AN
ACT Relating to positive drug or alcohol test results of commercial motor
vehicle operators; amending RCW 46.25.090, 46.25.100, and 46.25.120; adding new
sections to chapter 46.25 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. A
new section is added to chapter 46.25 RCW to read as follows:
All
medical review officers or breath alcohol technicians hired by or under
contract to a motor carrier or employer who is required to have a testing
program under 49 C.F.R. 382 or to a consortium the carrier belongs to, as
defined in 49 C.F.R. 382.17, shall report the finding of a commercial driver's
confirmed positive drug or alcohol test to the department of licensing on a
form provided by the department. Motor carriers, employers, or consortiums
shall make it a written condition of their contract or agreement with a medical
review officer or breath alcohol technician, regardless of the state where the
medical review officer or breath alcohol technician is located, that the
medical review officer or breath alcohol technician is required to report all
Washington state licensed drivers who have a confirmed positive drug or alcohol
test to the department of licensing within three business days of the confirmed
test. Failure to obtain this contractual condition or agreement with the
medical review officer or breath alcohol technician by the motor carrier,
employer, or consortium will result in an administrative fine as provided in
RCW 81.04.405. Substances obtained for testing may not be used for any purpose
other than drug or alcohol testing under 49 C.F.R. 382.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 46.25 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
When the department of licensing receives a report from a medical review
officer or breath alcohol technician that the holder of a commercial driver's
license has a confirmed positive drug or alcohol test, either as part of the
testing program required by 49 C.F.R. 382 or as part of a preemployment drug
test, the department shall disqualify the driver from driving a commercial
motor vehicle under RCW 46.25.090(7) subject to a hearing as provided in this
section. The department shall notify the person in writing of the
disqualification by first class mail. The notice must explain the procedure
for the person to request a hearing.
(2)
A person disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for having a
confirmed positive drug or alcohol test may request a hearing to challenge the
disqualification within twenty days from the date notice is given. If the
request for a hearing is mailed, it must be postmarked within twenty days after
the department has given notice of the disqualification.
(3)
The hearing must be conducted in the county of the person's residence, except
that the department may conduct all or part of the hearing by telephone or
other electronic means.
(4)
For the purposes of this section, the hearing must be limited to the following
issues: (a) Whether the driver is the person who took the drug or alcohol
test; (b) whether the motor carrier, employer, or consortium has a program that
meets the federal requirements under 49 C.F.R. 382; and (c) whether the medical
review officer or breath alcohol technician making the report accurately
followed the protocols for testing established to certify the results.
Evidence may be presented to demonstrate that the test results are a false
positive. For the purpose of a hearing under this section, a copy of the
positive test result with a declaration by the tester or medical review officer
or breath alcohol technician stating the accuracy of the laboratory protocols
followed to arrive at the test result is prima facie evidence of a confirmed
positive drug or alcohol test result. After the hearing, the department shall
order the disqualification of the person either be rescinded or sustained.
(5)
If the person does not request a hearing within the twenty-day time limit, or
if the person fails to appear at a hearing, the person has waived the right to
a hearing and the department shall sustain the disqualification.
(6)
A decision by the department disqualifying a person from driving a commercial
motor vehicle is stayed and does not take effect while a formal hearing is
pending under this section or during the pendency of a subsequent appeal to
superior court so long as there is no conviction for a moving violation or no
finding that the person has committed a traffic infraction that is a moving
violation and the department receives no further report of a confirmed positive
drug or alcohol test during the pendency of the hearing and appeal. If the
disqualification is sustained after the hearing, the person who is disqualified
may file a petition in the superior court of the county of his or her residence
to review the final order of disqualification by the department in the manner
provided in RCW 46.20.334.
(7)
The department of licensing may adopt rules specifying further requirements for
requesting a hearing under this section.
(8)
The department of licensing is not civilly liable for damage resulting from
disqualifying a driver based on a confirmed positive drug or alcohol test
result as required by this section or for damage resulting from release of this
information that occurs in the normal course of business.
Sec.
3. RCW
46.25.090 and 1996 c 30 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period
of not less than one year if a report has been received by the department
pursuant to RCW 46.25.120, or if the person has been convicted of a first
violation, within this or any other jurisdiction, of:
(a)
Driving a commercial motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or any drug;
(b)
Driving a commercial motor vehicle while the alcohol concentration in the
person's system is 0.04 or more as determined by any testing methods approved
by law in this state or any other state or jurisdiction;
(c)
Leaving the scene of an accident involving a commercial motor vehicle driven by
the person;
(d)
Using a commercial motor vehicle in the commission of a felony;
(e)
Refusing to submit to a test to determine the driver's alcohol concentration
while driving a motor vehicle.
If
any of the violations set forth in this subsection occurred while transporting
a hazardous material required to be identified by a placard, the person is
disqualified for a period of not less than three years.
(2)
A person is disqualified for life if it has been determined that the person has
committed or has been convicted of two or more violations of any of the
offenses specified in subsection (1) of this section, or any combination of
those offenses, arising from two or more separate incidents. Only offenses
committed after October 1, 1989, may be considered in applying this subsection.
(3)
The department may adopt rules, in accordance with federal regulations,
establishing guidelines, including conditions, under which a disqualification
for life under subsection (2) of this section may be reduced to a period of not
less than ten years.
(4)
A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for life who
uses a commercial motor vehicle in the commission of a felony involving the
manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance, as defined
by chapter 69.50 RCW, or possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or
dispense a controlled substance, as defined by chapter 69.50 RCW.
(5)
A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period
of not less than sixty days if convicted of or found to have committed two
serious traffic violations, or one hundred twenty days if convicted of or found
to have committed three serious traffic violations, committed in a commercial
motor vehicle arising from separate incidents occurring within a three-year
period.
(6)
A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period
of:
(a)
Not less than ninety days nor more than one year if convicted of or found to
have committed a first violation of an out-of-service order while driving a
commercial vehicle;
(b)
Not less than one year nor more than five years if, during a ten-year period,
the person is convicted of or is found to have committed two violations of
out-of-service orders while driving a commercial vehicle in separate
incidents;
(c)
Not less than three years nor more than five years if, during a ten-year
period, the person is convicted of or is found to have committed three or more
violations of out-of-service orders while driving commercial vehicles in
separate incidents;
(d)
Not less than one hundred eighty days nor more than two years if the person is
convicted of or is found to have committed a first violation of an
out-of-service order while transporting hazardous materials required to be
placarded under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (46 U.S.C. Sec.
1801-1813), or while operating motor vehicles designed to transport sixteen or
more passengers, including the driver. A person is disqualified for a period
of not less than three years nor more than five years if, during a ten-year
period, the person is convicted of or is found to have committed subsequent
violations of out-of-service orders, in separate incidents, while transporting
hazardous materials required to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials
Transportation Act, or while operating motor vehicles designed to transport sixteen
or more passengers, including the driver.
(7)
A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle if a report
has been received by the department under section 2 of this act that the person
has received a confirmed positive drug or alcohol test either as part of the
testing program required by 49 C.F.R. 382 or 49 C.F.R. 40 or as part of a
preemployment drug test. A disqualification under this subsection remains in
effect until the person undergoes a drug and alcohol assessment by an agency
certified by the department of social and health services and, if the person is
classified as an alcoholic, drug addict, alcohol abuser, or drug abuser, until
the person presents evidence of satisfactory participation in or successful
completion of a drug or alcohol treatment program that has been certified by
the department of social and health services under chapter 70.96A RCW and until
the person has met the requirements of RCW 46.25.100. The agency making a drug
and alcohol assessment under this section shall forward a diagnostic evaluation
and treatment recommendation to the department of licensing for use in
determining the person's eligibility for driving a commercial motor vehicle.
Persons who are disqualified under this subsection more than twice in a
five-year period are disqualified for life.
(8)
Within ten days after suspending, revoking, or canceling a commercial driver's
license, the department shall update its records to reflect that action. After
suspending, revoking, or canceling a nonresident commercial driver's
privileges, the department shall notify the licensing authority of the state
that issued the commercial driver's license.
Sec. 4. RCW
46.25.100 and 1989 c 178 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
When
a person has been disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle, the
person is not entitled to have the commercial driver's license restored until
after the expiration of the appropriate disqualification period required under
RCW 46.25.090 or until the department has received a drug and alcohol
assessment and evidence is presented of satisfactory participation in or
completion of any required drug or alcohol treatment program for ending the
disqualification under RCW 46.25.090(7). After expiration of the
appropriate period and upon payment of a requalification fee of twenty dollars,
or one hundred fifty dollars if the person has been disqualified under RCW
46.25.090(7), the person may apply for a new, duplicate, or renewal
commercial driver's license as provided by law. If the person has been
disqualified for a period of one year or more, the person shall demonstrate
that he or she meets the commercial driver's license qualification standards
specified in RCW 46.25.060.
Sec.
5. RCW
46.25.120 and 1998 c 41 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
A person who drives a commercial motor vehicle within this state is deemed to
have given consent, subject to RCW 46.61.506, to take a test or tests of that
person's blood or breath for the purpose of determining that person's alcohol
concentration or the presence of other drugs.
(2)
A test or tests may be administered at the direction of a law enforcement
officer, who after stopping or detaining the commercial motor vehicle driver,
has probable cause to believe that driver was driving a commercial motor
vehicle while having alcohol in his or her system.
(3)
The law enforcement officer requesting the test under subsection (1) of this
section shall warn the person requested to submit to the test that a refusal to
submit will result in that person being disqualified from operating a
commercial motor vehicle under RCW 46.25.090.
(4)
If the person refuses testing, or submits to a test that discloses an alcohol
concentration of 0.04 or more, the law enforcement officer shall submit a sworn
report to the department certifying that the test was requested pursuant to
subsection (1) of this section and that the person refused to submit to
testing, or submitted to a test that disclosed an alcohol concentration of 0.04
or more.
(5)
Upon receipt of the sworn report of a law enforcement officer under subsection
(4) of this section, the department shall disqualify the driver from driving a
commercial motor vehicle under RCW 46.25.090, subject to the hearing provisions
of RCW 46.20.329 and 46.20.332. The hearing shall be conducted in the county
of the arrest. For the purposes of this section, 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 commercial
motor vehicle within this state while having alcohol in the person's system,
whether the person refused to submit to the test or tests upon request of the
officer after having been informed that the refusal would result in the
disqualification of the person from driving a commercial motor vehicle, and, if
the test was administered, whether the results indicated an alcohol
concentration of 0.04 percent or more. The department shall order that the
disqualification of the person either be rescinded or sustained. Any decision
by the department disqualifying a person from driving a commercial motor
vehicle is stayed and does not take effect while a formal hearing is pending
under this section or during the pendency of a subsequent appeal to superior
court so long as there is no conviction for a moving violation or no finding
that the person has committed a traffic infraction that is a moving violation
during the pendency of the hearing and appeal. If the disqualification of the
person is sustained after the hearing, the person who is disqualified may file
a petition in the superior court of the county of arrest to review the final
order of disqualification by the department in the manner provided in RCW
46.20.334.
(6)
If a motor carrier or employer who is required to have a testing program under
49 C.F.R. 382 knows that a commercial driver in his or her employ has refused
to submit to testing under this section and has not been disqualified from
driving a commercial motor vehicle, the employer may notify law enforcement or
his or her medical review officer or breath alcohol technician that the driver
has refused to submit to the required testing.
(7)
The hearing provisions of this section do not apply to those persons disqualified
from driving a commercial motor vehicle under RCW 46.25.090(7).
