(a) The commissioner shall appoint an impaired driving task force to develop recommendations for best practices, protocols, proposed legislation, and other policies that will address the issue of impaired driving, including driving under the influence of cannabis and controlled substances. The task force shall also examine the use of technology, including field testing technologies and validated field sobriety tests, to identify drivers under the influence of prescription drugs, cannabis, and controlled substances. The task force shall include, but is not limited to, the commissioner, who shall serve as chairperson, and at least one member from each of the following:

(1) The Office of Traffic Safety.

(2) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

(3) Local law enforcement.

(4) District attorneys.

(5) Public defenders.

(6) California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors.

(7) California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.

(8) The California Cannabis Research Program, known as the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, authorized pursuant to Section 11362.9 of the Health and Safety Code.

(9) An organization that represents medicinal cannabis patients.

(10) Licensed physicians with expertise in substance abuse disorder treatment.

(11) Researchers with expertise in identifying impairment caused by prescription medications and controlled substances.

(12) Nongovernmental organizations committed to social justice issues.

(13) A nongovernmental organization that focuses on improving roadway safety.

(b) The members of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner and without compensation.

(c) The task force members shall be free of economic relationships with any company that profits from the sale of technologies or equipment that is intended to identify impairment. Members and their organizations shall not receive pay from, grants from, or any form of financial support from companies or entities that sell such technologies or equipment.

(d) The task force shall make recommendations regarding prevention of impaired driving, means of identifying impaired driving, and responses to impaired driving that reduce reoccurrence, including, but not limited to, evidence-based approaches that do not rely on incarceration.

(e) The task force shall make recommendations regarding how to best capture data to evaluate the impact that cannabis legalization is having on roadway safety.

(f) By January 1, 2021, the task force shall report to the Legislature its policy recommendations and the steps state agencies are taking regarding impaired driving. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 27, Sec. 173. (SB 94) Effective June 27, 2017.)