Vehicles: driving under the influence: controlled substances.

(1) Existing law makes it a crime for a person who is under the influence of alcohol or any drug, or under the combined influence of alcohol and any drug, to drive a vehicle. Existing law also makes it a crime for a person to drive a vehicle with 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood. This bill would, in addition, make it a crime for a person to have a controlled substance, as defined, in his or her blood while driving a vehicle. (2) Existing law makes it a crime for a person who drives a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or any drug, or under the combined influence of alcohol and any drug, to do any act forbidden by law or neglect any duty imposed by law while driving a vehicle when that act or neglected duty is the proximate cause of bodily injury to any person other than the driver. Existing law also makes it a crime for a person who drives a vehicle with 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood to do any act forbidden by law or neglect any duty imposed by law while driving a vehicle when that act or neglected duty is the proximate cause of bodily injury to any person other than the driver. This bill would, in addition, make it a crime for a person to have a controlled substance, as defined, in his or her blood while driving a vehicle and to do any act forbidden by law or neglect any duty imposed by law while driving when that act or neglected duty is the proximate cause of bodily injury to any person other than the driver. (3) Under existing law, there is a rebuttable evidentiary presumption that a person was under the influence of alcohol at the time he or she drove a vehicle if he or she had 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood at the time of a chemical test if the chemical test was done within 3 hours after the person drove the vehicle. This bill would create a rebuttable evidentiary presumption that a person had a controlled substance in his or her blood at the time he or she drove a vehicle if the person had a controlled substance, as defined, in his or her blood at the time of the performance of a chemical test if the test is done within 3 hours after the person drove the vehicle. (4) Because this bill would create new crimes, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.