2007 California Vehicle Code Article 2. Notice

CA Codes (veh:13950-13954)

13950.  Whenever the department determines upon investigation or
re-examination that any of the grounds for re-examination are true,
or that the safety of the person investigated or re-examined or other
persons upon the highways requires such action, and it proposes to
revoke or suspend the driving privilege of the person or proposes to
impose terms of probation on his driving privilege, notice and an
opportunity to be heard shall be given before taking the action.



13951.  Whenever the department proposes to refuse to issue or renew
a driver's license, it shall notify the applicant of such fact and
give him an opportunity to be heard.



13952.  The notice shall contain a statement setting forth the
proposed action and the grounds therefor, and notify the person of
his right to a hearing as provided in this chapter, or the
department, at the time it gives notice of its intention to act may
set the date of hearing, giving 10 days' notice thereof.



13953.  In the alternative to the procedure under Sections 13950,
13951, and 13952 and in the event the department determines upon
investigation or reexamination that the safety of the person subject
to investigation or reexamination or other persons upon the highways
require such action, the department shall forthwith and without
hearing suspend or revoke the privilege of the person to operate a
motor vehicle or impose reasonable terms and conditions of probation
which shall be relative to the safe operation of a motor vehicle.  No
order of suspension or revocation or the imposition of terms or
conditions of probation shall become effective until 30 days after
the giving of written notice thereof to the person affected, except
that the department shall have authority to make any such order
effective immediately upon the giving of notice when in its opinion
because of the mental or physical condition of the person such
immediate action is required for the safety of the driver or other
persons upon the highways.


13954.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the
department immediately shall suspend or revoke the driving privilege
of a person who the department has reasonable cause to believe was in
some manner involved in an accident while operating a motor vehicle
under the following circumstances at the time of the accident:
   (1) The person had 0.08 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in
his or her blood.
   (2) He or she proximately caused the accident as a result of an
act prohibited, or the neglect of any duty imposed, by law.
   (3) The accident occurred within five years of the date of a
violation of subdivision (b) of Section 191.5 of the Penal Code that
resulted in a conviction.
   (b) If an accident described in subdivision (a) does not result in
a conviction or finding of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153,
the department shall suspend the driving privilege under this section
for one year from the date of commencement of the original
suspension. After the one-year suspension period, the driving
privilege may be reinstated if evidence establishes to the
satisfaction of the department that no grounds exist that would
authorize the refusal to issue a license and that reinstatement of
the driving privilege would not jeopardize the safety of the person
or other persons upon the highways, and if the person gives proof of
financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430.
   (c) If an accident described in subdivision (a) does result in a
conviction or finding of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153, the
department shall revoke the driving privilege under this section for
three years from the date of commencement of the original revocation.
After the three-year revocation period, the driving privilege may be
reinstated if evidence establishes to the satisfaction of the
department that no grounds exist that would authorize the refusal to
issue a license and that reinstatement of the driving privilege would
not jeopardize the safety of the person or other persons upon the
highways, and if the person gives proof of financial responsibility.

   (d) Any revocation action under subdivision (c) shall be imposed
as follows:
   (1) If the accident results in a first conviction of a violation
of Section 23152 or 23153, or if the person was convicted of a
separate violation of Section 23152 or 23153 that occurred within
five years of the accident, the period of revocation under
subdivision (c) shall be concurrent with any period of restriction,
suspension, or revocation imposed under Section 13352, 13352.4, or
13352.5.
   (2) If the person was convicted of two or more separate violations
of Section 23152 or 23153, or both, that occurred within five years
of the accident, the period of revocation under subdivision (c) shall
be cumulative and shall be imposed consecutively with any period of
restriction, suspension, or revocation imposed under Section 13352 or
13352.5.
   (e) The department immediately shall notify the person in writing
of the action taken and, upon the person's request in writing and
within 15 days from the date of receipt of that request, shall grant
the person an opportunity for a hearing in the same manner and under
the same conditions as provided in Article 3 (commencing with Section
14100) of Chapter 3, except as otherwise provided in this section.
For purposes of this section, the scope of the hearing shall cover
the following issues:
   (1) Whether the peace officer had reasonable cause to believe the
person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of Section 23152
or 23153.
   (2) Whether the person had been placed under lawful arrest.
   (3) Whether a chemical test of the person's blood, breath, or
urine indicated that the blood-alcohol level was 0.08 percent or
more, by weight, at the time of testing.
   If the department determines, upon a hearing of the matter, that
the person had not been placed under lawful arrest, or that a
chemical test of the person's blood, breath, or urine did not
indicate a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more, by weight, at
the time of testing, the suspension or revocation shall be
terminated immediately.
   (f) This section applies if the accident occurred on or after
January 1, 1990, without regard for the dates of the violations
referred to in subdivisions (a) and (d).
   (g) Notwithstanding subdivision (f), if a person's privilege to
operate a motor vehicle is required to be suspended or revoked
pursuant to this section as it read before January 1, 1990, as a
result of an accident that occurred before January 1, 1990, the
privilege shall be suspended or revoked pursuant to this section as
it read before January 1, 1990.