Bill Text: CA SB1021 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Senate Bill 1021 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Vehicles: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-06-28 - June 28 hearing postponed by committee. [SB1021 Detail]

Download: California-2021-SB1021-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1021

Introduced by Senator Bradford

February 14, 2022

An act relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1021, as introduced, Bradford. Vehicles: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Existing law prohibits a person who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or the combined influence of alcohol or drugs from driving a vehicle (DUI). A violation of this prohibition, generally, is punishable as a misdemeanor.

Existing law authorizes a court to offer misdemeanor diversion to criminal defendants which, contingent on successful completion of specified terms and conditions imposed by the court, results in the dismissal of charges prior to adjudication. Existing law specifically prohibits diversion programs for a person charged with DUI.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a DUI diversion program, as specified.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles continues to report that Hispanics and African Americans are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) at disproportionately higher rates compared to their overall percentage of population in the state.

(2) Court-ordered DUI diversion is a tool that can address this disparity and reduce recidivism rates through the promotion of racial equity and justice in California’s criminal legal system.

(3) To achieve these goals, it is imperative to ensure that communities which have historically been overrepresented in DUI arrests have equitable access to participation in DUI diversion programs and that these programs incorporate strategies which have demonstrated success in reducing DUI recidivism.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a DUI diversion program that achieves the aforementioned goals and is consistent with existing statutory requirements.