§ 46.61.5055 Alcohol violators-Penalty schedule

46.61.5055. Alcohol violators--Penalty schedule

(1) Except as provided in RCW 46.61.502(6) or 46.61.504(6), a person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and who has no prior offense within seven years shall be punished as follows:

(a) In the case of a person whose alcohol concentration was less than 0.15, or for whom for reasons other than the person's refusal to take a test offered pursuant to RCW 46.20.308 there is no test result indicating the person's alcohol concentration:

(i) By imprisonment for not less than one day nor more than three hundred sixty-four days. Twenty-four consecutive hours of the imprisonment may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well- being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based. In lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment required under this subsection (1)(a)(i), the court may order not less than fifteen days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay the cost of electronic home monitoring. The county or municipality in which the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device to include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and the court may restrict the amount
of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring; and

(ii) By a fine of not less than three hundred fifty dollars nor more than five thousand dollars. Three hundred fifty dollars of the fine may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds the offender to be indigent; or

(b) In the case of a person whose alcohol concentration was at least 0.15, or for whom by reason of the person's refusal to take a test offered pursuant to RCW 46.20.308 there is no test result indicating the person's alcohol concentration:

(i) By imprisonment for not less than two days nor more than three hundred sixty-four days. Two consecutive days of the imprisonment may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well-being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based. In lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment required under this subsection (1)(b)(i), the court may order not less than thirty days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay the cost of electronic home monitoring. The county or municipality in which the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device to include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and the court may restrict the amount of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring; and

(ii) By a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars. Five hundred dollars of the fine may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds the offender to be indigent.

(2) Except as provided in RCW 46.61.502(6) or 46.61.504(6), a person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and who has one prior offense within seven years shall be punished as follows:

(i) By imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than three hundred sixty-four days and sixty days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay for the cost of the electronic monitoring. The county or municipality where the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and may restrict the amount of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring. Thirty days of imprisonment and sixty days of electronic home monitoring may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well-being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based; and

(i) By imprisonment for not less than forty-five days nor more than three hundred sixty-four days and ninety days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay for the cost of the electronic monitoring. The county or municipality where the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and may restrict the amount of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring. Forty-five days of imprisonment and ninety days of electronic home monitoring may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well-being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based; and

(ii) By a fine of not less than seven hundred fifty dollars nor more than five thousand dollars. Seven hundred fifty dollars of the fine may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds the offender to be indigent.

(3) Except as provided in RCW 46.61.502(6) or 46.61.504(6), a person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and who has two or three prior offenses within seven years shall be punished as follows:

(i) By imprisonment for not less than ninety days nor more than three hundred sixty-four days and one hundred twenty days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay for the cost of the electronic monitoring. The county or municipality where the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and may restrict the amount of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring. Ninety days of imprisonment and one hundred twenty days of electronic home monitoring may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well-being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based; and

(ii) By a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars. One thousand dollars of the fine may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds the offender to be indigent; or

(i) By imprisonment for not less than one hundred twenty days nor more than three hundred sixty-four days and one hundred fifty days of electronic home monitoring. The offender shall pay for the cost of the electronic monitoring. The county or municipality where the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost. The court may also require the offender's electronic home monitoring device include an alcohol detection breathalyzer, and may restrict the amount of alcohol the offender may consume during the time the offender is on electronic home monitoring. One hundred twenty days of imprisonment and one hundred fifty days of electronic home monitoring may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds that the imposition of this mandatory minimum sentence would impose a substantial risk to the offender's physical or mental well-being. Whenever the mandatory minimum sentence is suspended or deferred, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the suspension or deferral and the facts upon which the suspension or deferral is based; and

(ii) By a fine of not less than one thousand five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars. One thousand five hundred dollars of the fine may not be suspended or deferred unless the court finds the offender to be indigent.

(4) A person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 shall be punished under chapter 9.94A RCW if:

(a) The person has four or more prior offenses within ten years; or

(b) The person has ever previously been convicted of:

(i) A violation of RCW 46.61.520 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug;

(ii) A violation of RCW 46.61.522 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug;

(iii) An out-of-state offense comparable to the offense specified in (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection; or

(iv) A violation of RCW 46.61.502(6) or 46.61.504(6).

(5)(a) The court shall require any person convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 or an equivalent local ordinance to apply for an ignition interlock driver's license from the department and to have a functioning ignition interlock device installed on all motor vehicles operated by the person.

(b) The installation of an ignition interlock device is not necessary on vehicles owned, leased, or rented by a person's employer and on those vehicles whose care and/or maintenance is the temporary responsibility of the employer, and driven at the direction of a person's employer as a requirement of employment during working hours. The person must provide the department with a declaration pursuant to RCW 9A.72.085 from his or her employer stating that the person's employment requires the person to operate a vehicle owned by the employer or other persons during working hours.

(c) An ignition interlock device imposed under this section shall be calibrated to prevent a motor vehicle from being started when the breath sample provided has an alcohol concentration of 0.025 or more.

(d) The court may waive the requirement that a person apply for an ignition interlock driver's license if the court makes a specific finding in writing that:

(i) The person lives out-of-state and the devices are not reasonably available in the person's local area;

(ii) The person does not operate a vehicle; or

(iii) The person is not eligible to receive an ignition interlock driver's license under RCW 46.20.385 because the person is not a resident of Washington, is a habitual traffic offender, has already applied for or is already in possession of an ignition interlock driver's license, has never had a driver's license, has been certified under chapter 74.20A RCW as noncompliant with a child support order, or is subject to any other condition or circumstance that makes the person ineligible to obtain an ignition interlock driver's license.

(e) If a court finds that a person is not eligible to receive an ignition interlock driver's license under this section, the court is not required to make any further subsequent inquiry or determination as to the person's eligibility.

(f) If the court orders that a person refrain from consuming any alcohol and requires the person to apply for an ignition interlock driver's license, and the person states that he or she does not operate a motor vehicle or the person is ineligible to obtain an ignition interlock driver's license, the court shall order the person to submit to alcohol monitoring through an alcohol detection breathalyzer device, transdermal sensor device, or other technology designed to detect alcohol in a person's system. Alcohol monitoring ordered under this subsection must be for the period of the mandatory license suspension or revocation. The person shall pay for the cost of the monitoring. The county or municipality where the penalty is being imposed shall determine the cost.

(g) The period of time for which ignition interlock use is required will be as follows:

(i) For a person who has not previously been restricted under this section, a period of one year;

(ii) For a person who has previously been restricted under (g)(i) of this subsection, a period of five years;

(iii) For a person who has previously been restricted under (g)(ii) of this subsection, a period of ten years.

(h) Beginning with incidents occurring on or after September 1, 2011, when calculating the period of time for the restriction under RCW 46.20.720(3), the department must also give the person a day-for-day credit for the time period, beginning from the date of the incident, during which the person kept an ignition interlock device installed on all vehicles the person operates. For the purposes of this subsection (5)(h), the term “all vehicles” does not include vehicles that would be subject to the employer exception under RCW 46.20.720(3).

(6) If a person who is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61. 504 committed the offense while a passenger under the age of sixteen was in the vehicle, the court shall:

(a) In any case in which the installation and use of an interlock or other device is not mandatory under RCW 46.20.720 or other law, order the use of such a device for not less than sixty days following the restoration of the person's license, permit, or nonresident driving privileges; and

(b) In any case in which the installation and use of such a device is otherwise mandatory, order the use of such a device for an additional sixty days.

(7) In exercising its discretion in setting penalties within the limits allowed by this section, the court shall particularly consider the following:

(a) Whether the person's driving at the time of the offense was responsible for injury or damage to another or another's property; and

(b) Whether at the time of the offense the person was driving or in physical control of a vehicle with one or more passengers.

(8) An offender punishable under this section is subject to the alcohol assessment and treatment provisions of RCW 46.61.5056.

(9) The license, permit, or nonresident privilege of a person convicted of driving or being in physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs must:

(a) If the person's alcohol concentration was less than 0.15, or if for reasons other than the person's refusal to take a test offered under RCW 46.20.308 there is no test result indicating the person's alcohol concentration:

(i) Where there has been no prior offense within seven years, be suspended or denied by the department for ninety days;

(ii) Where there has been one prior offense within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for two years; or

(iii) Where there have been two or more prior offenses within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for three years;

(b) If the person's alcohol concentration was at least 0.15:

(i) Where there has been no prior offense within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for one year;

(ii) Where there has been one prior offense within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for nine hundred days; or

(iii) Where there have been two or more prior offenses within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for four years; or

(c) If by reason of the person's refusal to take a test offered under RCW 46.20.308, there is no test result indicating the person's alcohol concentration:

(i) Where there have been no prior offenses within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for two years;

(ii) Where there has been one prior offense within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for three years; or

(iii) Where there have been two or more previous offenses within seven years, be revoked or denied by the department for four years.

The department shall grant credit on a day-for-day basis for any portion of a suspension, revocation, or denial already served under this subsection for a suspension, revocation, or denial imposed under RCW 46.20.3101 arising out of the same incident.

For purposes of this subsection (9), the department shall refer to the driver's record maintained under RCW 46.52.120 when determining the existence of prior offenses.

(10) After expiration of any period of suspension, revocation, or denial of the offender's license, permit, or privilege to drive required by this section, the department shall place the offender's driving privilege in probationary status pursuant to RCW 46.20.355.

(11)(a) In addition to any nonsuspendable and nondeferrable jail sentence required by this section, whenever the court imposes up to three hundred sixty-four days in jail, the court shall also suspend but shall not defer a period of confinement for a period not exceeding five years. The court shall impose conditions of probation that include: (i) Not driving a motor vehicle within this state without a valid license to drive and proof of financial responsibility for the future; (ii) not driving a motor vehicle within this state while having an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more within two hours after driving; and (iii) not refusing to submit to a test of his or her breath or blood to determine alcohol concentration upon request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable grounds to believe the person was driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. The court may impose conditions of probation that include nonrepetition, installation of an ignition interlock device on the probationer's motor vehicle, alcohol or drug treatment, supervised probation, or other conditions that may be
appropriate. The sentence may be imposed in whole or in part upon violation of a condition of probation during the suspension period.

(b) For each violation of mandatory conditions of probation under (a)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this subsection, the court shall order the convicted person to be confined for thirty days, which shall not be suspended or deferred.

(c) For each incident involving a violation of a mandatory condition of probation imposed under this subsection, the license, permit, or privilege to drive of the person shall be suspended by the court for thirty days or, if such license, permit, or privilege to drive already is suspended, revoked, or denied at the time the finding of probation violation is made, the suspension, revocation, or denial then in effect shall be extended by thirty days. The court shall notify the department of any suspension, revocation, or denial or any extension of a suspension, revocation, or denial imposed under this subsection.

(12) A court may waive the electronic home monitoring requirements of this chapter when:

(a) The offender does not have a dwelling, telephone service, or any other necessity to operate an electronic home monitoring system;

(b) The offender does not reside in the state of Washington; or

(c) The court determines that there is reason to believe that the offender would violate the conditions of the electronic home monitoring penalty.

Whenever the mandatory minimum term of electronic home monitoring is waived, the court shall state in writing the reason for granting the waiver and the facts upon which the waiver is based, and shall impose an alternative sentence with similar punitive consequences. The alternative sentence may include, but is not limited to, additional jail time, work crew, or work camp.

Whenever the combination of jail time and electronic home monitoring or alternative sentence would exceed three hundred sixty-four days, the offender shall serve the jail portion of the sentence first, and the electronic home monitoring or alternative portion of the sentence shall be reduced so that the combination does not exceed three hundred sixty-four days.

(13) An offender serving a sentence under this section, whether or not a mandatory minimum term has expired, may be granted an extraordinary medical placement by the jail administrator subject to the standards and limitations set forth in RCW 9.94A.728(3).

(14) For purposes of this section and RCW 46.61.502 and 46.61.504:

(a) A “prior offense” means any of the following:

(i) A conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or an equivalent local ordinance;

(ii) A conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.504 or an equivalent local ordinance;

(iii) A conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.520 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or a conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.520 committed in a reckless manner or with the disregard for the safety of others if the conviction is the result of a charge that was originally filed as a violation of RCW 46.61.520 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug;

(iv) A conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.522 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or a conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.522 committed in a reckless manner or with the disregard for the safety of others if the conviction is the result of a charge that was originally filed as a violation of RCW 46.61.522 committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug;

(v) A conviction for a violation of RCW 46.61.5249, 46.61.500, or 9A.36.050 or an equivalent local ordinance, if the conviction is the result of a charge that was originally filed as a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, or an equivalent local ordinance, or of RCW 46.61.520 or 46.61.522;

(vi) An out-of-state conviction for a violation that would have been a violation of (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v) of this subsection if committed in this state;

(vii) A deferred prosecution under chapter 10.05 RCW granted in a prosecution for a violation of RCW 46.61.502, 46.61.504, or an equivalent local ordinance; or

(viii) A deferred prosecution under chapter 10.05 RCW granted in a prosecution for a violation of RCW 46.61.5249, or an equivalent local ordinance, if the charge under which the deferred prosecution was granted was originally filed as a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, or an equivalent local ordinance, or of RCW 46.61.520 or 46.61.522;

If a deferred prosecution is revoked based on a subsequent conviction for an offense listed in this subsection (14)(a), the subsequent conviction shall not be treated as a prior offense of the revoked deferred prosecution for the purposes of sentencing;

(b) “Within seven years” means that the arrest for a prior offense occurred within seven years before or after the arrest for the current offense; and

(c) “Within ten years” means that the arrest for a prior offense occurred within ten years before or after the arrest for the current offense.