1998 Florida Code
TITLE XXIII MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 322 Drivers' Licenses  
322.63   Alcohol or drug testing; commercial motor vehicle operators.

322.63  Alcohol or drug testing; commercial motor vehicle operators.--

(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, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining his or her alcohol concentration or 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's license and by accepting and using a commercial driver's license, the person holding the commercial driver's 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's 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 above the signature line on each new or renewed driver's license issued after March 31, 1991.

(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 an accident 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 physical and chemical tests authorized in this section shall be administered substantially in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of Law Enforcement. Such rules shall be adopted after public hearing, shall specify the tests that are approved, and shall provide an approved method of administration.

(b)  The Department of Law Enforcement is authorized to approve techniques or methods for administering such physical and chemical tests. Any insubstantial differences between approved techniques and actual testing procedures in any individual case does not render the test or tests results invalid.

(c)  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.