House File 162 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 162 BY BAGNIEWSKI A BILL FOR An Act requiring employees of the department of transportation 1 to provide a specimen for alcohol and drug analysis 2 following a motor vehicle accident or collision resulting in 3 injury or death, and making penalties applicable. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1104YH (4) 91 th/ns
H.F. 162 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 321.270 Required alcohol and drug 1 analysis for department employees. 2 1. A person employed by the department who was involved in 3 an accident or collision resulting in injury or death while 4 operating a motor vehicle owned by the department or other 5 state entity shall provide a specimen of the person’s urine for 6 analysis of the specimen to determine the alcohol concentration 7 or presence of a controlled substance or other drugs. The 8 person shall provide the specimen to a peace officer as soon 9 as practicable within two hours after the person is involved 10 in the accident or collision. 11 2. A specimen provided under this section shall be analyzed 12 in a manner in accordance with chapter 321J to determine the 13 alcohol concentration or presence of a controlled substance or 14 other drugs. 15 3. The person may have an independent analysis performed 16 on the provided specimen, administered at the person’s own 17 expense. The failure or inability of the person to obtain 18 an independent analysis does not preclude the admission of 19 evidence of the results of the analysis administered pursuant 20 to this section. Upon the request of the person who provided a 21 specimen, the results of the analysis administered pursuant to 22 this section shall be made available to the person. 23 4. This section does not apply if a blood, breath, or urine 24 specimen is taken pursuant to chapter 321J. 25 EXPLANATION 26 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 27 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 28 Under current law, a person who operates a motor vehicle 29 under circumstances which give reasonable grounds to believe 30 that the person was operating the motor vehicle while under the 31 influence of alcohol or a drug is deemed to have given consent 32 to the withdrawal of a specimen of the person’s blood, breath, 33 or urine and to chemical tests of the specimen for the purpose 34 of determining the alcohol concentration or presence of drugs. 35 -1- LSB 1104YH (4) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 162 The withdrawal of a specimen and the tests must be administered 1 at the written request of a peace officer having reasonable 2 grounds to believe that the person was operating a motor 3 vehicle in violation of Code section 321J.2 or 321J.2A, and if 4 certain conditions exist, including when the person has been 5 involved in a motor vehicle accident or collision resulting in 6 personal injury or death. 7 This bill requires a person employed by the department of 8 transportation (DOT) to provide a specimen of the person’s 9 urine if the person was involved in an accident or collision 10 that resulted in injury or death while operating a motor 11 vehicle owned by the DOT or other state entity. The person 12 must provide the specimen to a peace officer as soon as 13 practicable after the accident or collision, but within at 14 least two hours. 15 A specimen provided must be analyzed in a manner in 16 accordance with Code chapter 321J (operating while intoxicated) 17 to determine the alcohol concentration or presence of a 18 controlled substance or other drugs. The person may pay for an 19 independent analysis of the provided specimen, but the failure 20 or inability of the person to obtain an independent analysis 21 does not preclude the admission of evidence of the results 22 of the analysis. The person is entitled to be provided the 23 results of the analysis upon request. 24 The bill does not apply if a blood, breath, or urine specimen 25 is taken pursuant to Code chapter 321J. 26 By operation of law, a violation of the bill is a simple 27 misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement 28 for no more than 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not 29 more than $855. 30 -2- LSB 1104YH (4) 91 th/ns 2/ 2