New Mexico § 66-5-68 - Disqualification

§ 66-5-68. Disqualification

A. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for at least thirty days if the federal motor carrier safety administration reports

to the division that the person poses an imminent hazard. B. The department shall disqualify a person who holds a commercial driver's license

or who is required to hold a commercial driver's license or commercial driver's instruction

permit from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period of not less than one year,

which shall run concurrently with any revocation or suspension action for the same

offense, if the person: (1) refuses to submit to a chemical test when requested pursuant to the provisions

of the Implied Consent Act; (2) is twenty-one years of age or more and submits to chemical testing pursuant to

the Implied Consent Act and the test results indicate an alcohol concentration of

eight one hundredths or more; (3) submits to chemical testing pursuant to the Implied Consent Act and the test results

indicate an alcohol concentration of four one hundredths or more if the person is

driving a commercial motor vehicle; (4) is less than twenty-one years of age and submits to chemical testing pursuant

to the Implied Consent Act and the test results indicate an alcohol concentration

of two one hundredths or more; or (5) is convicted of a violation of: (a) driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs

in violation of Section 66-8-102 NMSA 1978 , an ordinance of a municipality of this state or the law of another state; (b) leaving the scene of an accident involving a commercial motor vehicle driven by

the person in violation of Section 66-7-201 NMSA 1978 or an ordinance of a municipality of this state or the law of another state; (c) using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony; (d) driving a commercial motor vehicle after the driver's commercial driver's license,

non-domiciled commercial driver's license, commercial driver's instruction permit

or non-domiciled commercial driver's instruction permit is revoked, suspended, disqualified

or canceled for violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle; or (e) causing a fatality in the unlawful operation of a motor vehicle pursuant to Section 66-8-101 NMSA 1978 . C. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for a period of not less than three years if any of the violations specified in Subsection

B of this section occur while transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded. D. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for life if convicted of two or more violations of any of the offenses specified in

Subsection B of this section, or any combination of those offenses, arising from two

or more separate incidents, but the secretary may issue rules establishing guidelines,

including conditions, under which a disqualification for life under this subsection

may be reduced to a period of not less than ten years. This subsection applies only to those offenses committed after July 1, 1989. E. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for life if the person is convicted of using a motor vehicle in the commission of

any felony involving the manufacture, distribution or dispensing of a controlled substance

or involving an act or practice of severe forms of trafficking in persons, as defined

in federal law. F. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for a period of not less than sixty days if convicted of two serious traffic violations

or one hundred twenty days if convicted of three serious traffic violations, if the

violations were committed while driving a commercial motor vehicle, arising from separate

incidents occurring within a three-year period. G. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for a period of: (1) not less than one hundred eighty days nor more than two years if the person is

convicted of a first violation of an out-of-service order while transporting hazardous

materials required to be placarded pursuant to the federal Hazardous Materials Transportation

Act 1 or while operating a motor vehicle designed to transport more than fifteen passengers,

including the driver; (2) not more than one year if the person is convicted of a first violation of an out-of-service

order; or (3) not less than three years nor more than five years if, during any ten-year period,

the person is convicted of any subsequent violations of out-of-service orders, in

separate incidents, while transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded

pursuant to that act or while operating a motor vehicle designed to transport more

than fifteen passengers, including the driver. H. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for sixty days if: (1) the person has been convicted of two serious traffic violations in separate incidents

within a three-year period; and (2) the second conviction results in revocation, cancellation or suspension of the

person's commercial driver's license, non-domiciled commercial driver's license, commercial

driver's instruction permit or non-domiciled commercial driver's instruction permit

or noncommercial motor vehicle driving privileges for sixty days. I. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for one hundred twenty days, in addition to any other period of disqualification,

if: (1) the person has been convicted of more than two serious traffic violations within

a three-year period; and (2) the third or a subsequent conviction results in the revocation, cancellation or

suspension of the person's commercial driver's license, non-domiciled commercial driver's

license, commercial driver's instruction permit or non-domiciled commercial driver's

instruction permit or noncommercial motor vehicle driving privileges. J. When a person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle, any commercial

driver's license held by that person is invalidated without a separate proceeding

of any kind and the driver is not eligible to apply for a commercial driver's license

until the period of time for which the driver was disqualified has elapsed. K. The department shall disqualify a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle

for not less than: (1) sixty days if the person is convicted of a first violation of a railroad-highway

grade crossing violation; (2) one hundred twenty days if, during any three-year period, the person is convicted

of a second railroad-highway grade crossing violation in a separate incident; and (3) one year if, during any three-year period, the person is convicted of a third

or subsequent railroad-highway grade crossing violation in a separate incident. L. After disqualifying, suspending, revoking or canceling a commercial driver's license,

the department shall, within ten days, update its records to reflect that action. After disqualifying, suspending, revoking or canceling a non-domiciled commercial

driver's privileges, the department shall, within ten days, notify the licensing authority

of the state that issued the commercial driver's license. M. When disqualifying, suspending, revoking or canceling a commercial driver's license,

the department shall treat a conviction received in another state in the same manner

as if it was received in this state. N. The department shall post and enforce any disqualification sent by the federal

motor carrier safety administration to the department that indicates that a commercial

motor vehicle driver poses an imminent hazard. O. The federal transportation security administration of the department of homeland

security shall provide for an appeal of a disqualification for a commercial driver's

license hazardous materials endorsement on the basis of a background check, and the

department shall provide to a hazardous materials applicant a copy of the procedures

established by the transportation security administration, on request, at the time

of application. P. New Mexico shall conform to the federal transportation security administration

of the department of homeland security rules and shall “look back” or review a maximum

of seven years for a background check. 1

49 U.S.C.A. § 103 et seq.