Bill Text: IA HF2613 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the mandatory submission to a chemical test by a driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident involving death, and making penalties applicable.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-05 - Introduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 509. [HF2613 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2019-HF2613-Introduced.html
House File 2613 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2613 BY HALL A BILL FOR An Act relating to the mandatory submission to a chemical test 1 by a driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident 2 involving death, and making penalties applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 6247YH (2) 88 mo/ns
H.F. 2613 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 321J.6A Mandatory blood test —— 1 accident involving death. 2 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 3 the contrary, a person who operates a motor vehicle who is 4 involved in a motor vehicle accident or collision resulting 5 in death shall submit to a chemical test of the person’s 6 blood to determine the alcohol concentration or the presence 7 of a controlled substance or other drug. The investigating 8 peace officer shall cause a test to be administered as soon 9 as practicable following the accident in the same manner as 10 prescribed in section 321J.11. 11 2. The result of the test is admissible at trial if the 12 court, after reviewing all of the evidence, whether gathered 13 prior to, during, or after the test, is satisfied that probable 14 cause exists, independent of the test result, to believe that 15 the driver of the motor vehicle was under the influence of an 16 alcoholic beverage, controlled substance, or other drug or a 17 combination of such substances at the time of the accident. 18 3. If a person fails to submit to a test required under 19 this section, the department shall revoke the person’s driver’s 20 license or nonresident operating privilege as required by and 21 for the applicable period specified under section 321J.9. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill relates to the mandatory submission to a chemical 26 test by a driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident 27 involving death. 28 The bill provides that, notwithstanding any other provision 29 of Code chapter 321J (Iowa’s operating a motor vehicle while 30 intoxicated law) to the contrary, a person who operates a 31 motor vehicle who is involved in a motor vehicle accident or 32 collision resulting in death shall submit to a chemical test of 33 the person’s blood to determine the alcohol concentration or 34 the presence of a controlled substance or other drug as soon 35 -1- LSB 6247YH (2) 88 mo/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 2613 as practicable following the accident in the same manner as 1 prescribed in Code section 321J.11. The result of the test is 2 admissible at trial if the court, after reviewing all of the 3 evidence, whether gathered prior to, during, or after the test, 4 is satisfied that probable cause exists, independent of the 5 test result, to believe that the driver of the motor vehicle 6 was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, controlled 7 substance, or other drug or a combination of such substances at 8 the time of the accident. 9 The bill provides that if a person fails to submit to a 10 test required under the bill, the department of transportation 11 shall revoke the person’s driver’s license or nonresident 12 operating privilege as required by and for the applicable 13 period specified under Code section 321J.9. A person who fails 14 to submit to chemical testing is subject to license revocation 15 for up to two years depending on whether the person has had a 16 previous revocation under Code chapter 321J. 17 Under current law, Iowa’s implied consent law provides that 18 a person who operates a motor vehicle in this state under 19 circumstances which give reasonable grounds to believe that 20 the person has been operating a motor vehicle in violation 21 of Iowa’s operating-while-intoxicated law is deemed to have 22 given consent to the withdrawal of specimens of the person’s 23 blood, breath, or urine and to a chemical test or tests of 24 the specimens for the purpose of determining the alcohol 25 concentration or presence of a controlled substance or other 26 drug. The withdrawal of the body substances and the test or 27 tests is contingent upon a written request of a peace officer 28 who, prior to the request, has reasonable grounds to believe 29 that the person was operating a motor vehicle in violation 30 of Code chapter 321J, under any of a number of conditions, 31 including but not limited to whether the person has been 32 involved in a motor vehicle accident or collision resulting in 33 personal injury or death. 34 -2- LSB 6247YH (2) 88 mo/ns 2/ 2
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