Offenses Related to Operating a Vehicle

Under existing law, it is a class A traffic infraction to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a commercial driver's license, to operate a commercial motor vehicle if the operator is under 21 years of age, or to drive a commercial motor vehicle if the person has more than one driver's license. The bill makes each a class 1 misdemeanor; except that, if a person presents a valid commercial driver's license to the court within 30 days, the offense is a class A traffic infraction.

The bill creates the offense of unlawful direction to operate a commercial motor vehicle. An employer who knowingly authorizes or permits an employee to operate a commercial motor vehicle without who the employer knows or reasonably should know does not have a commercial driver's license or permits an employee who is under 21 years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle, commits unlawful direction to operate a commercial motor vehicle, a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. The bill requires the transportation legislation review committee to study the following issues during the 2024 legislative interim:

• Enforcement of impaired driving offenses, including situations involving a driver who refuses to take or complete a blood or breath test as required by law; and
• The appropriate penalty for failing to maintain motor vehicle or low-powered scooter insurance and failing to present evidence of insurance to a requesting officer.

The bill appropriates $1,455 from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund to the department of revenue to implement the bill's provisions. The bill requires a driver to comply with a search warrant to conduct a blood draw. Failure to comply with a warrant to conduct a blood draw is a misdemeanor; except that it is a class 4 felony if the violation occurred after 3 or more prior convictions, arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, for driving under the influence (DUI), DUI per se, or driving while ability impaired (collectively, impaired driving offenses); vehicular homicide; vehicular assault; or any combination thereof. A driver who fails to comply with a warrant to conduct a blood draw is subject to the same criminal penalties as for DUI. Under existing law, a person whose privilege to drive was revoked for multiple convictions for any combination of impaired driving offenses must have an interlock-restricted license for 2 to 5 years. The bill requires a person whose privilege to drive was revoked following a conviction for a DUI or DUI per se to hold an interlock-restricted license for at least:

• 2 years, if the DUI or DUI per se conviction is a second conviction for any combination of impaired driving offenses;
• 3 years, if the DUI or DUI per se conviction is a third conviction for any combination of impaired driving offenses; and
• 4 years, if the DUI or DUI per se conviction is a fourth conviction for any combination of impaired driving offenses.

Under existing law, a persistent drunk driver is required to hold the interlock-restricted license for at least 2 years following reinstatement. The bill requires a persistent drunk driver to hold an interlock-restricted license for at least 3 years following a second violation for refusal to take or complete a test for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of the driver's blood or breath upon a law enforcement officer's request.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)