44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO DRIVER'S LICENSES; INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF LIMITED DRIVER'S LICENSES SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS OF PROBATION; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

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

Section 1. Section 66-5-35 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 257, as amended) is amended to read:

"66-5-35. LIMITED DRIVING PRIVILEGE UPON SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION--HEARING--REVIEW.--

A. Upon suspension or revocation of a person's driver's license following conviction or adjudication as a delinquent under any law, ordinance or regulation relating to motor vehicles, a person may apply to the [director] department for a license or permit to drive, limited to use allowing him to engage in gainful employment or to attend school, except that no person shall be eligible to apply [for a limited license when the person's license was revoked or suspended pursuant to]:

(1) for a limited commercial driver's license;

[(1)] (2) for a limited license when the person's driver's license was revoked pursuant to the provisions of the Implied Consent Act, except as provided in Subsection B or Subsections C and D of this section; [or

(2)] (3) for a limited license when the person's license was revoked pursuant to an offense for which the person is a subsequent offender as defined in the Motor Vehicle Code, except that a person who is convicted a second or third time for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, when the second or third conviction occurs more than five years after the previous conviction, may apply for and shall receive a limited license if he complies with the requirements set forth in Subsections C and D of this section; or

(4) for a limited license when the person's driver's license was revoked pursuant to a conviction for committing homicide by vehicle or great bodily injury by vehicle, as provided in Section 66-8-101 NMSA 1978.

B. A person [who has had his license] whose driver's license is revoked for the first time pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph (1) or (2) of Subsection C of Section 66-8-111 NMSA 1978 may apply for and shall receive a limited license or permit thirty days after suspension or revocation of his license if the person pays every fee, meets the criteria for limited driving privileges established in rules by the department and provides the [director] department with documentation of the following:

(1) that the person is enrolled in [an approved DWI school and an approved alcohol screening program] a DWI school approved by the traffic safety bureau;

(2) proof of financial responsibility pursuant to the provisions of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act; and either

(3) proof of gainful employment or gainful self-employment and that the person needs a limited license to travel to and from his place of employment; or

(4) that the person is enrolled in school and needs a limited license to travel to and from school.

C. A person who is convicted a second or third time for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, when the second or third conviction occurs more than five years after the previous conviction, may apply for and shall receive a limited license if the person pays every fee, meets the criteria for limited driving privileges established in rule by the department and provides the department with documented proof:

(1) of enrollment in a DWI school approved by the traffic safety bureau;

(2) of financial responsibility pursuant to the provisions of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act; and either

(3) of gainful employment or gainful self-employment and that the person needs a limited license to travel to and from his place of employment; or

(4) of enrollment in school and that the person needs a limited license to travel to and from school.

D. In addition to the requirements set forth in Subsection C of this section, a person who is convicted a second or third time for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs shall provide the department with his judgment and sentence. The judgment and sentence shall attest that the person will be on probation for the entire period that a limited license will be in effect and that, as a condition of probation, the person shall have installed, on the motor vehicle owned by the person or on the motor vehicle most regularly driven by the person, an ignition interlock device that uses a deep-lung analysis mechanism to make impractical the operation of the motor vehicle if ethyl alcohol is detected in the operator's breath. The ignition interlock device shall be installed on the appropriate motor vehicle at the person's expense.

[C.] E. Upon receipt of [the application, proof of financial responsibility for the future and a hearing as provided in Subsection D of this section, the director] an order approving the application for a limited license and payment of the fee specified in this subsection, the department shall issue a limited license or permit to the applicant showing the limitations specified in the approved application [provided that the applicant meets established uniform criteria for limited driving privileges adopted by regulation of the department]. For each limited license or permit to drive, the applicant shall pay to the [division] department a fee of forty-five dollars ($45.00), which shall be transferred to the state highway and transportation department. All money collected under this subsection shall be used for DWI prevention and education programs for elementary and secondary school students. The state highway and transportation department shall coordinate with the department of health to ensure that there is no program duplication. The limited license or permit to drive may be suspended as provided in Section 66-5-30 NMSA 1978.

[D.] F. The [director] department, within twenty days of receipt of an application for a limited driver's license or permit pursuant to this section, shall afford the applicant a hearing in the county in which the applicant resides, unless the [division] department and the licensee agree that the hearing may be held in some other county. The [director may, in his discretion,] department may extend the twenty-day period, provided that the extension is in writing and made no later than fifteen days after receipt of an application. Upon hearing, the [director or his duly authorized] hearing officer designated by the department may administer oaths and may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant books and papers. The [director] hearing officer shall make specific findings as to whether the applicant has shown proof of financial responsibility for the future and enrollment in an approved DWI school and meets established uniform criteria for limited driving privileges adopted by [regulation] rule of the department. The [director] hearing officer shall enter an order either approving or denying the applicant's request for a limited license or permit to drive. If any of the specific findings set forth in this subsection are not found by the [director] hearing officer, the applicant's request for a limited license or permit shall not be approved.

[E.] G. A person adversely affected by an order of the [director] hearing officer may seek review within thirty days in the district court in the county in which he resides. [The district court, upon thirty days' written notice to the director, shall hear the case.] On review, it is for the court to determine only whether the applicant met the requirements in this section for issuance of a limited license or permit to drive."

Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 1999.