Title: S.L. 2011-191
Subject: Session Law 2011-191
Category: Introduced Bill 2011

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2011

SESSION LAW 2011-191
HOUSE BILL 49

AN ACT to increase the punishment for DWI offenders with three or more grossly aggravating factors, to authorize the court to require continuous alcohol monitoring for certain offenders, and to increase the court costs for DWI offenders.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑179 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑179.  Sentencing hearing after conviction for impaired driving; determination of grossly aggravating and aggravating and mitigating factors; punishments.
(a)	Sentencing Hearing Required. – After a conviction under G.S. 20‑138.1, G.S. 20‑138.2, a second or subsequent conviction under G.S. 20‑138.2A, or a second or subsequent conviction under G.S. 20‑138.2B, or when any of those offenses are remanded back to district court after an appeal to superior court, the judge shall hold a sentencing hearing to determine whether there are aggravating or mitigating factors that affect the sentence to be imposed.
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(c)	Determining Existence of Grossly Aggravating Factors. – At the sentencing hearing, based upon the evidence presented at trial and in the hearing, the judge, or the jury in superior court, must first determine whether there are any grossly aggravating factors in the case. Whether a prior conviction exists under subdivision (1) of this subsection, or whether a conviction exists under subdivision (d)(5) of this section, shall be matters to be determined by the judge, and not the jury, in district or superior court. If the sentencing hearing is for a case remanded back to district court from superior court, the judge shall determine whether the defendant has been convicted of any offense that was not considered at the initial sentencing hearing and impose the appropriate sentence under this section. The judge must impose the Aggravated Level One punishment under subsection (f3) of this section if it is determined that three or more grossly aggravating factors apply. The judge must impose the Level One punishment under subsection (g) of this section if it is determined that two grossly aggravating factors apply. The judge must impose the Level Two punishment under subsection (h) of this section if it is determined that only one of the grossly aggravating factors applies. The grossly aggravating factors are:
(1)	A prior conviction for an offense involving impaired driving if:
a.	The conviction occurred within seven years before the date of the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced; or
b.	The conviction occurs after the date of the offense for which the defendant is presently being sentenced, but prior to or contemporaneously with the present sentencing; or
c.	The conviction occurred in district court; the case was appealed to superior court; the appeal has been withdrawn, or the case has been remanded back to district court; and a new sentencing hearing has not been held pursuant to G.S. 20‑38.7.
Each prior conviction is a separate grossly aggravating factor.
(2)	Driving by the defendant at the time of the offense while his driver's license was revoked under G.S. 20‑28, and the revocation was an impaired driving revocation under G.S. 20‑28.2(a).
(3)	Serious injury to another person caused by the defendant's impaired driving at the time of the offense.
(4)	Driving by the defendant while a child under the age of 16 years was in the vehicle at the time of the offense.
In imposing an Aggravated Level One, a Level One, or a Level Two punishment, the judge may consider the aggravating and mitigating factors in subsections (d) and (e) in determining the appropriate sentence. If there are no grossly aggravating factors in the case, the judge must weigh all aggravating and mitigating factors and impose punishment as required by subsection (f).
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(f3)	Aggravated Level One Punishment. – A defendant subject to Aggravated Level One punishment may be fined up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a minimum term of not less than 12 months and a maximum term of not more than 36 months. Notwithstanding G.S. 15A‑1371, a defendant sentenced to a term of imprisonment pursuant to this subsection shall not be eligible for parole. However, the defendant shall be released from the Department of Correction on the date equivalent to the defendant's maximum imposed term of imprisonment less four months and shall be supervised by the Division of Community Corrections under and subject to the provisions of Article 84A of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes and shall also be required to abstain from alcohol consumption for the four‑month period of supervision as verified by a continuous alcohol monitoring system. For purposes of revocation, violation of the requirement to abstain from alcohol or comply with the use of a continuous alcohol monitoring system shall be deemed a controlling condition under G.S. 15A‑1368.4.
The term of imprisonment may be suspended only if a condition of special probation is imposed to require the defendant to serve a term of imprisonment of at least 120 days. If the defendant is placed on probation, the judge shall impose as requirements that the defendant (i) abstain from alcohol consumption for a minimum of 120 days to a maximum of the term of probation, as verified by a continuous alcohol monitoring system pursuant to subsections (h1) and (h3) of this section, and (ii) obtain a substance abuse assessment and the education or treatment required by G.S. 20‑17.6 for the restoration of a drivers license and as a condition of probation. The judge may impose any other lawful condition of probation.(g)	Level One Punishment. – A defendant subject to Level One punishment may be fined up to four thousand dollars ($4,000) and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a minimum term of not less than 30 days and a maximum term of not more than 24 months. The term of imprisonment may be suspended only if a condition of special probation is imposed to require the defendant to serve a term of imprisonment of at least 30 days. If the defendant is placed on probation, the judge shall impose a requirement that the defendant obtain a substance abuse assessment and the education or treatment required by G.S. 20‑17.6 for the restoration of a drivers license and as a condition of probation. The judge may impose any other lawful condition of probation.
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(h1)	The judge may impose, as a condition of probation for defendants subject to Level One or Level Two punishments, that the defendant abstain from alcohol consumption for a minimum of 30 days, to a maximum of the term of probation, as verified by a continuous alcohol monitoring system. The defendant's abstinence from alcohol shall be verified by a continuous alcohol monitoring system of a type approved by the Department of Correction.
	(h3)	Any fees or costs paid pursuant to subsection (h1) of this section shall be paid to the clerk of court for the county in which the judgment was entered or the deferred prosecution agreement was filed. Fees or costs collected under this subsection shall be transmitted to the entity providing the continuous alcohol monitoring system.
.…"
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑19(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	When a person's license is revoked under (i) G.S. 20‑17(a)(2) and the person has two or more previous offenses involving impaired driving for which the person has been convicted, and the most recent offense occurred within the five years immediately preceding the date of the offense for which the person's license is being revoked, (ii) G.S. 20‑17(a)(2) and the person was sentenced pursuant to G.S. 20‑179(f3) for the offense resulting in the revocation, or (iii) G.S. 20‑17(a)(9) due to a violation of G.S. 20‑141.4(a4), the revocation is permanent."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑17.8 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑17.8.  Restoration of a license after certain driving while impaired convictions; ignition interlock.
(a)	Scope. – This section applies to a person whose license was revoked as a result of a conviction of driving while impaired, G.S. 20‑138.1, and:
(1)	The person had an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more;
(2)	The person has been convicted of another offense involving impaired driving, which offense occurred within seven years immediately preceding the date of the offense for which the person's license has been revoked; or
(3)	The person was sentenced pursuant to G.S. 20‑179(f3).
For purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the results of a chemical analysis, as shown by an affidavit or affidavits executed pursuant to G.S. 20‑16.2(c1), shall be used by the Division to determine that person's alcohol concentration.
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(b)	(Effective until December 1, 2014) Ignition Interlock Required. – Except as provided in subsection (l) of this section, when the Division restores the license of a person who is subject to this section, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall require the person to agree to and shall indicate on the person's drivers license the following restrictions for the period designated in subsection (c):
(1)	A restriction that the person may operate only a vehicle that is equipped with a functioning ignition interlock system of a type approved by the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall not unreasonably withhold approval of an ignition interlock system and shall consult with the Division of Purchase and Contract in the Department of Administration to ensure that potential vendors are not discriminated against.
(2)	A requirement that the person personally activate the ignition interlock system before driving the motor vehicle.
(3)	An alcohol concentration restriction as follows:
a.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant only to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater;
b.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section, or subsection (a1) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00; or
c.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, and the person has also been convicted, based on the same set of circumstances, of: (i) driving while impaired in a commercial vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, (ii) driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, (iii) a violation of G.S. 20‑141.4, or (iv) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00.
(b)	(Effective December 1, 2014) Ignition Interlock Required. – Except as provided in subsection (l) of this section, when the Division restores the license of a person who is subject to this section, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall require the person to agree to and shall indicate on the person's drivers license the following restrictions for the period designated in subsection (c):
(1)	A restriction that the person may operate only a vehicle that is equipped with a functioning ignition interlock system of a type approved by the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall not unreasonably withhold approval of an ignition interlock system and shall consult with the Division of Purchase and Contract in the Department of Administration to ensure that potential vendors are not discriminated against.
(2)	A requirement that the person personally activate the ignition interlock system before driving the motor vehicle.
(3)	An alcohol concentration restriction as follows:
a.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant only to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater;
b.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00; or
c.	If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, and the person has also been convicted, based on the same set of circumstances, of: (i) driving while impaired in a commercial vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, (ii) driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, (iii) a violation of G.S. 20‑141.4, or (iv) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00.
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SECTION 4.  G.S. 7A‑304(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	In every criminal case in the superior or district court, wherein the defendant is convicted, or enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or when costs are assessed against the prosecuting witness, the following costs shall be assessed and collected, except that when the judgment imposes an active prison sentence, costs shall be assessed and collected only when the judgment specifically so provides, and that no costs may be assessed when a case is dismissed.
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(10)	For support of the General Court of Justice, the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) is payable by a defendant convicted under G.S. 20‑138.1 or G.S. 20‑138.2, for a second or subsequent conviction under G.S. 20‑138.2A, or for a second or subsequent conviction under G.S. 20‑138.2B, to be remitted to the State Treasurer. This fee shall be in addition to the fee required by subdivision (4a) of this subsection."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 15A‑534 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(i)	In addition to any other condition of pretrial release, the judicial official authorizing pretrial release may order any defendant (i) charged with an offense involving impaired driving, as defined by G.S. 20‑4.01(24a), and (ii) having a prior conviction for an offense involving impaired driving that occurred within seven years before the date of the offense for which the defendant is being placed on pretrial release to abstain from alcohol consumption as verified by an approved continuous alcohol monitoring system for the period of pretrial release or until this condition is removed by entry of order of a court of competent jurisdiction."
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2011, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 16^th day of June, 2011.

	s/	 Walter H. Dalton
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Thom Tillis
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 Governor

Approved 10:38 a.m. this 23^rd day of June, 2011

Page 	Session Law 2011-191	House Bill 49

House Bill 49	Session Law 2011-191	Page

*H49-v-6*