Among the other new laws are:

SB 207 (Scott) : Chapter 656 : Vehicles: driving-under-the-influence:
impoundment

Adds Vehicle Code section 14602.8.

(1). This bill authorize[s] a peace officer to immediately cause the
removal of a vehicle from a person who meets certain circumstances
relating to driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, or both (DUI), and who has been previously convicted
of DUI within the preceding 10 years. The bill would provide for a 5-day
impoundment of that vehicle if the person has been convicted of DUI once
within the preceding 10 years, and a 15-day impoundment if the person
has been convicted of DUI 2 or more times within the preceding 10 years,
subject to a hearing and certain exceptions.

The bill prescribe[s] procedures to be followed for the release of the
vehicle prior to the end of the impoundment period, including a
requirement that a legal owner who has obtained possession of the
impounded vehicle not relinquish the vehicle to the registered owner
until after the termination of the impoundment period and until after
the registered owner has presented a valid driver's license or valid
temporary driver's license to the legal owner. [A] violation of that
requirement and certain other requirements and restric-tions imposed by
the bill would be an infraction.


AB 571 (Levine) : Chapter 89 : Vehicles: DUI: blood-alcohol
concen-tration: level for sanctions lowered to 0.15%.

Amends Vehicle Code section 23578

When a person is convicted of violating specified
driving-under-the-influence (DUI) provisions, existing law requires a
court to consider a concentration of alcohol in a person's blood of
0.20% or more, by weight, or the refusal of the person to take a
chemical test, as a special factor that may justify enhancing the
penalties in sentencing.

This bill would decrease the required blood-alcohol concentration
(BAC) [before penalty-enhancement is considered] from 0.20% to 0.15%.


AB 979 (Sharon Runner) : Chapter 646 : Driving under the influence:
restricted drivers license.

Amends Vehicle Code sections 13352 and 14602.6.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of%2