AB1546 - Vehicles: driving under the influence.

Amended IN Senate August 28, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1546 Introduced by Assembly Member Schultz (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Mark González and Wilson) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis and Petrie-Norris) January 05, 2026 An act to amend Sections 11836, 11837, 11837.1, and 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code, to amend Section 1861.025 of the Insurance Code, to amend Sections 191.5 and 1203.44 of the Penal Code, and to amend Sections 13350, 13352, 14601.2, 14601.3, 23103.5, 23546, 23550, 23550.5, 23572, 23575.3, 23577, 23580, 23597, 23598, 23655, and 23665 of, and to add Sections 23550.1 and 23552.1 to, and 23572 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1546, as amended, Schultz. Vehicles: driving under the influence. Under existing law, if a person is convicted of either driving under the influence (DUI) of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug or driving while having 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in the person’s blood within 10 years of 2 separate violations of specified DUI offenses, or any combination thereof, that resulted in convictions, that person has committed an offense punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 120 days nor more than one year and by a fine, as specified. This bill would, instead, make the above DUI conviction punishable as a wobbler by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 120 days nor more than one year and by a fine, as specified, or by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years and a fine, as specified. By increasing the punishment of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, if a person is convicted of DUI and the offense occurred within 10 years of 3 or more separate violations for driving under the influence that resulted in specified convictions, that person has committed an offense punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony, and the person shall have their privilege to drive revoked for a period of 4 years, as specified. felony. This bill would, instead, make the above DUI conviction punishable as a wobbler if the offense occurred within 10 years of 3 separate violations for driving under the influence that resulted in specified convictions, and punishable as a felony by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years and a fine, as specified, if the offense occurred within 10 years of 4 or more separate violations for driving under the influence that resulted in specified convictions. By increasing the punishment of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would revoke the person’s privilege to drive for a period of 4 years if the offense occurred within 10 years of 3 separate violations for driving under the influence that resulted in specified convictions, and for 5 years if the offense occurred within 10 years of 4 or more separate violations for driving under the influence that resulted in specified convictions. Existing law, until January 1, 2033, requires a person, upon a criminal conviction for driving under the influence with a prior conviction for DUI, to install a functioning, certified ignition interlock device (IID) for a specified period of time. Under existing law, if a person is convicted of DUI within 10 years of 3 or more specified prior DUI violations, the person is required to install the IID for a mandatory term of 36 months. This bill would require the person to install the IID for a mandatory term of 36 months if the conviction occurred within 10 years of 3 specified prior DUI violations. If the conviction occurred within 10 years of 4 or more specified prior DUI violations, the bill would require the person to install the IID for a mandatory term of 48 months. This bill would make conforming changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 23546, 23550, and 23550.5 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 1830 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1830 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 11836 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 11836. (a) The department shall have the sole authority to issue, deny, suspend, or revoke the license of a driving-under-the-influence program. As used in this chapter, “program” means any firm, partnership, association, corporation, local governmental entity, agency, or place that has been initially recommended by the county board of supervisors, subject to any limitation imposed pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d), and that is subsequently licensed by the department to provide alcohol or drug recovery services in that county to any of the following: (1) A person whose license to drive has been administratively suspended or revoked for, or who is convicted of, a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and admitted to a program pursuant to Section 13352, 13352.1, 23538, 23542, 23548, 23552, 23552.1, 23556, 23562, or 23568 of the Vehicle Code. (2) A person who is convicted of a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 655 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, or of Section 655.4 of that code, and admitted to the program pursuant to Section 668 of that code. (3) A person who has pled guilty or nolo contendere to a charge of a violation of Section 23103 of the Vehicle Code, under the conditions set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 23103.5 of the Vehicle Code, and who has been admitted to the program under subdivision (e) or (f) of Section 23103.5 of the Vehicle Code. (4) A person whose license has been suspended, revoked, or delayed due to a violation of Section 23140, and who has been admitted to a program under Article 2 (commencing with Section 23502) of Chapter 1 of Division 11.5 of the Vehicle Code. (b) If a firm, partnership, corporation, association, local government entity, agency, or place has, or is applying for, more than one license, the department shall treat each licensed program, or each program seeking licensure, as belonging to a separate firm, partnership, corporation, association, local government entity, agency, or place for the purposes of this chapter. (c) For purposes of providing recommendations to the department pursuant to subdivision (a), a county board of supervisors may limit its recommendations to those programs that provide services for persons convicted of a first driving-under-the-influence offense, or services to those persons convicted of a second or subsequent driving-under-the-influence offense, or both services. If a county board of supervisors fails to provide recommendations, the department shall determine the program or programs to be licensed in that county. (d) After determining a need, a county board of supervisors may also place one or more limitations on the services to be provided by a driving-under-the-influence program or the area the program may operate within the county, when it initially recommends a program to the department pursuant to subdivision (a). (1) For purposes of this subdivision, a board of supervisors may restrict a program for those convicted of a first driving-under-the-influence offense to providing only a three-month program, or may restrict a program to those convicted of a second or subsequent driving-under-the-influence offense to providing only an 18-month program, as a condition of its recommendation. (2) A board of supervisors may not place restrictions on a program that would violate a statute or regulation. (3) When recommending a program, if a board of supervisors fails to place any limitation on a program pursuant to this subdivision, the department may license that program to provide any driving-under-the-influence program services that are allowed by law within that county. (4) This subdivision is intended to apply only to the initial recommendation to the department for licensure of a program by the county. It is not intended to affect a license that has been previously issued by the department or the renewal of a license for a driving-under-the-influence program. In counties where a contract or other written agreement is currently in effect between the county and a licensed driving-under-the-influence program operating in that county, this subdivision is not intended to alter the terms of that relationship or the renewal of that relationship. (e) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and Section 11835, the department, without taking any further regulatory action, shall implement, interpret, or make specific this section for the purpose of alcohol or drug recovery services provided in virtual settings by means of all-county letters, plan letters, information notices, or similar instructions, until regulations are promulgated or amended in accordance with paragraph (2). (2) On or before January 1, 2026, the department shall promulgate regulations, in accordance with Section 11835, governing the provision of alcohol or drug recovery services pursuant to this section in virtual settings. SEC. 2. Section 11837 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 11837. (a) Pursuant to the provisions of law relating to suspension of a person’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle upon conviction for driving while under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and any drug, as set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 13352 of the Vehicle Code, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall restrict the driving privilege pursuant to Section 13352.5 of the Vehicle Code, if the person convicted of that offense participates for at least 18 months in a driving-under-the-influence program that is licensed pursuant to this chapter. (b) In determining whether to refer a person, who is ordered to participate in a program pursuant to Section 668 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, in a licensed alcohol and other drug education and counseling services program pursuant to Section 23538 of the Vehicle Code, or, pursuant to Section 23542, 23548, 23552, 23552.1, 23556, 23562, or 23568 of the Vehicle Code, in a licensed 18-month or 30-month program, the court may consider any relevant information about the person made available pursuant to a presentence investigation, that is permitted but not required under Section 23655 of the Vehicle Code, or other screening procedure. That information shall not be furnished, however, by any person who also provides services in a privately operated, licensed program or who has any direct interest in a privately operated, licensed program. In addition, the court shall obtain from the Department of Motor Vehicles a copy of the person’s driving record to determine whether the person is eligible to participate in a licensed 18-month or 30-month program pursuant to this chapter. When preparing a presentence report for the court, the probation department may consider the suitability of placing the defendant in a treatment program that includes the administration of nonscheduled nonaddicting medications to ameliorate an alcohol or controlled substance problem. If the probation department recommends that this type of program is a suitable option for the defendant, the defendant who would like the court to consider this option shall obtain from the defendant’s physician a prescription for the medication, and a finding that the treatment is medically suitable for the defendant, prior to consideration of this alternative by the court. (c) (1) The court shall, as a condition of probation pursuant to Section 23538 or 23556 of the Vehicle Code, refer a first offender whose concentration of alcohol in their blood was less than 0.20 percent, by weight, to participate for at least three months or longer, as ordered by the court, in a licensed program that consists of at least 30 hours of program activities, including those education, group counseling, and individual interview sessions described in this chapter. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in granting probation to a first offender described in this subdivision whose concentration of alcohol in the person’s blood was 0.20 percent or more, by weight, or the person refused to take a chemical test, the court shall order the person to participate, for at least nine months or longer, as ordered by the court, in a licensed program that consists of at least 60 hours of program activities, including those education, group counseling, and individual interview sessions described in this chapter. (d) (1) The State Department of Health Care Services may specify in regulations the activities required to be provided in the treatment of participants receiving nine months of licensed program services under Section 23538 or 23556 of the Vehicle Code. (2) Any program licensed pursuant to this chapter may provide treatment services to participants receiving at least six months of licensed program services under Section 23538 or 23556 of the Vehicle Code. (e) The court may, subject to Section 11837.2, and as a condition of probation, refer a person to a licensed program, even though the person’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle is restricted, suspended, or revoked. An 18-month program described in Section 23542 or 23562 of the Vehicle Code or a 30-month program described in Section 23548, 23552, 23552.1, or 23568 of the Vehicle Code may include treatment of family members and significant other persons related to the convicted person with the consent of those family members and others as described in this chapter, if there is no increase in the costs of the program to the convicted person. (f) The clerk of the court shall indicate the duration of the program in which the judge has ordered the person to participate in the abstract of the record of the court that is forwarded to the department. SEC. 3. Section 11837.1 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 11837.1. (a) In utilizing any program described in Section 11837, the court may require periodic reports concerning the performance of each person referred to and participating in a program. The program shall provide the court, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the person participating in a program with an immediate report of any failure of the person to comply with the program’s rules and policies. (b) If, at any time after entry into or whil [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]