HOUSE BILL No. 6324

 

July 1, 2010, Introduced by Rep. Roberts and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 80176, 80177, and 80185 (MCL 324.80176,

 

324.80177, and 324.80185), sections 80176 and 80177 as amended by

 

2001 PA 12 and section 80185 as added by 1995 PA 58.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 80176. (1) A person shall not operate a vessel on the

 

waters of this state if either any of the following applies apply:

 

     (a) The person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor

 

or a controlled substance, or both.

 

     (b) The person has a blood alcohol content of 0.10 grams or

 

more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per

 

67 milliliters of urine.

 

     (c) The person has an alcohol content of 0.17 grams or more

 


per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67

 

milliliters of urine.

 

     (2) The owner of a vessel or a person in charge or in control

 

of a vessel shall not authorize or knowingly permit the vessel to

 

be operated on the waters of this state by a person who is under

 

the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance, or

 

both, or who has a blood alcohol content of 0.10 grams or more per

 

100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67

 

milliliters of urine.

 

     (3) A person shall not operate a vessel on the waters of this

 

state when, due to the consumption of an intoxicating liquor or a

 

controlled substance, or both, the person's ability to operate the

 

vessel is visibly impaired. If a person is charged with violating

 

subsection (1), a finding of guilty under this subsection may be

 

rendered.

 

     (4) A person who operates a vessel on the waters of this state

 

under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled

 

substance, or both, or with a blood alcohol content of 0.10 grams

 

or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or

 

per 67 milliliters of urine, and by the operation of that vessel

 

causes the death of another person is guilty of a felony,

 

punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years, or a fine of

 

not less than $2,500.00 or more than $10,000.00, or both.

 

     (5) A person who operates a vessel on the waters of this state

 

under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled

 

substance, or both, or with a blood alcohol content of 0.10 grams

 

or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or

 


per 67 milliliters of urine, and by the operation of that vessel

 

causes a serious impairment of a body function of another person is

 

guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5

 

years, or a fine of not less than $1,000.00 or more than $5,000.00,

 

or both. As used in this subsection, "serious impairment of a body

 

function" includes, but is not limited to, 1 or more of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Loss of a limb or use of a limb.

 

     (b) Loss of a hand, foot, finger, or thumb or use of a hand,

 

foot, finger, or thumb.

 

     (c) Loss of an eye or ear or use of an eye or ear.

 

     (d) Loss or substantial impairment of a bodily function.

 

     (e) Serious visible disfigurement.

 

     (f) A comatose state that lasts for more than 3 days.

 

     (g) Measurable brain damage or mental impairment.

 

     (h) A skull fracture or other serious bone fracture.

 

     (i) Subdural hemorrhage or subdural hematoma.

 

     Sec. 80177. (1) If a person is convicted of violating section

 

80176(1), the following apply:

 

     (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and (c),

 

the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by 1 or

 

more of the following:

 

     (i) Community service for not more than 45 days.

 

     (ii) Imprisonment for not more than 93 days, or if the person

 

is convicted of violating section 80176(1)(c), imprisonment for 180

 

days.

 

     (iii) A fine of not less than $100.00 or more than $500.00, or,

 


if the person is guilty of violating section 80176(1)(c), a fine of

 

not less than $200.00 or more than $700.00.

 

     (b) If the violation occurs within 7 years of a prior

 

conviction, the person shall be sentenced to both a fine of not

 

less than $200.00 or more than $1,000.00 and either of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Community service for not less than 10 days or more than 90

 

days, and may be imprisoned for not more than 1 year.

 

     (ii) Imprisonment for not less than 48 consecutive hours or

 

more than 1 year, and may be sentenced to community service for not

 

more than 90 days.

 

     (c) If the violation occurs within 10 years of 2 or more prior

 

convictions, the person is guilty of a felony and shall be

 

sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 1 year or more than 5

 

years, or a fine of not less than $500.00 or more than $5,000.00,

 

or both.

 

     (2) A term of imprisonment imposed under subdivision (b)(ii)

 

shall not be suspended. A person sentenced to perform service to

 

the community under this section shall not receive compensation and

 

shall reimburse the state or appropriate local unit of government

 

for the cost of supervision incurred by the state or local unit of

 

government as a result of the person's activities in that service.

 

     (3) In addition to the sanctions prescribed under subsection

 

(1) and section 80176(4) and (5), the court may, pursuant to the

 

code of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL 760.1 to 777.69, order

 

the person to pay the costs of the prosecution. The court shall

 

also impose sanctions under sections 80185 and 80186.

 


     (4) A person who is convicted of violating section 80176(2) is

 

guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more

 

than 93 days, or a fine of not less than $100.00 or more than

 

$500.00, or both.

 

     (5) As used in this section, "prior conviction" means a

 

conviction for a violation of any of the following:

 

     (a) Section 80176(1), (4), or (5).

 

     (b) Former section 171(1), (4), or (5) of the marine safety

 

act.

 

     (c) Former section 73 of the marine safety act.

 

     (d) A local ordinance substantially corresponding to section

 

80176(1) or former section 73 of the marine safety act.

 

     (e) A law of another state substantially corresponding to

 

section 80176(1), (4), or (5) or former section 73 of the marine

 

safety act.

 

     Sec. 80185. (1) Before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo

 

contendere under sections 80176 to 80179, or a local ordinance

 

substantially corresponding to section 80176(1), (2), or (3), the

 

court shall advise the accused of the maximum possible term of

 

imprisonment and the maximum possible fine that may be imposed for

 

the violation, and shall advise the defendant that the maximum

 

possible sanctions that may be imposed will be based upon the

 

boating record maintained by the secretary of state pursuant to

 

section 80130 or other evidence of a prior conviction as provided

 

in section 80179.

 

     (2) Before imposing sentence, other than court-ordered

 

operating sanctions, for a violation of section 80176(1), (3), (4),

 


or (5) or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to section

 

80176(1) or (3), the court shall order the person to undergo

 

screening and assessment by a person or agency designated by the

 

office of substance abuse services to determine whether the person

 

is likely to benefit from rehabilitative services, including

 

alcohol or drug education or treatment programs. As part of the

 

sentence, the court may order the person to participate in and

 

successfully complete 1 or more appropriate rehabilitative

 

programs. The person shall pay for the costs of the screening,

 

assessment, and rehabilitative services. However, if the person was

 

convicted under section 80176(1)(c) or has 1 or more prior

 

convictions, the court shall order the person to participate in and

 

successfully complete 1 or more appropriate rehabilitative programs

 

as part of the sentence, including, but not limited to, an alcohol

 

treatment program or a self-help program for a period of not less

 

than 1 year. The treatment plan shall be devised from an assessment

 

performed by an appropriately licensed alcohol assessor and

 

approved by the court. The person shall pay for the costs of the

 

screening, assessment, and rehabilitative services.