§ 5-65-205 - Refusal to submit.
5-65-205. Refusal to submit.
(a) (1) If a person under arrest refuses upon the request of a law enforcement officer to submit to a chemical test designated by the law enforcement agency, as provided in 5-65-202, no chemical test shall be given, and the person's motor vehicle operator's license shall be seized by the law enforcement officer, and the law enforcement officer shall immediately deliver to the person from whom the motor vehicle operator's license was seized a temporary driving permit, as provided by 5-65-402.
(2) Refusal to submit to a chemical test under this subsection is a strict liability offense and is a violation pursuant to 5-1-108.
(b) The Office of Driver Services shall then proceed to suspend or revoke the driving privilege of the arrested person, as provided in 5-65-402. The suspension shall be as follows:
(1) (A) (i) Suspension for one hundred eighty (180) days for the first offense of refusing to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol or controlled substance content of the person's blood or breath.
(ii) (a) However, if the office allows the issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license under 5-65-118, the ignition interlock restricted license shall be available immediately.
(b) The ignition interlock restricted license provision of 5-65-118 does not apply to the suspension under subdivision (b)(1)(A)(i) of this section if the person is arrested for an offense of operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated by the ingestion of or by the use of a controlled substance.
(iii) The restricted driving permit provision of 5-65-120 does not apply to this suspension.
(B) The office, in addition to any other penalty, shall deny to that person the issuance of an operator's license until that person has been issued an ignition interlock restricted license for a period of six (6) months;
(2) Suspension for two (2) years, during which no restricted permit may be issued, for a second offense of refusing to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine for the purposes of determining the alcohol or controlled substance content of the person's blood or breath within five (5) years of the first offense;
(3) Revocation for three (3) years, during which no restricted permit may be issued, for the third offense of refusing to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol or controlled substance content of the person's blood within five (5) years of the first offense; and
(4) Lifetime revocation, during which no restricted permit may be issued, for the fourth or subsequent offense of refusing to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol or controlled substance content of the person's blood or breath within five (5) years of the first offense.
(c) [Repealed.]
(d) In order to determine the number of previous offenses to consider when suspending or revoking the arrested person's driving privileges, the office shall consider as a previous offense any of the following that occurred within the five (5) years immediately before the current offense:
(1) Any conviction for an offense of refusing to submit to a chemical test; and
(2) Any suspension or revocation of driving privileges for an arrest for refusing to submit to a chemical test when the person was not subsequently acquitted of the criminal charge.
(e) In addition to any other penalty provided for in this section:
(1) If the person is a resident without a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle in this state, the office shall deny to that person the issuance of a license or permit for a period of six (6) months for a first offense; and
(2) For a second or subsequent offense by a resident without a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle, the office shall deny to that person the issuance of a license or permit for a period of one (1) year.