Section 13376 Of Article 3. Suspension And Revocation By Department From California Vehicle Code >> Division 6. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.
13376
. (a) This section applies to the following certificates:
(1) Schoolbus.
(2) School pupil activity bus.
(3) Youth bus.
(4) General public paratransit vehicle.
(5) Vehicle used for the transportation of developmentally
disabled persons.
(b) (1) The department shall revoke a certificate listed in
subdivision (a) for three years if the certificate holder refuses to
submit to a test for, fails to comply with the testing requirements
for, or receives a positive test for a controlled substance, as
specified in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49
of the Code of Federal Regulations and Section 34520. However, the
department shall not revoke a certificate under this paragraph if the
certificate holder is in compliance with any rehabilitation or
return to duty program that is imposed by the employer that meets the
controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements set
forth in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49 of
the Code of Federal Regulations. The driver shall be allowed to
participate in a rehabilitation or return to duty program only once
within a three-year period. The employer or program shall report any
subsequent positive test result or drop from the program to the
department on a form approved by the department.
(2) If an applicant refuses to submit to a test for, fails to
comply with the testing requirements for, or receives a positive test
for a controlled substance, the department shall refuse the
application for a certificate listed in subdivision (a) for three
years from the date of the confirmed positive test result.
(3) The carrier that requested the test shall report the refusal,
failure to comply, or positive test result to the department not
later than five days after receiving notification of the test result
on a form approved by the department.
(4) The department shall maintain a record of any action taken for
a refusal, failure to comply, or positive test result in the driving
record of the applicant or certificate holder for three years from
the date of the refusal, failure to comply, or positive test result.
(c) (1) The department may temporarily suspend a schoolbus, school
pupil activity bus, youth bus, or general public paratransit driver
certificate, or temporarily withhold issuance of a certificate to an
applicant, if the holder or applicant is arrested for or charged with
any sex offense, as defined in Section 44010 of the Education Code.
(2) Upon receipt of a notice of temporary suspension, or of the
department's intent to withhold issuance, of a certificate, the
certificate holder or applicant may request a hearing within 10 days
of the effective date of the department's action.
(3) The department shall, upon request of the holder of, or
applicant for, a certificate, within 10 working days of the receipt
of the request, conduct a hearing on whether the public interest
requires suspension or withholding of the certificate pursuant to
paragraph (1).
(4) If the charge is dismissed or results in a finding of not
guilty, the department shall immediately terminate the suspension or
resume the application process, and shall expunge the suspension
action taken pursuant to this subdivision from the record of the
applicant or certificate holder.
(d) An applicant or holder of a certificate may reapply for a
certificate whenever a felony or misdemeanor conviction is reversed
or dismissed. A termination of probation and dismissal of charges
pursuant to Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code or a dismissal of
charges pursuant to Section 1203.4a of the Penal Code is not a
dismissal for purposes of this section.
(e) The determination of the facts pursuant to this section is a
civil matter which is independent of the determination of the person'
s guilt or innocence, has no collateral estoppel effect on a
subsequent criminal prosecution, and does not preclude the litigation
of the same or similar facts in a criminal proceeding.