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Introduced Version Senate Bill 242 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
Senate Bill No. 242

(By Senators Kessler, Foster, White and Plymale)

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[Introduced February 12,2009; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §17C-5-1a ; to amend and reenact §17C-5-2 of said code; to amend and reenact §17C-5A-2 and §17C-5A-3a of said code; to amend and reenact §61-11-22 of said code; to amend and reenact §62-11A-1a of said code; and to amend and reenact §62-11C-1 and §62-11C-5 of said code, all relating to reducing recidivism of offenders convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol through mandated participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program for all offenders; mandated license sanctions; removal of expungement provisions for offenders under twenty-one years of age; imposition of staggered sentencing; offender participation in community corrections programs; mandated guilty or nolo contendere plea in pretrial diversion agreements; and oversight of dedicated drug and alcohol courts.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §17C-5-1a ; that §17C-5-2 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §17C-5A-2 and §17C-5A-3a of said code be amended and reenacted; that §61-11-22 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §62-11A-1a of said code be amended and reenacted; that §62-11C-1 and §62-11C-5 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 17C. TRAFFIC REGULATIONS AND LAWS OF THE ROAD.

ARTICLE 5. SERIOUS TRAFFIC OFFENSES.
§17C-5-1a. The Evans-Perry Act to Reduce DUI Recidivism.
This bill shall be known as the Evans-Perry Act to Reduce DUI Recidivism, in honor of the members of two families who were killed by a repeat drunk driver in Monongalia County, West Virginia, in July of 2007.
§17C-5-2. Driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs; penalties.

(a) Any person who:
(1) Drives a vehicle in this state while he or she:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug; or
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight; and
(2) While driving does any act forbidden by law or fails to perform any duty imposed by law in the driving of the vehicle, which act or failure proximately causes the death of any person within one year next following the act or failure; and
(3) Commits the act or failure in reckless disregard of the safety of others and when the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs is shown to be a contributing cause to the death, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than two years nor more than ten years and shall be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000.
(b) Any person who:
(1) Drives a vehicle in this state while he or she:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug;
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight; and
(2) While driving does any act forbidden by law or fails to perform any duty imposed by law in the driving of the vehicle, which act or failure proximately causes the death of any person within one year next following the act or failure, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than ninety days nor more than one year and shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000.
(c) Any person who:
(1) Drives a vehicle in this state while he or she:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug; or
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight; and
(2) While driving does any act forbidden by law or fails to perform any duty imposed by law in the driving of the vehicle, which act or failure proximately causes bodily injury to any person other than himself or herself, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than one day nor more than one year, which jail term is to include actual confinement of not less than twenty-four hours, and shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000.
(d) Any person who:
(1) Drives a vehicle in this state while he or she:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug; or
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than fifteen hundredths of one percent, by weight;
(2) Is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for up to six months and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. A person sentenced pursuant to this subdivision shall receive credit for any period of actual confinement he or she served upon arrest for the subject offense.
(e) Any person who drives a vehicle in this state while he or she has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of fifteen hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than two days nor more than six months, which jail term is to include actual confinement of not less than twenty-four hours, and shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000. A person sentenced pursuant to this subdivision shall receive credit for any period of actual confinement he or she served upon arrest for the subject offense.
(f) Any person who, being an habitual user of narcotic drugs or amphetamine or any derivative thereof, drives a vehicle in this state is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than one day nor more than six months, which jail term is to include actual confinement of not less than twenty-four hours, and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. A person sentenced pursuant to this subdivision shall receive credit for any period of actual confinement he or she served upon arrest for the subject offense.
(g) Any person who:
(1) Knowingly permits his or her vehicle to be driven in this state by any other person who:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug;
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight;
(2) Is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not more than six months and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.
(h) Any person who knowingly permits his or her vehicle to be driven in this state by any other person who is an habitual user of narcotic drugs or amphetamine or any derivative thereof is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not more than six months and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.
(i) Any person under the age of twenty-one years who drives a vehicle in this state while he or she has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, for a first offense under this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $100. For a second or subsequent offense under this subsection, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for twenty-four hours and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. A person who is charged with a first offense under the provisions of this subsection may move for a continuance of the proceedings, from time to time, to allow the person to participate in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program as provided in section three-a, article five-a of this chapter. Upon successful completion of the program, the court shall dismiss the charge against the person and expunge the person's record as it relates to the alleged offense. In the event the person fails to successfully complete the program, the court shall proceed to an adjudication of the alleged offense. A motion for a continuance under this subsection may not be construed as an admission or be used as evidence.
A person arrested and charged with an offense under the provisions of this subsection or subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (h) of this section may not also be charged with an offense under this subsection arising out of the same transaction or occurrence.
(j) Any person who:
(1) Drives a vehicle in this state while he or she:
(A) Is under the influence of alcohol;
(B) Is under the influence of any controlled substance;
(C) Is under the influence of any other drug;
(D) Is under the combined influence of alcohol and any controlled substance or any other drug; or
(E) Has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight; and
(2) The person while driving has on or within the motor vehicle one or more other persons who are unemancipated minors who have not reached their sixteenth birthday is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than two days nor more than twelve months, which jail term is to include actual confinement of not less than forty-eight hours and shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000.
(k) A person violating any provision of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (i) of this section, for the second offense under this section, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not less than six months nor more than one year and the court may, in its discretion, impose a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000.
(l) A person violating any provision of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (i) of this section, for the third or any subsequent offense under this section, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than three years and the court may, in its discretion, impose a fine of not less than $3,000 nor more than $5,000.
(m) For purposes of subsections (k) and (l) of this section relating to second, third and subsequent offenses, the following types of convictions are to be regarded as convictions under this section:
(1) Any conviction under the provisions of subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g) of this section or under a prior enactment of this section for an offense which occurred within the ten-year period immediately preceding the date of arrest in the current proceeding;
(2) Any conviction under a municipal ordinance of this state or any other state or a statute of the United States or of any other state of an offense which has the same elements as an offense described in subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (h) of this section, which offense occurred within the ten-year period immediately preceding the date of arrest in the current proceeding.
(n) A person may be charged in a warrant or indictment or information for a second or subsequent offense under this section if the person has been previously arrested for or charged with a violation of this section which is alleged to have occurred within the applicable time period for prior offenses, notwithstanding the fact that there has not been a final adjudication of the charges for the alleged previous offense. In that case, the warrant or indictment or information must set forth the date, location and particulars of the previous offense or offenses. No person may be convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this section unless the conviction for the previous offense has become final.
(o) The fact that any person charged with a violation of subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of this section, or any person permitted to drive as described under subsection (g) or (h) of this section, is or has been legally entitled to use alcohol, a controlled substance or a drug does not constitute a defense against any charge of violating subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (h) of this section.
(p) For purposes of this section, the term "controlled substance" has the meaning ascribed to it in chapter sixty-a of this code.
(q) The sentences provided in this section upon conviction for a violation of this article are mandatory and are not subject to suspension or probation: Provided, That the court may apply the provisions of article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code to a person sentenced or committed to a term of one year or less for a first offense under this section.
Pursuant to the provisions of article two, section five of this article, the court may apply the provisions of article one-a, section eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code to a person in violation of an offense under this section. An order for home detention by the court pursuant to the provisions of article eleven-b, of said chapter sixty-two of this code may be used as an alternative sentence to any period of incarceration required by this section for a first or subsequent offense: Provided, however, That for any period of home incarceration ordered for a person convicted of second offense under this section, electronic monitoring shall be required for no fewer than five days of the total period of home confinement ordered and the offender may not leave home for those five days notwithstanding the provisions of section five, article eleven-b, chapter sixty-two of this code: Provided further, That for any period of home incarceration ordered for a person convicted of a third or subsequent violation of this section, electronic monitoring shall be included for no fewer than ten days of the total period of home confinement ordered and the offender may not leave home for those ten days notwithstanding section five, article eleven-b, chapter sixty-two of this code.
(r) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, when a person is convicted of an offense under this section, the court may impose staggered sentencing pursuant to section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code. Prior to sentencing, the court may, on its own motion or on motion of the county prosecutor to sentence a person without regard to the mandatory minimum sentence, sentence a person convicted of an offense under this section to a staggered sentence: Provided, That the court makes the findings of fact pursuant to section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two and enters such findings in the court's sentencing order. If the court imposes a staggered sentence for a second offense of any provision of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (i) of this section, the court shall impose a sentence which includes equal segments of confinement of not less than sixty days each, the first segment to be served immediately following sentencing and the subsequent segments subject to the staggered sentencing provisions of section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code. If the court imposes a staggered sentence for a third or subsequent offense any provision of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (i) of this section, the court shall impose a sentence which includes equal segments of confinement of not less than one hundred twenty days each, the first segment to be served immediately following sentencing and the subsequent segments subject to the staggered sentencing provisions of
section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code. If the court imposes a staggered sentence for an offense of subsection (a) of this section, the court shall impose a sentence which includes equal segments of confinement of not less than two years each, the first segment to be served immediately following sentencing and the subsequent segments subject to the staggered sentencing provisions of section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code.
ARTICLE 5A. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION OF LICENSES FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES OR DRUGS.

§17C-5A-2. Hearing; revocation; review.

(a) Upon the written request of a person whose license to operate a motor vehicle in this state has been revoked or suspended under the provisions of section one of this article or section seven, article five of this chapter, the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall stay the imposition of the period of revocation or suspension and afford the person an opportunity to be heard. The written request must be filed with the commissioner in person or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, within thirty calendar days after receipt of a copy of the order of revocation or suspension or no hearing will be granted. The hearing shall be before the commissioner or a hearing examiner retained by the commissioner who shall rule on evidentiary issues and submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law for the consideration of the commissioner and all of the pertinent provisions of article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code shall apply. The commissioner may reject or modify the hearing examiner's proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, in writing, and only if:
(1) There is an error of law;
(2) They are clearly wrong in view of the reliable, probative and substantial evidence on the whole record; or
(3) They are arbitrary or capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly unwarranted exercise of discretion.
(b) The hearing shall be held at an office of the division located in or near the county in which the arrest was made in this state or at some other suitable place in the county in which the arrest was made if an office of the division is not available.
(c) Any hearing shall be held within one hundred eighty days after the date upon which the commissioner received the timely written request for a hearing unless there is a postponement or continuance. The commissioner may postpone or continue any hearing on the commissioner's own motion or upon application for each person for good cause shown. The commissioner shall adopt and implement by a procedural rule written policies governing the postponement or continuance of any hearing on the commissioner's own motion or for the benefit of any law-enforcement officer or any person requesting the hearing and the policies shall be enforced and applied to all parties equally. For the purpose of conducting the hearing, the commissioner may issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum in accordance with the provisions of section one, article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code: Provided, That the notice of hearing to the appropriate law-enforcement officers by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, constitutes a subpoena to appear at the hearing without the necessity of payment of fees by the Division of Motor Vehicles.
(d) Any investigating officer who submits a statement pursuant to section one of this article that results in a hearing pursuant to this section shall not attend the hearing on the subject of that affidavit unless requested to do so by the party whose license is at issue in that hearing or by the commissioner. The hearing request form shall clearly and concisely inform a person seeking a hearing of the fact that the investigating officer will only attend the hearing if requested to do so and provide for a box to be checked requesting the investigating officer's attendance. The language shall appear prominently on the hearing request form. The Division of Motor Vehicles is solely responsible for causing the attendance of the investigating officers. Law-enforcement officers shall be compensated for the time expended in their travel and appearance before the commissioner by the law-enforcement agency by whom which they are employed at their regular rate if they are scheduled to be on duty during said time or at their regular overtime rate if they are scheduled to be off duty during said time. If the party whose license is at issue does not request the investigating officer to attend the hearing, the commissioner shall consider the written statement, test results and any other information submitted by the investigating officer pursuant to section one of this article in that officer's absence.
(e) The principal question at the hearing shall be whether the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or did refuse to submit to the designated secondary chemical test, or did drive a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight.
The commissioner may propose a legislative rule in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code which may provide that if a person accused of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or accused of driving a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or accused of driving a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, intends to challenge the results of any secondary chemical test of blood, breath or urine under section seven, article five of this chapter or intends to cross-examine the individual or individuals who administered the test or performed the chemical analysis, the person shall, within an appropriate period of time prior to the hearing, notify the commissioner in writing of his or her intention. The rule may provide that when there is a failure to comply with the notice requirement, the results of the secondary test, if any, shall be admissible as though the person and the commissioner had stipulated the admissibility of the evidence. Any rule shall provide that the rule shall not be invoked in the case of a person who is not represented by counsel unless the communication from the commissioner to the person establishing a time and place for the hearing also informed the person of the consequences of the person's failure to timely notify the commissioner of the person's intention to challenge the results of the secondary chemical test or cross-examine the individual or individuals who administered the test or performed the chemical analysis.
(f) In the case of a hearing in which a person is accused of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or accused of driving a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or accused of driving a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, the commissioner shall make specific findings as to: (1) Whether the investigating law-enforcement officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person to have been driving while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or to have been driving a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight; (2) whether the person committed an offense involving driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or was lawfully taken into custody for the purpose of administering a secondary test; and (3) whether the tests, if any, were administered in accordance with the provisions of this article and article five of this chapter.
(g) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or did drive a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did an act forbidden by law or failed to perform a duty imposed by law, which act or failure proximately caused the death of a person and was committed in reckless disregard of the safety of others and if the commissioner further finds that the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs or the alcohol concentration in the blood was a contributing cause to the death, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of ten years: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(h) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did an act forbidden by law or failed to perform a duty imposed by law, which act or failure proximately caused the death of a person, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of five years: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(i) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did an act forbidden by law or failed to perform a duty imposed by law, which act or failure proximately caused bodily injury to a person other than himself or herself, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of two years: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(j) If the commissioner finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than fifteen hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, or finds that the person knowingly permitted the person's vehicle to be driven by another person who was under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or knowingly permitted the person's vehicle to be driven by another person who had an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of six months or a period of fifteen days with an additional one hundred and twenty twenty-five days of mandatory participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program in accordance with the provisions of section three-a of this article: Provided, That a person whose license is revoked for driving while under the influence of drugs is not eligible to participate in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided further, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(k) (1) If in addition to finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substance or drugs, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of fifteen hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of forty-five days with an additional two hundred and seventy days of mandatory participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program in accordance with the provisions of article three-a, article five-a, chapter seventeen-c of this code: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(2) If a person whose license is revoked pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection proves by clear and convincing evidence that they do not own a motor vehicle upon which the alcohol test and lock device may be installed or is otherwise incapable of participating in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program, the period of revocation shall be one hundred eighty is three hundred twenty days: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(l) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did an act forbidden by law or failed to perform a duty imposed by law, which act or failure proximately caused the death of a person, and if the commissioner further finds that the alcohol concentration in the blood was a contributing cause to the death, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of five years: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(m) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did an act forbidden by law or failed to perform a duty imposed by law, which act or failure proximately caused bodily injury to a person other than himself or herself, and if the commissioner further finds that the alcohol concentration in the blood was a contributing cause to the bodily injury, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of two years: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(n) If the commissioner finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, the commissioner shall suspend the person's license for a period of sixty ninety days: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article, the period of revocation shall be for one year, or until the person's twenty-first birthday, whichever period is longer.
(o) If, in addition to a finding that the person did drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, or did drive a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in the person's blood of eight hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, the commissioner also finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person when driving did have on or within the motor vehicle another person who has not reached his or her sixteenth birthday, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license for a period of one year: Provided, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be ten years: Provided, however, That if the commissioner has previously suspended or revoked the person's license more than once under the provisions of this section or section one of this article within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest, the period of revocation shall be for the life of the person.
(p) For purposes of this section, where reference is made to previous suspensions or revocations under this section, the following types of criminal convictions or administrative suspensions or revocations shall also be regarded as suspensions or revocations under this section or section one of this article:
(1) Any administrative revocation under the provisions of the prior enactment of this section for conduct which occurred within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest;
(2) Any suspension or revocation on the basis of a conviction under a municipal ordinance of another state or a statute of the United States or of any other state of an offense which has the same elements as an offense described in section two, article five of this chapter for conduct which occurred within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest; or
(3) Any revocation under the provisions of section seven, article five of this chapter for conduct which occurred within the ten years immediately preceding the date of arrest.
(q) In the case of a hearing in which a person is accused of refusing to submit to a designated secondary test, the commissioner shall make specific findings as to: (1) Whether the arresting law-enforcement officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in this state while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs; (2) whether the person committed an offense relating to driving a motor vehicle in this state while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs; (3) whether the person refused to submit to the secondary test finally designated in the manner provided in section four, article five of this chapter; and (4) whether the person had been given a written statement advising the person that the person's license to operate a motor vehicle in this state would be revoked for at least forty-five days and up to life if the person refused to submit to the test finally designated in the manner provided in said section.
(r) If the commissioner finds by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) The investigating officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in this state while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs; (2) the person committed an offense relating to driving a motor vehicle in this state while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or drugs; (3) the person refused to submit to the secondary chemical test finally designated; and (4) the person had been given a written statement advising the person that the person's license to operate a motor vehicle in this state would be revoked for a period of at least forty-five days and up to life if the person refused to submit to the test finally designated, the commissioner shall revoke the person's license to operate a motor vehicle in this state for the periods specified in section seven, article five of this chapter. The revocation period prescribed in this subsection shall run concurrently with any other revocation period ordered under this section or section one of this article arising out of the same occurrence.
(s) If the commissioner finds to the contrary with respect to the above issues the commissioner shall rescind his or her earlier order of revocation or shall reduce the order of revocation to the appropriate period of revocation under this section or section seven, article five of this chapter. A copy of the commissioner's order made and entered following the hearing shall be served upon the person by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. During the pendency of any hearing, the revocation of the person's license to operate a motor vehicle in this state shall be stayed.
If the commissioner shall after hearing make and enter an order affirming the commissioner's earlier order of revocation, the person shall be entitled to judicial review as set forth in chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The commissioner may not stay enforcement of the order. The court may grant a stay or supersede as of the order only upon motion and hearing, and a finding by the court upon the evidence presented, that there is a substantial probability that the appellant shall prevail upon the merits and the appellant will suffer irreparable harm if the order is not stayed: Provided, That in no event shall the stay or supersede as of the order exceed one hundred fifty days. Notwithstanding the provisions of section four, article five of said chapter, the commissioner may not be compelled to transmit a certified copy of the file or the transcript of the hearing to the circuit court in less than sixty days.
(t) In any revocation or suspension pursuant to this section, if the driver whose license is revoked or suspended had not reached the driver's eighteenth birthday at the time of the conduct for which the license is revoked or suspended, the driver's license shall be revoked or suspended until the driver's eighteenth birthday or the applicable statutory period of revocation or suspension prescribed by this section, whichever is longer.
(u) Funds for this section's hearing and appeal process may be provided from the Drunk Driving Prevention Fund, as created by section forty-one, article two, chapter fifteen of this code, upon application for the funds to the Commission on Drunk Driving Prevention.
§17C-5A-3a. Establishment of and participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program.

(a) (1) The Division of Motor Vehicles shall control and regulate a Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program for persons whose licenses have been revoked pursuant to this article or the provisions of article five of this chapter or have been convicted under section two, article five of this chapter.
(2) The program shall include the establishment of a users fee for persons participating in the program which shall be paid in advance and deposited into the Driver's Rehabilitation Fund: Provided, That on and after the first day of July, two thousand seven, any unexpended balance remaining in the Driver's Rehabilitation Fund shall be transferred to the Motor Vehicle Fees Fund created under the provisions of section twenty-one, article two, chapter seventeen-a of this code and all further fees collected shall be deposited in that fund.
(3) Except where specified otherwise, the use of the term "program" in this section refers to the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program. The Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall propose legislative rules for promulgation in accordance with the provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this section. The rules shall also prescribe those requirements which, in addition to the requirements specified by this section for eligibility to participate in the program, the commissioner determines must be met to obtain the commissioner's approval to operate a motor vehicle equipped with a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system.
(4) For purposes of this section, a "motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system" means a mechanical or computerized system which, in the opinion of the commissioner, prevents the operation of a motor vehicle when, through the system's assessment of the blood alcohol content of the person operating or attempting to operate the vehicle, the person is determined to be under the influence of alcohol.
(5) The commissioner shall establish by legislative rule, proposed pursuant to article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, criteria to determine the eligibility for the payment of the installation of ignition interlock devices motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system in the vehicles of indigent offenders. The rule shall include, but is not limited to, the development of a criteria for determining eligibility; promulgation of application forms; establishment of procedures for the review of applications; and the establishment of a mechanism for the payment of installations for eligible offenders.
(6) On or before January 15 of each year, the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall report to the Legislature on:
(A) The total number of offenders participating in the program during the prior year;
(B) The total number of indigent offenders participating in the program during the prior year;
(C) The terms of any contracts with the providers of ignition interlock devices ; and
(D) The total cost of the program to the state during the prior year.
(b)(1) Any person whose license is revoked for the first time pursuant to this article or the provisions of article five of this chapter is eligible to and must participate in the program when the person's minimum revocation period as specified by subsection (c) of this section has expired and the person is enrolled in or has successfully completed the safety and treatment program or presents proof to the commissioner within sixty days of receiving approval to participate by the commissioner that he or she is enrolled in a safety and treatment program. Provided, That anyone whose license is revoked for the first time pursuant to subsection (k), section two of this article must participate in the program when the person's minimum revocation period as specified by subsection (c) of this section has expired and the person is enrolled in or has successfully completed the safety and treatment program or presents proof to the commissioner within sixty days of receiving approval to participate by the commissioner that he or she is enrolled in a safety and treatment program
(2) Any person whose license has been suspended pursuant to the provisions of subsection (n), section two of this article for driving a motor vehicle while under the age of twenty-one years with an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of two hundredths of one percent or more, by weight, but less than eight hundredths of one percent, by weight, is eligible to and must participate in the program after thirty days have elapsed from the date of the initial suspension, during which time the suspension was actually in effect: Provided, That in the case of a person under the age of eighteen, the person is eligible to participate in the program after thirty days have elapsed from the date of the initial suspension, during which time the suspension was actually in effect or after the person's eighteenth birthday, whichever is later. Before the commissioner approves a person to operate a motor vehicle equipped with a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system, the person must agree to comply with the following conditions:
(A) If not already enrolled, the person shall enroll in and complete the educational program provided in subsection (d), section three of this article at the earliest time that placement in the educational program is available, unless good cause is demonstrated to the commissioner as to why placement should be postponed;
(B) The person shall pay all costs of the educational program, any administrative costs and all costs assessed for any suspension hearing.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, a person eligible to participate in the program under this subsection may not operate a motor vehicle unless approved to do so by the commissioner.
(4) Notwithstanding provisions of this section to the contrary, a person who is otherwise eligible for participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program who proves by clear and convincing evidence that he or she does not own a motor vehicle upon which the alcohol test and lock device may be installed or is otherwise incapable of participating in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program, shall be considered ineligible for participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program and the person's license shall be revoked pursuant to section two-a of this article.
(c) A person who participates in the program under subdivision (1), subsection (b) of this section is subject to a minimum revocation period and minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system as follows:
(1) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense for six months pursuant to the provisions of section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (d) or (g), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (j), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation for participation in the test and lock program is fifteen days and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is one hundred and twenty-five days. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(2) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to section seven, article five of this chapter, the minimum period of revocation for participation in the test and lock program is forty-five days and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is one year. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(3) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (e), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (j), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation for participation in the test and lock program is forty-five days and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is two hundred seventy days. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(4) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to the provisions of section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (a), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (f), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation before the person is eligible for participation in the test and lock program is twelve months and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is two years. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(5) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to the provisions of section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (b), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (g), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation is six months and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is two years. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(6) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to the provisions of section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (c), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (h), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation for participation in the program is two months and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is one year. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(7) For a person whose license has been revoked for a first offense pursuant to the provisions of section one-a of this article for conviction of an offense defined in subsection (j), section two, article five of this chapter or pursuant to subsection (m), section two of this article, the minimum period of revocation for participation in the program is two months and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is ten months. During the first ninety days after license revocation, a first time offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program;
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the this code to the contrary, a person shall participate in the program Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program if the person is convicted under section two, article five of this chapter or the person's license is revoked under section two of this article or section seven, article five of this chapter and the person was previously either convicted or his or her license was revoked under any provision cited in this subsection within the past ten years. The minimum revocation period for a person required to participate in the program under this subsection is one year and the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is two years, except that the minimum revocation period for a person required to participate because of a violation of subsection (n), section two of this article or subsection (i), section two, article five of this chapter is two months and the minimum period of participation of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system is one year. An offender who was previously convicted under section two, article five of this chapter or whose license was previously revoked under section two of this article or section seven, article five of this chapter and the person was previously either convicted or his or her license was revoked under any provision cited in this subsection within the past ten years, during the first year after license revocation, the offender may drive only for the purposes of getting to and from employment, school, or an alcohol treatment program. The division shall add an additional two months to the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system if the offense was committed while a minor was in the vehicle. The division shall add an additional six months to the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system if a person other than the driver received injuries. The division shall add an additional two years to the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system if a person other than the driver is injured and the injuries result in that person's death. The division shall add one year to the minimum period for the use of the ignition interlock device of mandatory installation of a motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system for each additional previous conviction or revocation within the past ten years. Any person required to participate under this subsection section must have an ignition interlock device installed on every vehicle he or she owns or operates.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision in this code, a person whose license is revoked for driving under the influence of drugs is not eligible to participate in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program.
(f) An applicant for the test and lock program may not have been convicted of any violation of section three, article four, chapter seventeen-b of this code for driving while the applicant's driver's license was suspended or revoked within the six-month period preceding the date of application for admission to the test and lock program unless such is necessary for employment purposes.
(g) Upon permitting an eligible person to participate in the program, the commissioner shall issue to the person, and the person is required to exhibit on demand, a driver's license which shall reflect that the person is restricted to the operation of a motor vehicle which is equipped with an approved motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system.
(h) The commissioner may extend the minimum period of revocation and the minimum period of participation in the program for a person who violates the terms and conditions of participation in the program as found in this section, or legislative rule, or any agreement or contract between the participant and the division or program service provider.
(i) A person whose license has been suspended pursuant to the provisions of subsection (n), section two of this article who has completed the educational program and who has not violated the terms required by the commissioner of the person's participation in the program is entitled to the reinstatement of his or her driver's license six months from the date the person is permitted to operate a motor vehicle by the commissioner. When a license has been reinstated pursuant to this subsection, the records ordering the suspension, records of any administrative hearing, records of any blood alcohol test results and all other records pertaining to the suspension shall be expunged by operation of law: Provided, That a person is entitled to expungement under the provisions of this subsection only once. The expungement shall be accomplished by physically marking the records to show that the records have been expunged and by securely sealing and filing the records. Expungement has the legal effect as if the suspension never occurred. The records may not be disclosed or made available for inspection and in response to a request for record information, the commissioner shall reply that no information is available. Information from the file may be used by the commissioner for research and statistical purposes so long as the use of the information does not divulge the identity of the person.
(j) In addition to any other penalty imposed by this code, any person who operates a motor vehicle not equipped with an approved motor vehicle alcohol test and lock system during that person's mandatory period of participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for a period not less than one month nor more than six months and fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. Any person who attempts to bypass the alcohol test and lock system is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail not more than six months and fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, a person enrolled and participating in the test and lock program may operate a motor vehicle solely at his or her job site if the operation is a condition of his or her employment. For the purpose of this section, job site does not include any street or highway open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular traffic.
CHAPTER 61. CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.

ARTICLE 11. GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING CRIMES.
§61-11-22. Pretrial diversion agreements; conditions; drug and alcohol court programs.

(a) A prosecuting attorney of any county of this state or a person acting as a special prosecutor may enter into a pretrial diversion agreement with a person under investigation or charged with an offense against the State of West Virginia, when he or she considers it to be in the interests of justice. The agreement is to be in writing and is to be executed in the presence of the person's attorney, unless the person has executed a waiver of counsel.
(b) Any agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section may not exceed twenty-four months in duration. The duration of the agreement must be specified in the agreement. The terms of any agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of this section may include conditions similar to those set forth in section nine, article twelve, chapter sixty-two of this code relating to conditions of probation. The agreement may require supervision by a probation officer of the circuit court, with the consent of the court. An agreement entered into pursuant to this section must include a provision that the applicable statute of limitations be tolled for the period of the agreement.
(c) A person who has entered into an agreement for pretrial diversion with a prosecuting attorney and who has successfully complied with the terms of the agreement is not subject to prosecution for the offense or offenses described in the agreement or for the underlying conduct or transaction constituting the offense or offenses described in the agreement, unless the agreement includes a provision that upon compliance the person agrees to plead guilty or nolo contendere to a specific related offense, with or without a specific sentencing recommendation by the prosecuting attorney. Any pretrial diversion agreement entered into by a person charged with a violation of the provisions of section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code must contain a provision that the person agrees to plead guilty or nolo contendere to the underlying offense or offenses described in the agreement.
(d) No person charged with a violation of the provisions of section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code may participate in a pretrial diversion program, unless the program is party of a community corrections program approved pursuant to the provisions of section one, article eleven-c of this chapter. No person charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two of this chapter may participate in a pretrial diversion program unless the program is part of a community corrections program approved pursuant to the provisions of article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code. No person indicted for a felony crime of violence against the person where the alleged victim is a family or household member as defined in section two hundred three, article twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of this code or indicted for a violation of the provisions of sections three, four or seven, article eight-b of this chapter is eligible to participate in a pretrial diversion program. No defendant charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two of this chapter or subsections (b) or (c), section nine, article two of this chapter where the alleged victim is a family or household member is eligible for pretrial diversion programs if he or she has a prior conviction for the offense charged or if he or she has previously been granted a period of pretrial diversion pursuant to this section for the offense charged. Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, defendants charged with violations of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code or the provisions of subsection (b) or (c), section nine, article two of said chapter where the alleged victim is a family or household member as defined by the provisions of section two hundred three, article twenty seven, chapter forty-eight of this code are ineligible for participation in a pretrial diversion program before July 1, 2002, and before the community corrections subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction established pursuant to the provisions of section two, article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code, in consultation with the working group of the subcommittee, has approved guidelines for a safe and effective program for diverting defendants charged with domestic violence.
(e) The provisions of section twenty-five of this article are inapplicable to defendants participating in pretrial diversion programs who are charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code. The community corrections subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction established pursuant to the provisions of section two, article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code shall, upon approving any program of pretrial diversion for persons charged with violations of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code, establish and maintain a central registry of the participants in the programs which may be accessed by judicial officers and court personnel.
(f) (1) The chief judge of a circuit court in cooperation with the prosecuting attorneys, the public defenders, if any, in the circuit, and the community criminal justice board if the program is to be operated pursuant to the provisions of article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code may establish and operate a drug and alcohol court program as a diversion program or an alternative sentencing program, or both, to address offenses that stem from substance and/or alcohol use or abuse.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "drug and/or alcohol court program" means a program designed to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance and/or alcohol abuse among nonviolent, substance and/or alcohol abusing offenders by increasing their likelihood for successful rehabilitation through early, continuous, and intense supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug and/or alcohol testing as applicable and the use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services.
(3) A drug and/or alcohol court program is to provide, at a minimum:
(A) For successful completion of a diversion or plea agreement in lieu of incarceration;
(B) Access by all participating parties of a case to information on the offender's progress;
(C) Vigilant supervision and monitoring procedures;
(D) Random substance abuse and/or alcohol testing, as applicable;
(E) Provisions for dealing with noncompliance, modification of the treatment plan, and revocation proceedings;
(F) For its operation only when appropriate facilities and outpatient services are available; and
(G) For payment of court costs, treatment costs, supervision fees, and program user fees by the offender, unless payment of the costs and fees would impose an undue hardship.
(4) An offender is eligible for a drug and alcohol court program only if:
(A) The underlying offense does not involve a felony crime of violence, unless there is a specific treatment program available designed to address violent offenders;
(B) The offender has no prior felony conviction in this state or another state for a felony crime of violence; and
(C) The offender admits to having a substance and/or alcohol abuse addiction.
(5) The court may provide additional eligibility criteria it considers appropriate.
CHAPTER 62. CRIMINAL PROCEDURES.

ARTICLE 11A. RELEASE FOR WORK AND OTHER PURPOSES.
§62-11A-1a. Other sentencing alternatives.
(a) Any person who has been convicted in a circuit court or in a magistrate court under any criminal provision of this code of a misdemeanor or felony, which is punishable by imposition of a fine or confinement in the county or regional jail or a state correctional facility, or both fine and confinement, may, in the discretion of the sentencing judge or magistrate, as an alternative to the sentence imposed by statute for the crime, be sentenced under one of the following programs:
(1) The weekend jail program under which persons would be required to spend weekends or other days normally off from work in jail;
(2) The work program under which sentenced persons would be required to spend the first two or more days of their sentence in jail and then, in the discretion of the court, would be assigned to a county agency to perform labor within the jail, or in and upon the buildings, grounds, institutions, bridges, roads, including orphaned roads used by the general public and public works within the county. Eight hours of labor are to be credited as one day of the sentence imposed. Persons sentenced under this program may be required to provide their own transportation to and from the work site, lunch and work clothes; or
(3) The community service program under which persons sentenced would spend no time in jail but would be sentenced to a number of hours or days of community service work with government entities or charitable or nonprofit entities approved by the circuit court. Regarding any portion of the sentence designated as confinement, eight hours of community service work is to be credited as one day of the sentence imposed. Regarding any portion of the sentence designated as a fine, the fine is to be credited at an hourly rate equal to the prevailing federal minimum wage at the time the sentence was imposed. In the discretion of the court, the sentence credits may run concurrently or consecutively. Persons sentenced under this program may be required to provide their own transportation to and from the work site, lunch and work clothes;
(4) A day-reporting center program if the program has been implemented in the sentencing court's jurisdiction or in the area where the offender resides. For purposes of this subdivision "day-reporting center" means a court-operated or court-approved facility where persons ordered to serve a sentence in this type of facility are required to report under the terms and conditions set by the court for purposes which include, but are not limited to, counseling, employment training, alcohol or drug testing or other medical testing, or
(5) Staggered sentencing under which a person convicted of an offense of section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code may be sentenced according to the following provisions:
(A) For purposes of this code, the term "staggered sentencing" means a sentencing procedure in which the court sentences a person convicted of an offense of section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code to an executed sentence of confinement in the county or regional jail or a state correctional facility, to be served in equal segments in one or more consecutive years.
(B) After serving the first segment of incarceration, but before reporting for any subsequent segment of incarceration, the offender shall be regularly involved in a structured sobriety group and may bring a motion before the court requesting to have that subsequent segment of incarceration stayed. The motion must be brought before the same judge who initially pronounced the sentence. Before bringing the motion, the offender shall participate for thirty days in a remote electronic alcohol-monitoring program under the direction of the person's probation officer or other court-ordered supervision. It is within the court's discretion to stay the second or subsequent segment of remote electronic alcohol monitoring or incarceration that has previously been ordered. In deciding whether to modify the offender's sentence by ordering a stay of the next following segment of remote electronic alcohol monitoring or incarceration that the court had initially ordered to be executed, the court shall consider any alcohol-monitoring results, the recommendation of the person's probation officer or other court-ordered supervisor, and any other factors deemed relevant by the court.
(C) When the court stays a segment of incarceration that it has previously ordered to be executed, that portion of the sentence must be added to the total number of days the defendant is subject to serving in custody if the person subsequently violates any of the conditions of that stay of execution.
(D) For purposes of this code, the term "structured sobriety group" means any organization that has regular meetings focusing on sobriety, and includes, but is not limited to, organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

(b) In no event may the duration of the alternate sentence exceed the maximum period of incarceration otherwise allowed.
(c) In imposing a sentence under the provisions of this section, the court shall first make the following findings of fact and incorporate them into the court's sentencing order:
(1) The person sentenced was not convicted of an offense for which a mandatory period of confinement is imposed by statute. The mandatory sentences for offenses under the mandatory sentences for offenses under section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code are considered duly executed by the court if the court imposes staggered sentencing under the provisions of this section and of subsection (r) of said section.
(2) In circuit court cases, that the person sentenced is not a habitual criminal within the meaning of sections eighteen and nineteen, article eleven, chapter sixty-one of this code;
(3) In circuit court cases, that the offense underlying the sentence is not a felony offense for which violence or the threat of violence to the person is an element of the offense;
(4) In circuit court cases, that adequate facilities for the administration and supervision of alternative sentencing programs are available through the court's probation officers or the county sheriff or, in magistrate court cases, that adequate facilities for the administration and supervision of alternative sentencing programs are available through the county sheriff; and
(5) That an alternative sentence under provisions of this article will best serve the interests of justice.
(d) Persons sentenced by the circuit court under the provisions of this article remain under the administrative custody and supervision of the court's probation officers or the county sheriff. Persons sentenced by a magistrate remain under the administrative custody and supervision of the county sheriff.
(e) Persons sentenced under the provisions of this section may be required to pay the costs of their incarceration, including meal costs: Provided, That the judge or magistrate considers the person's ability to pay the costs.
(f) Persons sentenced under the provisions of this section remain under the jurisdiction of the court. The court may withdraw any alternative sentence at any time by order entered with or without notice and require that the remainder of the sentence be served in the county jail, regional jail or a state correctional facility: Provided, That no alternative sentence directed by the sentencing judge or magistrate or administered under the supervision of the sheriff, his or her deputies, a jailer or a guard, may require the convicted person to perform duties which would be considered detrimental to the convicted person's health as attested by a physician.
(g) No provision of this section may be construed to limit a circuit judge or magistrate's ability to impose a period of supervision or participation in a community corrections program created pursuant to article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code.
ARTICLE 11C. THE WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT.
§62-11C-1. Legislative intent.
(a) The Legislature hereby declares that the purpose of this article is to enable any county or Class I or II municipality or any combination of counties and Class I or II municipalities to develop, establish and maintain community-based corrections programs to provide the judicial system with sentencing alternatives for those offenders who may require less than institutional custody or who may benefit from a combination of institutional custody and community-based corrections programs.
(b) The goals of developing community-based corrections programs include:
(1) Allowing individual counties or combinations of a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality greater flexibility and involvement in responding to the problem of crime in their communities;
(2) Providing more effective protection of society and promoting efficiency and economy in the delivery of correctional services;
(3) Providing increased opportunities for offenders to make restitution to victims of crime through financial reimbursement;
(4) Permitting counties or combinations of a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality to operate programs specifically designed to meet the rehabilitative needs of offenders;
(5) Providing appropriate sentencing alternatives, or a combination of institutional custody and community-based corrections programs with the goal of reducing the incidence of repeat offenders recidivism;
(6) Permitting counties or combinations of a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality to designate community-based programs to address local criminal justice needs;
(7) Diverting or partially diverting offenders from the state regional jail or correctional facilities by punishing and rehabilitating them with through community-based sanctions, thereby reserving state regional jail or correctional facilities for those offenders who are deemed to be most dangerous to the community; and
(8) Promoting accountability of offenders to their community; and
(9) Encouraging long-term, positive contributions to the community by rehabilitated offenders.
§62-11C-5. Establishment of programs.
(a) Any county or combination of counties or a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality may establish and operate community corrections programs, as provided for in this section, for offenders sentenced within the jurisdiction of the county or counties which establish and/or operate the program, to be used both prior to trial as a condition of bond in circuit and magistrate court, as well as an alternative sentencing option for those offenders sentenced within the jurisdiction of the county or counties which establish and operate the program or in conjunction with institutional custody: Provided, That the chief judge must certify that the community corrections facility is available for use in connection with the imposition of pretrial bond conditions.
(b) Any county or combination of counties or a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality that seek to establish programs as authorized in this section shall submit plans and specifications for the programs to be established, including proposed budgets, for review and approval by the community corrections subcommittee established in section three of this article.
(c) Any county or combination of counties or a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality may establish and operate an approved community corrections program to provide alternative sanctioning options for an offender who is convicted of an offense for which he or she may be sentenced to a period of incarceration in a county or regional jail or a state correctional facility and for which probation or home incarceration may be imposed as an alternative to incarceration.
(d) Community corrections programs authorized by subsection (a) of this section may provide, but are not limited to providing, any of the following services:
(1) Probation supervision programs;
(2) Day fine programs;
(3) Community service restitution programs;
(4) Home incarceration programs;
(5) Substance and/or alcohol abuse treatment programs;
(6) Sex offender containment programs;
(7) Licensed domestic violence offender treatment programs;
(8) Day reporting centers;
(9) Educational or counseling programs; or
(10) Drug and/or alcohol courts.
(e) A county or combination of counties or a county or counties and a Class I or II municipality which establish and operate community corrections programs as provided for in this section may contract with other counties to provide community corrections services.
(f) For purposes of this section, the phrase "may be sentenced to a period of incarceration" means that the statute defining the offense provides for a period of incarceration as a possible penalty.
(g) No provision of this article may be construed to allow a person participating in or under the supervision of a community corrections program to earn "good time" or any other reduction in sentence.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to
reduce recidivism of offenders convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol through mandated participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program for all offenders. Implementing mandated license sanctions. Removes expungement provisions for offenders under twenty-one years of age. Imposition of staggered sentencing. Offender participation in community corrections programs. Mandated guilty or nolo contendere plea in pre-trial diversion agreements. Oversight of dedicated drug and alcohol courts.

§17C-5-1a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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