subsection.

A suspension, revocation, or denial imposed under this section, other than as a result of a breath or blood test refusal, shall be stayed if the person is accepted for deferred prosecution as provided in chapter 10.05 RCW for the incident upon which the suspension, revocation, or denial is based. If the deferred prosecution is terminated, the stay shall be lifted and the suspension, revocation, or denial reinstated. If the deferred prosecution is completed, the stay shall be lifted and the suspension, revocation, or denial canceled.

(11) When it has been finally determined under the procedures of this section that a nonresident's privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state has been suspended, revoked, or denied, the department shall give information in writing of the action taken to the motor vehicle administrator of the state of the person's residence and of any state in which he or she has a license.

Sec. 6. RCW 46.20.355 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 17 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Upon placing a license, permit, or privilege to drive in probationary status under RCW 46.20.3101(2)(a), or upon receipt of an abstract indicating a deferred prosecution has been granted under RCW 10.05.060, or upon receipt of a notice of conviction of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, the department of licensing shall order the person to surrender any nonprobationary Washington state driver's license that may be in his or her possession. The department shall revoke the license, permit, or privilege to drive of any person who fails to surrender it as required by this section for one year, unless the license has been previously surrendered to the department, a law enforcement officer, or a court, or the person has completed an affidavit of lost, stolen, destroyed, or previously surrendered license, such revocation to take effect thirty days after notice is given of the requirement for license surrender.

(2) The department shall place a person's driving privilege in probationary status as required by RCW 10.05.060, 46.20.308, or 46.61.5055 for a period of five years from the date the probationary status is required to go into effect.

(3) Following receipt of an abstract indicating a deferred prosecution has been granted under RCW 10.05.060, or following receipt of a sworn report under RCW 46.20.308 that requires immediate placement in probationary status under RCW 46.20.3101(2)(a), or upon reinstatement or reissuance of a driver's license suspended or revoked as the result of a conviction of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, the department shall require the person to obtain a probationary license in order to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Washington, except as otherwise exempt under RCW 46.20.025. The department shall not issue the probationary license unless the person is otherwise qualified for licensing, and the person must renew the probationary license on the same cycle as the person's regular license would have been renewed until the expiration of the five-year probationary status period imposed under subsection (2) of this section.

(4) For each original issue or renewal of a probationary license under this section, the department shall charge a fee of fifty dollars in addition to any other licensing fees required. Except for when renewing a probationary license, the department shall waive the requirement to obtain an additional probationary license and the fifty-dollar fee if the person has a probationary license in his or her possession at the time a new probationary license is required.

(5) A probationary license shall enable the department and law enforcement personnel to determine that the person is on probationary status. The fact that a person's driving privilege is in probationary status or that the person has been issued a probationary license shall not be a part of the person's record that is available to insurance companies.

Sec. 7. RCW 46.29.040 and 1963 c 169 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Any order of the director under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to review, at the instance of any party in interest, by appeal to the superior court of Thurston county, or at his option to the superior court of the county of his residence. The scope of such review shall be limited to that prescribed by RCW 7.16.120 governing review by certiorari. Notice of appeal must be filed within ((~~ten~~)) thirty days after ((~~receipt~~)) service of the notice of such order. The court shall determine whether the filing of the appeal shall operate as a stay of any such order of the director. Upon the filing the notice of appeal the court shall issue an order to the director to show cause why the order should not be reversed or modified. The order to show cause shall be returnable not less than ten nor more than thirty days after the date of service thereof upon the director. The court after hearing the matter may modify, affirm or reverse the order of the director in whole or in part.

Sec. 8. RCW 46.61.503 and 1995 c 332 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a person is guilty of driving or being in physical control of a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol if the person operates or is in physical control of a motor vehicle within this state and the person:

(a) Is under the age of twenty-one;

(b) Has, within two hours after operating or being in physical control of the motor vehicle, an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more, as shown by analysis of the person's breath or blood made under RCW 46.61.506.

(2) It is an affirmative defense to a violation of subsection (1) of this section which the defendant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of alcohol after the time of driving or being in physical control and before the administration of an analysis of the person's breath or blood to cause the defendant's alcohol concentration to be 0.02 or more within two hours after driving or being in physical control. The court shall not admit evidence of this defense unless the defendant notifies the prosecution prior to the earlier of: (a) Seven days prior to trial; or (b) the omnibus or pretrial hearing in the case of the defendant's intent to assert the affirmative defense.

(3) Analyses of blood or breath samples obtained more than two hours after the alleged driving or being in physical control may be used as evidence that within two hours of the alleged driving or being in physical control, a person had an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more in violation of subsection (1) of this section.

(4) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

Sec. 9. RCW 46.61.5152 and 1994 c 275 s 40 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to penalties that may be imposed under RCW ((~~46.61.5051, 46.61.5052, or 46.61.5053~~)) 46.61.5055, the court may require a person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 or who enters a deferred prosecution program under RCW 10.05.020 based on a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, to attend an educational program focusing on the emotional, physical, and financial suffering of victims who were injured by persons convicted of driving while under the influence of intoxicants.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. RCW 46.61.5057 and 1994 c 275 s 11 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1997.