Chapter 127
2016 -- S 2370 SUBSTITUTE B
Enacted 06/24/2016

A N   A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES

Introduced By: Senators Archambault, Lombardi, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, and Jabour
Date Introduced: February 10, 2016

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Sections 31-27-2, 31-27-2.1 and 31-27-2.8 of the General Laws in Chapter
31-27 entitled "Motor Vehicle Offenses" are hereby amended to read as follows:
     31-27-2. Driving under influence of liquor or drugs. -- (a) Whoever drives or
otherwise operates any vehicle in the state while under the influence of any intoxicating liquor,
drugs, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter 28 of title 21, or any
combination of these, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, except as provided in subdivision (d)(3),
and shall be punished as provided in subsection (d) of this section.
      (b) (1) Any person charged under subsection (a) of this section, whose blood alcohol
concentration is eight one-hundredths of one percent (.08%) or more by weight, as shown by a
chemical analysis of a blood, breath, or urine sample, shall be guilty of violating subsection (a) of
this section. This provision shall not preclude a conviction based on other admissible evidence.
Proof of guilt under this section may also be based on evidence that the person charged was under
the influence of intoxicating liquor, drugs, toluene, or any controlled substance defined in chapter
28 of title 21, or any combination of these, to a degree that rendered the person incapable of
safely operating a vehicle. The fact that any person charged with violating this section is, or has
been, legally entitled to use alcohol or a drug shall not constitute a defense against any charge of
violating this section.
      (2) Whoever drives, or otherwise operates, any vehicle in the state with a blood presence
of any scheduled controlled substance as defined within chapter 28 of title 21, as shown by
analysis of a blood or urine sample, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as
provided in subsection (d) of this section.
      (c) In any criminal prosecution for a violation of subsection (a) of this section, evidence
as to the amount of intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter
28 of title 21, or any combination of these, in the defendant's blood at the time alleged as shown
by a chemical analysis of the defendant's breath, blood, or urine or other bodily substance, shall
be admissible and competent, provided that evidence is presented that the following conditions
have been complied with:
      (1) The defendant has consented to the taking of the test upon which the analysis is
made. Evidence that the defendant had refused to submit to the test shall not be admissible unless
the defendant elects to testify.
      (2) A true copy of the report of the test result was mailed within seventy-two (72) hours
of the taking of the test to the person submitting to a breath test.
      (3) Any person submitting to a chemical test of blood, urine, or other body fluids shall
have a true copy of the report of the test result mailed to him or her within thirty (30) days
following the taking of the test.
      (4) The test was performed according to methods and with equipment approved by the
director of the department of health of the state of Rhode Island and by an authorized individual.
      (5) Equipment used for the conduct of the tests by means of breath analysis had been
tested for accuracy within thirty (30) days preceding the test by personnel qualified as
hereinbefore provided, and breathalyzer operators shall be qualified and certified by the
department of health within three hundred sixty-five (365) days of the test.
      (6) The person arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the
influence of intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter 28 of
title 21, or, any combination of these in violation of subsection (a) of this section, was afforded
the opportunity to have an additional chemical test. The officer arresting or so charging the
person shall have informed the person of this right and afforded him or her a reasonable
opportunity to exercise this right, and a notation to this effect is made in the official records of the
case in the police department. Refusal to permit an additional chemical test shall render
incompetent and inadmissible in evidence the original report.
      (d) (1) (i) Every person found to have violated subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall be
sentenced as follows: for a first violation whose blood alcohol concentration is eight one-
hundredths of one percent (.08%), but less than one-tenth of one percent (.1%), by weight, or who
has a blood presence of any scheduled controlled substance as defined in subdivision (b)(2), shall
be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than three hundred
dollars ($300); shall be required to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of public community
restitution, and/or shall be imprisoned for up to one year. The sentence may be served in any unit
of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge and/or shall be
required to attend a special course on driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a
controlled substance; provided, however, that the court may permit a servicemember or veteran to
complete any court-approved counseling program administered or approved by the Veterans'
Administration, and his or her driver's license shall be suspended for thirty (30) days up to one
hundred eighty (180) days. The sentencing judge or magistrate may prohibit that person from
operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in §
31-27-2.8.
      (ii) Every person convicted of a first violation whose blood alcohol concentration is one-
tenth of one percent (.1%) by weight or above, but less than fifteen hundredths of one percent
(.15%), or whose blood alcohol concentration is unknown, shall be subject to a fine of not less
than one hundred ($100) dollars, nor more than four hundred dollars ($400), and shall be required
to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of public community restitution and/or shall be imprisoned
for up to one year. The sentence may be served in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in
the discretion of the sentencing judge. The person's driving license shall be suspended for a
period of three (3) months to twelve (12) months. The sentencing judge shall require attendance
at a special course on driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance
and/or alcoholic or drug treatment for the individual; provided, however, that the court may
permit a servicemember or veteran to complete any court-approved counseling program
administered or approved by the Veterans' Administration. The sentencing judge or magistrate
may prohibit that person from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition
interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (iii) Every person convicted of a first offense whose blood alcohol concentration is
fifteen hundredths of one percent (.15%) or above, or who is under the influence of a drug,
toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in subdivision (b)(1), shall be subject to a fine of
five hundred dollars ($500) and shall be required to perform twenty (20) to sixty (60) hours of
public community restitution and/or shall be imprisoned for up to one year. The sentence may be
served in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge.
The person's driving license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) months to eighteen (18)
months. The sentencing judge shall require attendance at a special course on driving while
intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance and/or alcohol or drug treatment for
the individual; provided, however, that the court may permit a servicemember or veteran to
complete any court-approved counseling program administered or approved by the Veterans'
Administration. The sentencing judge or magistrate shall prohibit that person from operating a
motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (2) (i) Every person convicted of a second violation within a five-year (5) period with a
blood alcohol concentration of eight one-hundredths of one percent (.08%) or above, but less than
fifteen hundredths of one percent (.15%), or whose blood alcohol concentration is unknown, or
who has a blood presence of any controlled substance as defined in subdivision (b)(2), and every
person convicted of a second violation within a five-year (5) period, regardless of whether the
prior violation and subsequent conviction was a violation and subsequent conviction under this
statute or under the driving under the influence of liquor or drugs statute of any other state, shall
be subject to a mandatory fine of four hundred dollars ($400). The person's driving license shall
be suspended for a period of one year to two (2) years, and the individual shall be sentenced to
not less than ten (10) days, nor more than one year, in jail. The sentence may be served in any
unit of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge; however, not
less than forty-eight (48) hours of imprisonment shall be served consecutively. The sentencing
judge shall require alcohol or drug treatment for the individual; provided, however, that the court
may permit a servicemember or veteran to complete any court-approved counseling program
administered or approved by the Veterans' Administration and shall prohibit that person from
operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in §
31-27-2.8.
      (ii) Every person convicted of a second violation within a five-year (5) period whose
blood alcohol concentration is fifteen hundredths of one percent (.15%) or above, by weight as
shown by a chemical analysis of a blood, breath, or urine sample, or who is under the influence of
a drug, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in subdivision (b)(1), shall be subject to
mandatory imprisonment of not less than six (6) months, nor more than one year; a mandatory
fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000); and a mandatory license suspension for a
period of two (2) years from the date of completion of the sentence imposed under this
subsection. The sentencing judge shall require alcohol or drug treatment for the individual;
provided, however, that the court may permit a servicemember or veteran to complete any court
approved counseling program administered or approved by the Veterans' Administration. The
sentencing judge or magistrate shall prohibit that person from operating a motor vehicle that is
not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8
      (3) (i) Every person convicted of a third or subsequent violation within a five-year (5)
period with a blood alcohol concentration of eight one-hundredths of one percent (.08%) or
above, but less than fifteen hundredths of one percent (.15%), or whose blood alcohol
concentration is unknown or who has a blood presence of any scheduled controlled substance as
defined in subdivision (b)(2), regardless of whether any prior violation and subsequent conviction
was a violation and subsequent conviction under this statute or under the driving under the
influence of liquor or drugs statute of any other state, shall be guilty of a felony and be subject to
a mandatory fine of four hundred ($400) dollars. The person's driving license shall be suspended
for a period of two (2) years to three (3) years, and the individual shall be sentenced to not less
than one year and not more than three (3) years in jail. The sentence may be served in any unit of
the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge; however, not less than
forty-eight (48) hours of imprisonment shall be served consecutively. The sentencing judge shall
require alcohol or drug treatment for the individual; provided, however, that the court may permit
a servicemember or veteran to complete any court-approved counseling program administered or
approved by the Veterans' Administration, and shall prohibit that person from operating a motor
vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (ii) Every person convicted of a third or subsequent violation within a five-year (5)
period whose blood alcohol concentration is fifteen hundredths of one percent (.15%) above by
weight as shown by a chemical analysis of a blood, breath, or urine sample, or who is under the
influence of a drug, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in subdivision (b)(1), shall be
subject to mandatory imprisonment of not less than three (3) years, nor more than five (5) years; a
mandatory fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), nor more than five thousand
dollars ($5,000); and a mandatory license suspension for a period of three (3) years from the date
of completion of the sentence imposed under this subsection. The sentencing judge shall require
alcohol or drug treatment for the individual. The sentencing judge or magistrate shall prohibit that
person from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system as
provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (iii) In addition to the foregoing penalties, every person convicted of a third or
subsequent violation within a five-year (5) period, regardless of whether any prior violation and
subsequent conviction was a violation and subsequent conviction under this statute or under the
driving under the influence of liquor or drugs statute of any other state, shall be subject, in the
discretion of the sentencing judge, to having the vehicle owned and operated by the violator
seized and sold by the state of Rhode Island, with all funds obtained by the sale to be transferred
to the general fund.
      (4) Whoever drives or otherwise operates any vehicle in the state while under the
influence of any intoxicating liquor, drugs, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in
chapter 28 of title 21, or any combination of these, when his or her license to operate is
suspended, revoked, or cancelled for operating under the influence of a narcotic drug or
intoxicating liquor, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than three
(3) years and by a fine or of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000). The court shall
require alcohol and/or drug treatment for the individual; provided, the penalties provided for in §
31-27-2(d)(4) shall not apply to an individual who has surrendered his or her license and served
the court-ordered period of suspension, but who, for any reason, has not had his or her license
reinstated after the period of suspension, revocation, or suspension has expired; provided, further,
the individual shall be subject to the provisions of subdivision §§ 31-27-2(d)(2)(i), or (d)(2)(ii),
or 31-27-22(d)(3)(i), (d)(3)(ii), or (d)(3)(iii) regarding subsequent offenses, and any other
applicable provision of § 31-27-2 this section.
      (5) (i) For purposes of determining the period of license suspension, a prior violation
shall constitute any charge brought and sustained under the provisions of this section or § 31-27-
2.1.
      (ii) Any person over the age of eighteen (18) who is convicted under this section for
operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, other drugs, or a combination of
these, while a child under the age of thirteen (13) years was present as a passenger in the motor
vehicle when the offense was committed, may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not
more than one year, and further, shall not be entitled to the benefit of suspension or deferment of
this sentence. The sentence imposed under this section may be served in any unit of the adult
correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge.
      (6) (i) Any person convicted of a violation under this section shall pay a highway
assessment fine of five hundred dollars ($500) that shall be deposited into the general fund. The
assessment provided for by this subsection shall be collected from a violator before any other
fines authorized by this section.
      (ii) Any person convicted of a violation under this section shall be assessed a fee of
eighty-six dollars ($86).
      (7) (i) If the person convicted of violating this section is under the age of eighteen (18)
years, for the first violation he or she shall be required to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of
public community restitution and the juvenile's driving license shall be suspended for a period of
six (6) months, and may be suspended for a period up to eighteen (18) months. The sentencing
judge shall also require attendance at a special course on driving while intoxicated or under the
influence of a controlled substance and alcohol or drug education and/or treatment for the
juvenile. The juvenile may also be required to pay a highway assessment fine of no more than
five hundred dollars ($500) and the assessment imposed shall be deposited into the general fund.
      (ii) If the person convicted of violating this section is under the age of eighteen (18)
years, for a second or subsequent violation regardless of whether any prior violation and
subsequent conviction was a violation and subsequent under this statute or under the driving
under the influence of liquor or drugs statute of any other state, he or she shall be subject to a
mandatory suspension of his or her driving license until such time as he or she is twenty-one (21)
years of age and may, in the discretion of the sentencing judge, also be sentenced to the Rhode
Island training school for a period of not more than one year and/or a fine of not more than five
hundred dollars ($500).
      (8) Any person convicted of a violation under this section may undergo a clinical
assessment at the community college of Rhode Island's center for workforce and community
education. Should this clinical assessment determine problems of alcohol, drug abuse, or
psychological problems associated with alcoholic or drug abuse, this person shall be referred to
an appropriate facility, licensed or approved by the department of mental health, retardation
and hospitals behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, for treatment
placement, case management, and monitoring. In the case of a servicemember or veteran, the
court may order that the person be evaluated through the Veterans' Administration. Should the
clinical assessment determine problems of alcohol, drug abuse, or psychological problems
associated with alcohol or drug abuse, the person may have their treatment, case management,
and monitoring administered or approved by the Veterans' Administration.
      (e) Percent by weight of alcohol in the blood shall be based upon milligrams of alcohol
per one hundred (100) cubic centimeters of blood.
      (f) (1) There is established an alcohol and drug safety unit within the division of motor
vehicles to administer an alcohol safety action program. The program shall provide for placement
and follow-up for persons who are required to pay the highway safety assessment. The alcohol
and drug safety action program will be administered in conjunction with alcohol and drug
programs licensed by the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals behavioral
healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals.
      (2) Persons convicted under the provisions of this chapter shall be required to attend a
special course on driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance,
and/or participate in an alcohol or drug treatment program; provided, however, that the court may
permit a servicemember or veteran to complete any court-approved counseling program
administered or approved by the Veterans' Administration. The course shall take into
consideration any language barrier that may exist as to any person ordered to attend, and shall
provide for instruction reasonably calculated to communicate the purposes of the course in
accordance with the requirements of the subsection. Any costs reasonably incurred in connection
with the provision of this accommodation shall be borne by the person being retrained. A copy of
any violation under this section shall be forwarded by the court to the alcohol and drug safety
unit. In the event that persons convicted under the provisions of this chapter fail to attend and
complete the above course or treatment program, as ordered by the judge, then the person may be
brought before the court, and after a hearing as to why the order of the court was not followed,
may be sentenced to jail for a period not exceeding one year.
      (3) The alcohol and drug safety action program within the division of motor vehicles
shall be funded by general revenue appropriations.
      (g) The director of the health department of the state of Rhode Island is empowered to
make and file with the secretary of state regulations that prescribe the techniques and methods of
chemical analysis of the person's body fluids or breath and the qualifications and certification of
individuals authorized to administer this testing and analysis.
      (h) Jurisdiction for misdemeanor violations of this section shall be with the district court
for persons eighteen (18) years of age or older and to the family court for persons under the age
of eighteen (18) years. The courts shall have full authority to impose any sentence authorized, and
to order the suspension of any license, for violations of this section. All trials in the district court
and family court of violations of the section shall be scheduled within thirty (30) days of the
arraignment date. No continuance or postponement shall be granted except for good cause shown.
Any continuances that are necessary shall be granted for the shortest practicable time. Trials in
superior court are not required to be scheduled within thirty (30) days of the arraignment date.
      (i) No fines, suspensions, assessments, alcohol or drug treatment programs, course on
driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance, public community
restitution, or jail provided for under this section can be suspended.
      (j) An order to attend a special course on driving while intoxicated that shall be
administered in cooperation with a college or university accredited by the state, shall include a
provision to pay a reasonable tuition for the course in an amount not less than twenty-five dollars
($25.00), and a fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175), which fee shall be deposited into
the general fund.
      (k) For the purposes of this section, any test of a sample of blood, breath, or urine for the
presence of alcohol that relies in whole or in part upon the principle of infrared light absorption is
considered a chemical test.
      (l) If any provision of this section, or the application of any provision, shall for any
reason be judged invalid, such a judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of
the section, but shall be confined in this effect to the provision or application directly involved in
the controversy giving rise to the judgment.
      (m) For the purposes of this section, "servicemember" means a person who is presently
serving in the armed forces of the United States, including the Coast Guard, a reserve component
thereof, or the National Guard. "Veteran" means a person who has served in the armed forces,
including the Coast Guard of the United States, a reserve component thereof, or the National
Guard, and has been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
     31-27-2.1. Refusal to submit to chemical test. -- (a) Any person who operates a motor
vehicle within this state shall be deemed to have given his or her consent to chemical tests of his
or her breath, blood, and/or urine for the purpose of determining the chemical content of his or
her body fluids or breath. No more than two (2) complete tests, one for the presence of
intoxicating liquor and one for the presence of toluene or any controlled substance, as defined in
§ 21-28-1.02(7), shall be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer having
reasonable grounds to believe the person to have been driving a motor vehicle within this state
while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance, as defined
in chapter 28 of title 21, or any combination of these. The director of the department of health is
empowered to make and file, with the secretary of state, regulations that prescribe the techniques
and methods of chemical analysis of the person's body fluids or breath and the qualifications and
certification of individuals authorized to administer the testing and analysis.
      (b) If a person, for religious or medical reasons, cannot be subjected to blood tests, the
person may file an affidavit with the division of motor vehicles stating the reasons why he or she
cannot be required to take blood tests and a notation to this effect shall be made on his or her
license. If that person is asked to submit to chemical tests as provided under this chapter, the
person shall only be required to submit to chemical tests of his or her breath or urine. When a
person is requested to submit to blood tests, only a physician or registered nurse, or a medical
technician certified under regulations promulgated by the director of the department of health,
may withdraw blood for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content in it. This limitation
shall not apply to the taking of breath or urine specimens. The person tested shall be permitted to
have a physician of his or her own choosing, and at his or her own expense, administer chemical
tests of his or her breath, blood, and/or urine in addition to the tests administered at the direction
of a law enforcement officer. If a person, having been placed under arrest, refuses upon the
request of a law enforcement officer to submit to the tests, as provided in § 31-27-2, none shall be
given, but a judge or magistrate of the traffic tribunal or district court judge or magistrate, upon
receipt of a report of a law enforcement officer: that he or she had reasonable grounds to believe
the arrested person had been driving a motor vehicle within this state under the influence of
intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance, as defined in chapter 28 of title 21, or
any combination of these; that the person had been informed of his or her rights in accordance
with § 31-27-3; that the person had been informed of the penalties incurred as a result of
noncompliance with this section; and that the person had refused to submit to the tests upon the
request of a law enforcement officer; shall promptly order that the person's operator's license or
privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state be immediately suspended, however, said
suspension shall be subject to the hardship provisions enumerated in §31-27-2.8 and that the
person's license be surrendered within five (5) days of notice of suspension. A traffic tribunal
judge or magistrate, or a district court judge or magistrate, pursuant to the terms of subsection (c)
of this section, shall order as follows:
      (1) Impose, for the first violation, a fine in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200) to
five hundred dollars ($500) and shall order the person to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of
public community restitution. The person's driving license in this state shall be suspended for a
period of six (6) months to one year. The traffic tribunal judge or magistrate shall require
attendance at a special course on driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled
substance and/or alcohol or drug treatment for the individual. The traffic tribunal judge or
magistrate may prohibit that person from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an
ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (2) Every person convicted for a second violation within a five-year (5) period shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor; shall be imprisoned for not more than six (6) months; and shall pay a
fine in the amount of six hundred dollars ($600) to one thousand dollars ($1,000), order the
person to perform sixty (60) to one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution; and the
person's driving license in this state shall be suspended for a period of one year to two (2) years.
The judge or magistrate shall require alcohol and/or drug treatment for the individual. The
sentencing judge or magistrate shall prohibit that person from operating a motor vehicle that is
not equipped with an ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8.
      (3) Every person convicted for a third or subsequent violation within a five-year (5)
period shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and shall be imprisoned for not more than one year;
fined eight hundred dollars ($800) to one thousand dollars ($1,000); shall perform not less than
one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution; and the person's operator's license in
this state shall be suspended for a period of two (2) years to five (5) years. The sentencing judge
or magistrate shall prohibit that person from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with
an ignition interlock system as provided in § 31-27-2.8. The judge or magistrate shall require
alcohol or drug treatment for the individual. Provided, that prior to the reinstatement of a license
to a person charged with a third or subsequent violation within a three-year (3) period, a hearing
shall be held before a judge or magistrate. At the hearing, the judge or magistrate shall review the
person's driving record, his or her employment history, family background, and any other
pertinent factors that would indicate that the person has demonstrated behavior that warrants the
reinstatement of his or her license.
      (4) For purposes of determining the period of license suspension, a prior violation shall
constitute any charge brought and sustained under the provisions of this section or § 31-27-2.
      (5) In addition to any other fines, a highway safety assessment of five hundred dollars
($500) shall be paid by any person found in violation of this section, the assessment to be
deposited into the general fund. The assessment provided for by this subsection shall be collected
from a violator before any other fines authorized by this section.
      (6) In addition to any other fines and highway safety assessments, a two hundred dollar
($200) assessment shall be paid by any person found in violation of this section to support the
department of health's chemical testing programs outlined in § 31-27-2(4), that shall be deposited
as general revenues, not restricted receipts.
      (7) No fines, suspensions, assessments, alcohol or drug treatment programs;, course on
driving while intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance;, or public community
restitution provided for under this section; can be suspended.
      (c) Upon suspending or refusing to issue a license or permit as provided in subsection (a)
of this section, the traffic tribunal or district court shall immediately notify the person involved in
writing, and upon his or her request, within fifteen (15) days, shall afford the person an
opportunity for a hearing as early as practical upon receipt of a request in writing. Upon a
hearing, the judge may administer oaths and may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses
and the production of relevant books and papers. If the judge finds after the hearing that: (1) The
law enforcement officer making the sworn report had reasonable grounds to believe that the
arrested person had been driving a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of
intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance, as defined in chapter 28 of title 21, or
any combination of these; (2) The person, while under arrest, refused to submit to the tests upon
the request of a law enforcement officer; (3) The person had been informed of his or her rights in
accordance with § 31-27-3; and (4) The person had been informed of the penalties incurred as a
result of noncompliance with this section;, the judge shall sustain the violation. The judge shall
then impose the penalties set forth in subsection (b) of this section. Action by the judge must be
taken within seven (7) days after the hearing or it shall be presumed that the judge has refused to
issue his or her order of suspension.
      (d) For the purposes of this section, any test of a sample of blood, breath, or urine for the
presence of alcohol that relies, in whole or in part, upon the principle of infrared light absorption
is considered a chemical test.
      (e) If any provision of this section, or the application of any provision, shall, for any
reason, be judged invalid, the judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of the
section, but shall be confined in this effect to the provisions or application directly involved in the
controversy giving rise to the judgment.
     31-27-2.8. Ignition interlock system imposed as part of sentence -- Requirements. --
(a) Any person convicted under the provisions of §§ 31-27-2(d)(1), 31-27-2(d)(2), or 31-27-
2(d)(3)(i) or 31-27-2(d)(3)(ii), or whose violation is sustained under the provisions of § 31-27-
2.1(b)(1), may be prohibited by the sentencing judge or magistrate from operating a motor vehicle
that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system.
      (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions contained in this chapter, after a finding of
eligibility, any mandatory period of license suspension may shall, upon request, be reduced by the
imposition of an ignition interlock system ordered by the court or traffic tribunal as follows:
      (1) For a violation of § 31-27-2(d)(1), a person shall be subject to a minimum thirty-day
(30) license suspension and an imposition of an ignition interlock system for three (3) months to
one year.
      (2) For a violation of § 31-27-2.1(b)(1), a person shall be subject to a minimum thirty-
day (30) license suspension and an imposition of an ignition interlock system for a period of six
(6) months to two (2) years.
      (3) For a violation of § 31-27-2(d)(2), a person shall be subject to a minimum forty-five-
day (45) license suspension and an imposition of an ignition interlock system for a period of six
(6) months to two (2) years.
      (4) For a violation of § 31-27-2.1(b)(2), a person shall be subject to a minimum sixty-day
(60) license suspension and an imposition of an ignition interlock system for a period of one to
four (4) years.
      (5) For a violation of § 31-27-2(d)(3), a person shall be subject to a minimum sixty-day
(60) license suspension and imposition of an ignition interlock system for a period of one to four
(4) years.
      (6) For a violation of § 31-27-2.1(b)(3), a person shall be subject to a minimum ninety-
day (90) license suspension and imposition of an ignition interlock system for a period of two (2)
to ten (10) years.
      (7) In any case where a person is convicted of a first offense under the provisions of §
31-27-2(d)(1), or a second offense under the provisions of § 31-27-2(d)(2), or under § 31-27-
2.1(b)(1), the sentencing judge or magistrate may shall, upon request, grant the person a
conditional hardship license during the period of license suspension. immediately upon a plea or
admission of guilt, or an initial suspension under §31-27-2.1(b), and after a finding of need under
this section; provided, however, that in a case where a conditional hardship license shall be
granted by the sentencing judge or magistrate upon an initial suspension under §31-27-2.1(b) and
prior to the installation of an ignition interlock device, said hardship license shall be issued to the
motorist upon proof of installation of an ignition interlock device. However, in any case where a
motorist has a prior alcohol-related offense or a prior reckless driving conviction under §31-27-4
or reckless eluding conviction under §31-27-4.1, within the prior ten (10) years of the offense, or
when the instant offense involves a motor vehicle accident, the judge or magistrate may exercise
their discretion in the granting of the hardship license by imposing up to a ninety (90) day loss of
license prior to any imposition of the hardship license. If the instant matter involves a blood
alcohol level of fifteen hundredths (.15) BAC or above, the judge or magistrate may exercise his
or her discretion in the granting of the hardship license by imposing up to a six (6) month loss of
license prior to any imposition of the hardship license. Said hardship license shall be valid only
for twelve (12) hours per day to get to and from employment, necessary medical appointments,
job training, schooling, or any other valid reason approved in advance by the sentencing judge or
magistrate. A hardship license shall only be granted in conjunction with the installation of an
ignition interlock device. Any conditional driving privileges must be set by the sentencing judge
or magistrate after a hearing in which the motorist must provide proof of employment status and
hours of employment. , or any other legitimate reasons justifying a hardship license. These shall
include, but not be limited to, any unemployment training, schooling, medical appointments,
therapy treatments, or any other valid requests set forth by sworn affidavit. Once said hardship
period has concluded, the motorist must still be subject to the conditions of the ignition interlock
system as set forth under this section for the period of time as directed by the court. Any
individual who violates the requirements of this subsection shall be subject to the penalties
enumerated in § 31-27-18.1 31-11-18.1.
      (c) Any person convicted of an offense of driving under the influence of liquor or drugs
resulting in death, § 31-27-2.2; driving under the influence of liquor or drugs resulting in serious
bodily injury, § 31-27-2.6; driving to endanger resulting in death, § 31-27-1; or driving to
endanger resulting in serious bodily injury, § 31-27-1.1; may, in addition to any other penalties
provided by law, be prohibited from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an
approved ignition interlock system for one to five (5) years.
      (d) Any person who operates a motor vehicle with a suspended license during the period
of suspension, and the reason for the suspension was due to a conviction of driving under the
influence of drugs or alcohol or a sustained violation or conviction of refusal to submit to a
chemical test, shall be subject to the imposition of an ignition interlock system for six (6) months
to be ordered by the court or the traffic tribunal to the further use of the ignition interlock system
for a period of six (6) months subsequent to the penalties enumerated in §31-11-18.1.
      (e) When the court orders the use of an ignition interlock system, the judge or magistrate
shall cause an appropriate notation to be made on the person's record that clearly sets forth the
requirement for, and the period of the use of, the ignition interlock system.
      (f) In addition to the requirements of subsection (e) of this section, the court or traffic
tribunal shall:
      (1) Require proof of the installation of the ignition interlock system and periodic
reporting by the person for the purpose of verification of the proper operation of the ignition
interlock system;
      (2) Require the person to have the ignition interlock system monitored for the proper use
and accuracy by a person, firm, corporation, or other association to be approved by the division of
motor vehicles at least once every six (6) months, or more frequently as the circumstances may
require; and
      (3) Require the person to pay the reasonable cost of leasing or buying, monitoring, and
maintenance of the ignition interlock system.
     (4) The requirements under subsection (f) shall be the responsibility of the probation
department or justice assistance, if the individual is under their control, or the division of motor
vehicles if the individual is not monitored as a condition of the individual's plea or finding of
guilt.
     (g) If a person is required, in the course of the person's employment, to operate a motor
vehicle owned or provided by the person's employer, the person may operate that motor vehicle
in the course of the person's employment without installation of an ignition interlock system if the
court makes specific findings expressly permitting the person to operate, in the course of the
person's employment, a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system.
      (h) Any person subject to an ignition interlock order who violates such order shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year imprisonment, or a fine of up to one
thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. For the purposes of this subsection, a violation of the interlock
order, includes, but is not limited to:
      (1) Altering, tampering, or in any way attempting to circumvent the operation of an
ignition interlock system that has been installed in the motor vehicle of a person under this
section;
      (2) Operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system; or
      (3) Soliciting or attempting to have another person start a motor vehicle equipped with
an ignition interlock system for the purpose of providing an operable motor vehicle to a person
who is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock
system.
      (i) Any person who attempts to start, or starts, a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition
interlock system, tampers with, or in any way attempts to circumvent, the operation of an ignition
interlock system that has been installed in the motor vehicle for the purpose of providing an
operable motor vehicle to a person who is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle that is not
equipped with an ignition interlock system, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to
one year imprisonment or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
     SECTION 2. Section 31-49-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-49 entitled "Ignition
Interlock Systems" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     31-49-3. Rules and regulations. -- (a) The rules and regulations adopted pursuant to §
31-49-2 shall include requirements that ignition interlock systems:
      (1) Do not impede the safe operation of the vehicle;
      (2) Minimize opportunities to be bypassed;
      (3) Correlate accurately with established measures of blood alcohol levels;
      (4) Work accurately and reliably in an unsupervised environment;
      (5) Require a proper and accurate measure of blood alcohol levels;
      (6) Resist tampering and provide evidence of attempted tampering;
      (7) Are difficult to circumvent, and require premeditation to circumvent;
      (8) Minimize inconvenience to a sober user;
      (9) Are manufactured by a party responsible for installation, user training, service, and
maintenance;
      (10) Operate reliably over the range of motor vehicle environments or motor vehicle
manufacturing standards;
      (11) Are manufactured by a person who is adequately insured for products liability; and
      (12) Provide the option for an electronic log of the driver's experience with the system.
      (b) Prior to the reinstatement of an unrestricted license, the Upon the expiration of the
interlock order by the court, the division of motor vehicles shall review the person's driving
record and compliance with the ignition interlock order to ensure that the person has fulfilled the
specific requirements as set forth by the sentencing judge or magistrate. Upon verification that
said conditions have been satisfied, a motorist's license shall be reinstated. demonstrated behavior
that warrants the reinstatement of his or her license.
     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC004261/SUB B
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