61-8-409. Preliminary alcohol screening test. - Montana Statutes

     61-8-409. Preliminary alcohol screening test. (1) A person who operates or is in actual physical control of a vehicle upon ways of this state open to the public is considered to have given consent to a preliminary alcohol screening test of the person's breath, for the purpose of estimating the person's alcohol concentration, upon the request of a peace officer who has a particularized suspicion that the person was driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle upon ways of this state open to the public while under the influence of alcohol or in violation of 61-8-410.
     (2) The person's obligation to submit to a test under 61-8-402 is not satisfied by the person submitting to a preliminary alcohol screening test pursuant to this section.
     (3) The peace officer shall inform the person of the right to refuse the test and that the refusal to submit to the preliminary alcohol screening test will result in the suspension for up to 1 year of that person's driver's license.
     (4) If the person refuses to submit to a test under this section, a test will not be given. However, the refusal is sufficient cause to suspend the person's driver's license as provided in 61-8-402.
     (5) A hearing as provided for in 61-8-403 must be available. The issues in the hearing must be limited to determining whether a peace officer had a particularized suspicion that the person was driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle upon ways of this state open to the public while under the influence of alcohol or in violation of 61-8-410 and whether the person refused to submit to the test.
     (6) The provisions of 61-8-402(3) through (8) that do not conflict with this section are applicable to refusals under this section. If a person refuses a test requested under 61-8-402 and this section for the same incident, the department may not consider each a separate refusal for purposes of suspension under 61-8-402.
     (7) A test may not be conducted or requested under this section unless both the peace officer and the instrument used to conduct the preliminary alcohol screening test have been certified by the department pursuant to rules adopted under the authority of 61-8-405(5).

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 447, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 88, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 556, L. 2003.