Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-498.01 : Motor Vehicles — Motor Vehicle Operators' Licenses —Provisions Applicable to All Operators' Licenses —498.01 - Driving under influence of alcohol; operator's license; confiscation and revocation; application for ignition interlock permit or 24/7 sobriety program permit; procedures; appeal; restrictions relating to ignition interlock permit or 24/7 sobriety program permit; prohibited acts relating to ignition interlock devices or 24/7 sobriety program permits; additional revocation period

(1) Because persons who drive while under the influence of alcohol present a hazard to the health and safety of all persons using the highways, a procedure is needed for the swift and certain revocation of the operator's license of any person who has shown himself or herself to be a health and safety hazard (a) by driving with an excessive concentration of alcohol in his or her body or (b) by driving while under the influence of alcohol.

(2) If a person arrested as described in subsection (2) of section 60-6,197 refuses to submit to the chemical test of blood, breath, or urine required by section 60-6,197, the test shall not be given except as provided in section 60-6,210 for the purpose of medical treatment and the arresting peace officer, as agent for the director, shall verbally serve notice to the arrested person of the intention to immediately confiscate and revoke the operator's license of such person and that the revocation will be automatic fifteen days after the date of arrest. The arresting peace officer shall within ten days forward to the director a sworn report stating (a) that the person was arrested as described in subsection (2) of section 60-6,197 and the reasons for such arrest, (b) that the person was requested to submit to the required test, and (c) that the person refused to submit to the required test. The director may accept a sworn report submitted electronically.

(3) If a person arrested as described in subsection (2) of section 60-6,197 submits to the chemical test of blood or breath required by section 60-6,197, the test discloses the presence of alcohol in any of the concentrations specified in section 60-6,196, and the test results are available to the arresting peace officer while the arrested person is still in custody, the arresting peace officer, as agent for the director, shall verbally serve notice to the arrested person of the intention to immediately confiscate and revoke the operator's license of such person and that the revocation will be automatic fifteen days after the date of arrest. The arresting peace officer shall within ten days forward to the director a sworn report stating (a) that the person was arrested as described in subsection (2) of section 60-6,197 and the reasons for such arrest, (b) that the person was requested to submit to the required test, and (c) that the person submitted to a test, the type of test to which he or she submitted, and that such test revealed the presence of alcohol in a concentration specified in section 60-6,196. The director may accept a sworn report submitted electronically.

(4) On behalf of the director, the arresting peace officer submitting a sworn report under subsection (2) or (3) of this section shall serve notice of the revocation on the arrested person, and the revocation shall be effective fifteen days after the date of arrest. The notice of revocation shall contain a statement explaining the operation of the administrative license revocation procedure. The peace officer shall also provide to the arrested person information prepared and approved by the director describing how to request an administrative license revocation hearing or apply for an ignition interlock permit or a 24/7 sobriety program permit. A petition for an administrative license revocation hearing must be completed and delivered to the department or postmarked within ten days after the person's arrest or the person's right to an administrative license revocation hearing to contest the revocation will be foreclosed. The director shall prepare and approve the information form, the application for an ignition interlock permit, and the notice of revocation and shall provide them to law enforcement agencies.

If the person has an operator's license, the arresting peace officer shall take possession of the license and issue a temporary operator's license valid for fifteen days. The arresting peace officer shall forward the operator's license to the department along with the sworn report made under subsection (2) or (3) of this section.

(5)

(a) If the results of a chemical test indicate the presence of alcohol in a concentration specified in section 60-6,196, the results are not available to the arresting peace officer while the arrested person is in custody, and the notice of revocation has not been served as required by subsection (4) of this section, the peace officer shall forward to the director a sworn report containing the information prescribed by subsection (3) of this section within ten days after receipt of the results of the chemical test. If the sworn report is not received within ten days, the revocation shall not take effect. The director may accept a sworn report submitted electronically.

(b) Upon receipt of the report, the director shall serve the notice of revocation on the arrested person by mail to the address appearing on the records of the director. If the address on the director's records differs from the address on the arresting peace officer's report, the notice shall be sent to both addresses. The notice of revocation shall contain a statement explaining the operation of the administrative license revocation procedure. The director shall also provide to the arrested person information prepared and approved by the director describing how to request an administrative license revocation hearing and an application for an ignition interlock permit. A petition for an administrative license revocation hearing must be completed and delivered to the department or postmarked within ten days after the mailing of the notice of revocation or the person's right to an administrative license revocation hearing to contest the revocation will be foreclosed. The director shall prepare and approve the ignition interlock permit application and the notice of revocation. The revocation shall be effective fifteen days after the date of mailing.

(c) If the records of the director indicate that the arrested person possesses an operator's license, the director shall include with the notice of revocation a temporary operator's license which expires fifteen days after the date of mailing. Any arrested person who desires an administrative license revocation hearing and has been served a notice of revocation pursuant to this subsection shall return his or her operator's license with the petition requesting the hearing. If the operator's license is not included with the petition requesting the hearing, the director shall deny the petition.

(6)

(a) An arrested person's operator's license confiscated pursuant to subsection (4) of this section shall be automatically revoked upon the expiration of fifteen days after the date of arrest, and the petition requesting the hearing shall be completed and delivered to the department or postmarked within ten days after the person's arrest. An arrested person's operator's license confiscated pursuant to subsection (5) of this section shall be automatically revoked upon the expiration of fifteen days after the date of mailing of the notice of revocation by the director, and the arrested person shall postmark or return to the director a petition within ten days after the mailing of the notice of revocation if the arrested person desires an administrative license revocation hearing. The petition shall be in writing and shall state the grounds on which the person is relying to prevent the revocation from becoming effective. The hearing and any prehearing conference may be conducted in person or by telephone, television, or other electronic means at the discretion of the director, and all parties may participate by such means at the discretion of the director.

(b) The director shall conduct the hearing within twenty days after a petition is received by the director. Upon receipt of a petition, the director shall notify the petitioner of the date and location for the hearing by mail postmarked at least seven days prior to the hearing date. The filing of the petition shall not prevent the automatic revocation of the petitioner's operator's license at the expiration of the fifteen-day period. A continuance of the hearing to a date beyond the expiration of the temporary operator's license shall stay the expiration of the temporary license when the request for continuance is made by the director.

(c) At hearing the issues under dispute shall be limited to:

(i) In the case of a refusal to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine:

(A) Did the peace officer have probable cause to believe the person was operating or in the actual physical control of a motor vehicle in violation of section 60-6,196 or a city or village ordinance enacted in conformance with such section; and

(B) Did the person refuse to submit to or fail to complete a chemical test after being requested to do so by the peace officer; or

(ii) If the chemical test discloses the presence of alcohol in a concentration specified in section 60-6,196:

(B) Was the person operating or in the actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration in violation of subsection (1) of section 60-6,196.

(7)

(a) Any arrested person who submits an application for an ignition interlock permit in lieu of a petition for an administrative license revocation hearing regarding the revocation of his or her operator's license pursuant to this section shall complete the application for an ignition interlock permit in which such person acknowledges that he or she understands that he or she will have his or her license administratively revoked pursuant to this section, that he or she waives his or her right to a hearing to contest the revocation, and that he or she understands that he or she is required to have an ignition interlock permit in order to operate a motor vehicle for the period of the revocation and shall include sufficient evidence that an ignition interlock device is installed on one or more vehicles that will be operated by the arrested person. Upon the arrested person's completion of the ignition interlock permit application process, the department shall issue the person an ignition interlock permit, subject to any applicable requirements and any applicable no-drive period if the person is otherwise eligible.

(b) An arrested person who is issued an ignition interlock permit pursuant to this section or a 24/7 sobriety program permit under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act as a condition of bail shall receive day-for-day credit for the period he or she has a valid ignition interlock permit or valid 24/7 sobriety program permit against the license revocation period imposed by the court arising from the same incident.

(c) If a person files a completed application for an ignition interlock permit, the person waives his or her right to contest the revocation of his or her operator's license.

(d) A person subject to administrative license revocation under sections 60-498.01 to 60-498.04 shall be eligible for a 24/7 sobriety program permit.

(8) Any person who has not petitioned for an administrative license revocation hearing and is subject to an administrative license revocation may immediately apply for an ignition interlock permit or a 24/7 sobriety program permit under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act to use during the applicable period of revocation set forth in section 60-498.02, subject to the following additional restrictions:

(a) If such person submitted to a chemical test which disclosed the presence of a concentration of alcohol in violation of section 60-6,196 and has no prior administrative license revocations on which final orders have been issued during the immediately preceding fifteen-year period at the time the order of revocation is issued:

(i) The ignition interlock permit will be immediately available fifteen days after the date of arrest or the date notice of revocation was provided to the arrested person, as long as he or she is otherwise eligible for an ignition interlock permit, upon completion of an application process for an ignition interlock permit; or

(ii) If such person is enrolled in a 24/7 sobriety program under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act and has not violated any program conditions for drugs or alcohol after thirty consecutive days of testing, such person may apply for a 24/7 sobriety program permit as a condition of bail under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act. Such permit shall expire at the same time as the later of any administrative license revocation being served as determined by section 60-498.02;

(b) If such person submitted to a chemical test which disclosed the presence of a concentration of alcohol in violation of section 60-6,196 and has one or more prior administrative license revocations on which final orders have been issued during the immediately preceding fifteen-year period at the time the order of revocation is issued:

(i) The ignition interlock permit will be available beginning fifteen days after the date of arrest or the date notice of revocation was provided to the arrested person plus forty-five additional days of no driving, as long as he or she is otherwise eligible for an ignition interlock permit, upon completion of an application process for an ignition interlock permit; or

(ii) If such person is enrolled in the 24/7 sobriety program under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act and has not violated any program conditions for drugs or alcohol after thirty consecutive days of testing, such person may apply for a 24/7 sobriety program permit as a condition of bail under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act any time after the expiration of the forty-five day no driving period referred to in subdivision (8)(b)(i) of this section;

(c) If such person refused to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine as required by section 60-6,197:

(i) The ignition interlock permit will be available beginning fifteen days after the date of arrest plus ninety additional days of no driving, as long as he or she is otherwise eligible for an ignition interlock permit, upon completion of an application process for an ignition interlock permit; or

(ii) If such person is enrolled in the 24/7 sobriety program under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act and has not violated any program conditions for drugs or alcohol after thirty consecutive days of testing, the person may apply for a 24/7 sobriety program permit as a condition of bond under the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act any time after the expiration of the ninety-day no driving period referred to in subdivision (8)(c)(i) of this section. Such permit shall expire at the same time as the later of any administrative license revocation being served as determined by section 60-498.02; and

(d) Any person who petitions for an administrative license revocation hearing shall not be eligible for an ignition interlock permit or a 24/7 sobriety program permit unless ordered by the court at the time of sentencing for the related criminal proceeding.

(9) The director shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to govern the conduct of the administrative license revocation hearing and insure that the hearing will proceed in an orderly manner. The director may appoint a hearing officer to preside at the hearing, administer oaths, examine witnesses, take testimony, and report to the director. Any motion for discovery filed by the petitioner shall entitle the prosecutor to receive full statutory discovery from the petitioner upon a prosecutor's request to the relevant court pursuant to section 29-1912 in any criminal proceeding arising from the same arrest. A copy of the motion for discovery shall be filed with the department and a copy provided to the prosecutor in the jurisdiction in which the petitioner was arrested. Incomplete discovery shall not stay the hearing unless the petitioner requests a continuance. All proceedings before the hearing officer shall be recorded. Upon receipt of the arresting peace officer's sworn report, the director's order of revocation has prima facie validity and it becomes the petitioner's burden to establish by a preponderance of the evidence grounds upon which the operator's license revocation should not take effect. The director shall make a determination of the issue within seven days after the conclusion of the hearing. A person whose operator's license is revoked following a hearing requested pursuant to this section may appeal the order of revocation as provided in section 60-498.04.

(10) Any person who tampers with or circumvents an ignition interlock device installed pursuant to sections 60-498.01 to 60-498.04 or who operates a motor vehicle not equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device required pursuant to such sections or otherwise is in violation of the purposes for operation indicated on the ignition interlock permit under such sections shall, in addition to any possible criminal charges, have his or her revocation period and ignition interlock permit extended for six months beyond the end of the original revocation period.

(11) A person under the age of eighteen years who holds any license or permit issued under the Motor Vehicle Operator's License Act and has violated subdivision (3)(b) or (c) of section 28-306, subdivision (3)(b) or (c) of section 28-394, or section 28-1254, 60-6,196, 60-6,197, 60-6,197.06, or 60-6,198 shall not be eligible for an ignition interlock permit or a 24/7 sobriety program permit.

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-498.01

Laws 1972, LB 1095, § 5; R.S.Supp.,1972, § 39-727.16; Laws 1992, LB 872, § 4; Laws 1992, LB 291, § 9; R.S.Supp.,1992, § 39-669.15; Laws 1993, LB 370, § 300; Laws 1996, LB 939, § 3; Laws 1998, LB 309, § 15; Laws 2001, LB 38, § 51; R.S.Supp.,2002, § 60-6,205; Laws 2003, LB 209, § 4; Laws 2004, LB 208, § 5; Laws 2011, LB 667,§ 24; Laws 2012, LB 751,§ 20; Laws 2019, LB 269,§ 2; Laws 2021, LB 271,§ 9.

Amended by Laws 2021, LB 271,§ 9, eff. 8/28/2021, op. 7/1/2022.

Amended by Laws 2019, LB 269,§ 2, eff. 9/1/2019.