SB 50 Summary

• Makes it unlawful to drive a vehicle with any measurable amount of a controlled substance in the bloodstream, establishing a zero-tolerance standard for drugged driving.

• Creates a rebuttable presumption that a person had a controlled substance in their blood while driving if detected in a chemical test performed within 3 hours after driving.

• Defines controlled substances subject to this law as specified drugs in California Health and Safety Code Sections 11054, 11055, 11056, 11057, and 11058, but excludes substances administered by licensed healthcare providers.

• Extends the controlled substance prohibition to cases involving bodily injury, making it unlawful to drive with a controlled substance and concurrently violate traffic laws or neglect duties that proximately cause injury to persons other than the driver.

• Specifies that no state reimbursement is required to local agencies for implementation costs associated with the new crimes created by this statute.