House Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to establish a new category of driving under the influence (DUI) offenses for both noncommercial and commercial drivers who have specific prohibited substances in their blood, excluding alcohol and marijuana. The bill amends the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) by replacing references to "other bodily substance" with "blood" and introduces defined thresholds for various substances, including amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. It also clarifies that individuals can be charged with DUI if they operate a vehicle with detectable amounts of these substances without a valid prescription. The amendments aim to enhance road safety by addressing the impact of drugs other than alcohol and marijuana on driving abilities.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing DUI laws, increasing penalties for repeat offenders and establishing mandatory participation in chemical dependency treatment programs. It sets minimum imprisonment terms for first-time and repeat offenders, with harsher penalties for those with multiple convictions, including felony charges for fourth and subsequent offenses. The legislation mandates that convicted individuals complete a chemical dependency assessment and may require attendance in education or treatment programs, depending on prior convictions. It also clarifies the definition of "conviction" for assessing repeat offenses and streamlines the criteria for determining prior convictions by deleting certain outdated language.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_1(1): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_1(2): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_1(3): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_1(4): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_1: 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(1): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(10): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(11): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(12): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(13): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(2): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(3): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(4): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(5): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(6): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(7): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(8): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2(9): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_2: 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(1): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(2): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(3): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(4): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(5): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(6): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(7): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3(8): 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011
HB0344_3: 23-2-535, 61-2-302, 61-5-212, 61-5-231, 61-8-805, 61-8-1001, 61-8-1002, 61-8-1007, 61-8-1008, 61-8-1009, 61-8-1011