Driver's licenses: suspension of driving privileges.

Existing law requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident involving either injury to a person other than the driver, or the death of a person, to immediately stop and fulfill specified reporting requirements. Existing law provides that a failure to fulfill those requirements is a crime. Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to immediately revoke the driving privileges of a person convicted of a violation of that provision. Existing law requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident involving only damage to property, or a person who parks a vehicle that becomes a runaway vehicle and damages property, to stop, as applicable, and fulfill specified reporting requirements. Existing law provides that a failure to fulfill those requirements is a crime. Existing law authorizes a court to suspend the driving privileges of a person convicted of a violation of that provision for not more than 6 months. This bill would require a prosecutor who agrees to accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere from a defendant for a charge of a violation of the latter provision described above in satisfaction of or as a substitute for a charge for a violation of the former provision to state on the record whether the defendant was involved in an accident in which a person was struck. This bill would require the court to immediately suspend the convicted person's driving privileges for a period of 6 months if the court accepts the plea and the prosecutor's statement states that a person was struck in connection with the accident. By changing the penalty for a crime, this bill 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.