[1] NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

 

Only the most recent FIR version (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) is available on the Legislative Website.  The Adobe PDF version includes all attachments, whereas the HTML version does not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC’s office in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Knauer

 

DATE TYPED:

02/04/02

 

HB

399

 

SHORT TITLE:

DWI Implied Consent Hearings

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Wilson

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

 

$0.1    Indeterminate

Recurring

General Fund

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates SB 421

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD)

Attorney General’s Office (AG)

Public Defender Department (PDD)

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

HB 399 provides that implied consent hearings may be conducted by telephone at the discretion of the TRD, places the powers of the hearing officer into the statutory law and provides that the officer’s statement would provide prima facie evidence of the elements required to sustain the revocation or denial of the person’s license. 

 

    Significant Issues

 

Placing the hearing officer’s powers in the statute, as opposed to in the current TRD regulations, makes it easier for the public to access those powers.  

 

 

 

 

Making the officer’s statement prima facie evidence of the elements required to sustain the revocation or denial of the person’s license shifts the burden to the driver to provide testimony or evidence to dispute the officer’s allegation. 

 

 

The PDD states that HB 399 legislation streamlines and enhances the process by which the  Motor Vehicles Division of TRD can revoke a driver’s license.  The obvious result of this bill will be a significant increase in the number of licenses that are revoked each year since HB 399 cuts down on the amount of “process” a person facing revocation of a driver’s license is due.

 

 HB 399 decrees that the existing Rules of Evidence and Rules of Civil Procedure are not to be followed, but leaves it totally unclear what procedures are to be followed, leaving it up to each individual hearing officer at each individual hearing. 

                       

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

TRD states that the cost of completely replacing and distributing all the existing inventory of DWI books across the state would be substantial, but this should be offset by not incurring the expense of sending hearing officers to outlying areas to conduct hearings.

 

The PDD believes that its caseload will increase since a greater number of license revocations will result in an increased number of individuals driving with a revoked license and needing the PDD to defend them.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

DPS believes that HB 399 will have a positive administrative impact as it allows officer to submit documents and make appearances in a simplified manner.

 

TRD notes that not all the field officers are equipped with a dedicated phone line for the hearings.  TRD would need to adequately equip those offices. TRD would also need to rework the Notice of Revocation issued by the police officers and then reissue them to all offices.

 

DUPLICATION

 

Duplicates SB 421, DWI Implied Consent Hearings

 

DW/ar

 


 [1]Begin typing on the * in replace mode.  Do not add or delete spaces.