HB 954 -- LICENSE SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION

SPONSOR:  Hosmer

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee
on Criminal Law by a vote of 11 to 0.

This bill clarifies the blood-alcohol content (BAC) limits that
trigger the "zero tolerance" license suspension and revocation
procedures for minors.  Current law states that all persons
under 21 who have a BAC of .02 or above are subject to
suspension and revocation in the same manner as any person who
meets the legal BAC standard for intoxication.  However, current
law also allows relaxed reinstatement provisions for, and
expungement of suspension and revocation records of, persons
under 21 in all such cases.  The bill clarifies that persons
under 21 who are also over the legal limit for intoxication do
not qualify for the relaxed reinstatement and expungement
provisions and are instead subject to the same license
provisions that apply to any other person who is over the legal
BAC for intoxication.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill is necessary to remedy
a loophole in Missouri's "zero tolerance" alcohol-related
driving penalties for persons under 21.  The loophole currently
allows expungement of any record of a conviction, even if the
person was also over the legal limit for intoxication.
Supporters believe that expungement was only intended for
persons above the "zero-tolerance" limit of .02 but below the
legal limit for intoxication.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Hosmer.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Greg Linhares, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:46 am