(1) A person who accepts the privilege extended by the laws of this state of operating a commercial motor vehicle within this state shall, by so operating such commercial motor vehicle, be deemed to have given his or her consent to submit to an approved chemical or physical test of his or her blood or breath for the purpose of determining his or her alcohol concentration, and to a urine test for the purpose of detecting the presence of chemical substances as set forth in s. 877.111 or of controlled substances.

(a) By applying for a commercial driver license and by accepting and using a commercial driver license, the person holding the commercial driver license is deemed to have expressed his or her consent to the provisions of this section.

(b) Any person who drives a commercial motor vehicle within this state and who is not required to obtain a commercial driver license in this state is, by his or her act of driving a commercial motor vehicle within this state, deemed to have expressed his or her consent to the provisions of this section.

(c) A notification of the consent provision of this section shall be printed on each new or renewed commercial driver license issued.

(2) The chemical and physical tests authorized by this section shall only be required if a law enforcement officer has reasonable cause to believe that a person driving a commercial motor vehicle has any alcohol, chemical substance, or controlled substance in his or her body.

(a) The breath test shall be administered at the request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to believe that a person was driving a commercial motor vehicle with any alcohol in his or her blood.

(b) The urine test shall be administered at the request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to believe that a person was driving a commercial motor vehicle with any chemical substance or controlled substance in his or her body. The test shall be administered at a facility, mobile or otherwise, that is equipped to administer such tests in a reasonable manner so as to ensure the accuracy of the specimen and maintain the privacy of the individual involved.

(c) The blood test shall be administered at the request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to believe that a person was driving a commercial motor vehicle with any alcohol, chemical substance, or controlled substance in his or her body. The blood test shall be performed in a reasonable manner by qualified medical personnel. Any person who appears for treatment at a medical facility as a result of his or her involvement as a commercial motor vehicle driver in a crash and who is incapable, by reason of a mental or physical condition, of refusing a blood test shall be deemed to have consented to such test.

(d) The administration of one test under paragraph (a), paragraph (b), or paragraph (c) shall not preclude the administration of a different test under paragraph (a), paragraph (b), or paragraph (c). However, a urine test may not be used to determine alcohol concentration and a breath test may not be used to determine the presence of controlled substances or chemical substances in a person’s body. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, in the event a Florida licensee has been convicted in another state for an offense substantially similar to s. 316.193 or to s. 322.62, which conviction was based upon evidence of test results prohibited by this paragraph, that out-of-state conviction shall constitute a conviction for the purposes of this chapter.

(3)(a) The breath and blood tests authorized in this section shall be administered substantially in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of Law Enforcement.

(b) The Alcohol Testing Program within the Department of Law Enforcement is responsible for the regulation of the operation, inspection, and registration of breath test instruments utilized under the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327. The program is responsible for the regulation of the individuals who operate, inspect, and instruct on the breath test instruments utilized in the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327. The program is further responsible for the regulation of blood analysts who conduct blood testing to be utilized under the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327. The program shall:

1. Establish uniform criteria for the issuance of permits to breath test operators, agency inspectors, instructors, blood analysts, and instruments.

2. Have the authority to permit breath test operators, agency inspectors, instructors, blood analysts, and instruments.

3. Have the authority to discipline and suspend, revoke, or renew the permits of breath test operators, agency inspectors, instructors, blood analysts, and instruments.

4. Establish uniform requirements for instruction and curricula for the operation and inspection of approved instruments.

5. Have the authority to specify one approved curriculum for the operation and inspection of approved instruments.

6. Establish a procedure for the approval of breath test operator and agency inspector classes.

7. Have the authority to approve or disapprove breath test instruments and accompanying paraphernalia for use pursuant to the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327.

8. With the approval of the executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement, make and enter into contracts and agreements with other agencies, organizations, associations, corporations, individuals, or federal agencies as are necessary, expedient, or incidental to the performance of duties.

9. Issue final orders which include findings of fact and conclusions of law and which constitute final agency action for the purpose of chapter 120.

10. Enforce compliance with the provisions of this section through civil or administrative proceedings.

11. Make recommendations concerning any matter within the purview of this section, this chapter, chapter 316, or chapter 327.

12. Promulgate rules for the administration and implementation of this section, including definitions of terms.

13. Consult and cooperate with other entities for the purpose of implementing the mandates of this section.

14. Have the authority to approve the type of blood test utilized under the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327.

15. Have the authority to specify techniques and methods for breath alcohol testing and blood testing utilized under the driving and boating under the influence provisions and related provisions located in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327.

16. Have the authority to approve repair facilities for the approved breath test instruments, including the authority to set criteria for approval.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede provisions in this chapter and chapters 316 and 327. The specifications in this section are derived from the power and authority previously and currently possessed by the Department of Law Enforcement and are enumerated to conform with the mandates of chapter 99-379, Laws of Florida.

(c) Any insubstantial differences between approved techniques and actual testing procedures in any individual case does not render the test or tests results invalid.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the failure of a law enforcement officer to request the withdrawal of blood shall not affect the admissibility of a test of blood withdrawn for medical purposes.

(4)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a person shall be told that his or her failure to submit to a physical or chemical test authorized by this section shall result in the disqualification of his or her privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle for a period of 1 year for a first refusal, and shall result in the permanent disqualification of such privilege for a second refusal, arising from separate incidents.

(b) Any person who is incapable of refusal by reason of unconsciousness or other mental or physical condition shall be deemed to have consented to a blood test.

(c) The refusal of a person to submit to a physical or chemical test authorized by this section shall be admissible in evidence in any criminal proceeding.

(5) The results of any test administered pursuant to this section shall not be admissible in a criminal prosecution for possession of a controlled substance.

(6) Notwithstanding any provision of law pertaining to the confidentiality of hospital records or other medical records, information relating to the alcohol content of a person’s blood or the presence of chemical substances or controlled substances in a person’s blood obtained pursuant to this section shall be released to a court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, or law enforcement officer in connection with an alleged violation of s. 316.193 or s. 322.62 upon request for such information.

History.—s. 28, ch. 89-282; s. 23, ch. 92-58; s. 431, ch. 95-148; s. 299, ch. 99-248; s. 2, ch. 2000-226; s. 92, ch. 2005-164.