Section 1 amends the ignition interlock program. Last year, the program was expanded to authorize participation by certain criminal vehicular operation (CVO) offenders (those cases involving bodily harm, substantial bodily harm, and great bodily harm).  This section clarifies that, within the ignition interlock program, conditional driver’s license reinstatement is available to CVO participants with fewer than two qualified prior impaired driving incidents within the past ten years, or fewer than three ever.  A limited license is available within the program to CVO participants with two or more qualified prior impaired driving incidents within the past ten years or three or more ever.

Sections 2 to 6 amend the applicability clause of the CVO/ignition interlock effective date provisions that were enacted last year. Currently, the effective date for allowing the CVO offenders into the program is July 1, 2014, for crimes committed on or after that date.  However, the legislature’s intent was not to limit the program to persons committing new CVOs after July 1, 2014, but rather to apply also to offenders who currently are suspended/revoked for older CVOs and who would be otherwise eligible.

KPB/tg