HOUSE BILL 303

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Paul A. Pacheco

AN ACT

RELATING TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR OR DRUGS; PROVIDING THAT A SEARCH WARRANT AUTHORIZING CHEMICAL TESTS MAY BE ISSUED BASED UPON A FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE THAT THE PERSON DROVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 66-8-111 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 519, as amended) is amended to read:

     "66-8-111. REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO CHEMICAL TESTS--TESTING--GROUNDS FOR REVOCATION OF LICENSE OR PRIVILEGE TO DRIVE.--

          A. If a person under arrest for violation of an offense enumerated in the Motor Vehicle Code refuses upon request of a law enforcement officer to submit to chemical tests designated by the law enforcement agency as provided in Section 66-8-107 NMSA 1978, none shall be administered except when a municipal judge, magistrate or district judge issues a search warrant authorizing chemical tests as provided in Section 66-8-107 NMSA 1978 upon finding in a law enforcement officer's written affidavit that there is probable cause to believe that the person has driven a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance [thereby causing the death or great bodily injury of another person, or there is probable cause to believe that the person has committed a felony while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and that chemical tests as provided in Section 66-8-107 NMSA 1978 will produce material evidence in a felony prosecution]. A person who refuses a chemical test shall be required to pay the cost of chemical testing required by a search warrant.

          B. The department, upon receipt of a statement signed under penalty of perjury from a law enforcement officer stating the officer's reasonable grounds to believe the arrested person had been driving a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs and that, upon request, the person refused to submit to a chemical test after being advised that failure to submit could result in revocation of the person's privilege to drive, shall revoke the person's New Mexico driver's license or any nonresident operating privilege for a period of one year or until all conditions for license reinstatement are met, whichever is later.

          C. The department, upon receipt of a statement signed under penalty of perjury from a law enforcement officer stating the officer's reasonable grounds to believe the arrested person had been driving a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and that the person submitted to chemical testing pursuant to Section 66-8-107 NMSA 1978 and the test results indicated an alcohol concentration in the person's blood or breath of eight one hundredths or more if the person is twenty-one years of age or older, four one hundredths or more if the person is driving a commercial motor vehicle or two one hundredths or more if the person is less than twenty-one years of age, shall revoke the person's license or permit to drive or [his] the person's nonresident operating privilege for a period of:

                (1) six months or until all conditions for license reinstatement are met, whichever is later, if the person is twenty-one years of age or older;

                (2) one year or until all conditions for license reinstatement are met, whichever is later, if the person was less than twenty-one years of age at the time of the arrest, notwithstanding any provision of the Children's Code; or

                (3) one year or until all conditions for license reinstatement are met, whichever is later, if the [person has previously had his] person's license has been revoked previously pursuant to the provisions of this section, notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this subsection.

          D. The determination of alcohol concentration shall be based on the grams of alcohol in one hundred milliliters of blood or the grams of alcohol in two hundred ten liters of breath.

          E. If the person subject to the revocation provisions of this section is a resident or will become a resident within one year and is without a license to operate a motor vehicle in this state, the department shall deny the issuance of a license to [him] the person for the appropriate period of time as provided in Subsections B and C of this section.

          F. A statement signed by a law enforcement officer, pursuant to the provisions of Subsection B or C of this section, shall be sworn to by the officer or shall contain a declaration substantially to the effect: "I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the information given in this statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.". The statement may be signed and submitted electronically in a manner and form approved by the department. A law enforcement officer who signs a statement knowing that the statement is untrue in any material issue or matter is guilty of perjury as provided in Section 66-5-38 NMSA 1978."

     SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2015.

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