House Bill 13-1240 Summary

• Lowers the blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold for designating a person as a "persistent drunk driver" from 0.17 to 0.15 grams per 100 milliliters of blood, effective January 1, 2014.

• Adds refusal to take a blood, breath, saliva, or urine test as a criterion for persistent drunk driver designation under section 42-1-102(68.5).

• Allows early reinstatement with an interlock-restricted license after one month of revocation for most drivers (except those under 21, who must wait one year), and after two months for drivers whose licenses were revoked for refusal.

• Extends financial assistance for ignition interlock device costs to persistent drunk drivers who install devices on or after January 1, 2014, in addition to first-time offenders.

• Makes refusal-based revocations for offenses on or after January 1, 2014 run concurrently with criminal conviction penalties, with total restrictions not exceeding the longer of the two periods.

• Appropriates $126,834 and 1.0 FTE to the Department of Revenue for fiscal year 2013-2014 to implement the bill.