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Proposed Bill Cracks Down On Drugged Driving
By: Associated Press
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A bill passed by the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee would take the licenses of drivers who refuse a blood test after an arrest.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin proposed the change to try to crack down on drugged driving in the state. Currently drivers can lose their licenses for refusing a breath test after being arrested, but breath tests are useless for detecting drugs. State police say they need to use blood tests to prosecute drugged drivers.
The bill passed on a split voice vote Tuesday after contentious debate.
Opponents of the bill said a blood test is a much more invasive search than a breath test. They were also concerned that the legislation does not set specific guidelines for what levels of drugs in the blood are considered intoxicating.