Effective 28 Aug 2016

577.037. Chemical tests, results admitted into evidence, when, effect of. — 1. Upon the trial of any person for any criminal offense or violations of county or municipal ordinances, or in any license suspension or revocation proceeding pursuant to the provisions of chapter 302, arising out of acts alleged to have been committed by any person while operating a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, or acting as a flight crew member of any aircraft, while in an intoxicated condition or with an excessive blood alcohol content, the amount of alcohol in the person's blood at the time of the act, as shown by any chemical analysis of the person's blood, breath, saliva, or urine, is admissible in evidence and the provisions of subdivision (5) of section 491.060 shall not prevent the admissibility or introduction of such evidence if otherwise admissible.

2. If a chemical analysis of the defendant's breath, blood, saliva, or urine demonstrates there was eight-hundredths of one percent or more by weight of alcohol in the person's blood, this shall be prima facie evidence that the person was intoxicated at the time the specimen was taken. If a chemical analysis of the defendant's breath, blood, saliva, or urine demonstrates that there was less than eight-hundredths of one percent of alcohol in the defendant's blood, any charge alleging a criminal offense related to the operation of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft while in an intoxicated condition shall be dismissed with prejudice unless one or more of the following considerations cause the court to find a dismissal unwarranted:

(1) There is evidence that the chemical analysis is unreliable as evidence of the defendant's intoxication at the time of the alleged violation due to the lapse of time between the alleged violation and the obtaining of the specimen;

(2) There is evidence that the defendant was under the influence of a controlled substance, or drug, or a combination of either or both with or without alcohol; or

(3) There is substantial evidence of intoxication from physical observations of witnesses or admissions of the defendant.

3. Percent by weight of alcohol in the blood shall be based upon grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood or grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath.

4. The foregoing provisions of this section shall not be construed as limiting the introduction of any other competent evidence bearing upon the question of whether the person was intoxicated.

5. A chemical analysis of a person's breath, blood, saliva or urine, in order to give rise to the presumption or to have the effect provided for in subsection 2 of this section, shall have been performed as provided in sections 577.020 to 577.041 and in accordance with methods and standards approved by the state department of health and senior services.

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(L. 1982 S.B. 513, A.L. 1983 S.B. 318 & 135, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1242 Revision, A.L. 1993 S.B. 167 merged with S.B. 180, A.L. 1996 H.B. 1169 & 1271 merged with S.B. 722, A.L. 2001 H.B. 302 & 38, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1371, A.L. 2016 H.B. 2332)

Effective 1-01-17