• 14-261b. Drug testing of operators of commercial vehicles operating in intrastate commerce.
• 14-276a. Regulations re school bus operators and operators of student transportation vehicles; qualifications; training. Preemployment drug test required for operators.

Drug testing in certain motor vehicle occupations

14-1. Definitions.

(a) Terms used in this chapter shall be construed as follows, unless another construction is clearly apparent from the language or context in which the term is used or unless the construction is inconsistent with the manifest intention of the General Assembly:

(11) "Commercial motor vehicle" means a vehicle designed or used to transport passengers or property, except a vehicle used within one hundred fifty miles of a farm in connection with the operation of such farm, fire fighting apparatus or other authorized emergency vehicles, or a recreational vehicle in private use, which (A) has a gross vehicle weight rating of twenty-six thousand and one pounds or more; (B) is designed to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver, or is designed to transport more than ten passengers, including the driver, and is used to transport students under the age of twenty-one years to and from school; or (C) is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations Title 49, Part 172, Subpart F, as amended;

14-212. Definitions.

Terms used in this chapter shall be construed as follows, unless another construction is clearly apparent from the language or context in which the term is used or unless the construction is inconsistent with the manifest intention of the general assembly:

(1) The following terms shall be construed as they are defined in section 14-1: "Authorized emergency vehicle", "commissioner", "driver", "fuels", "gross weight", "head lamp", "high-mileage vehicle", "highway", "light weight", "limited access highway", "maintenance vehicle", "motor bus", "motorcycle", "motor vehicle registration", "nonresident", "nonskid device", "number plate", "officer", "operator", "owner", "passenger motor vehicle", "passenger and commercial motor vehicle", "person", "pneumatic tires", "pole trailer", "registration", "registration number", "second offense", "semitrailer", "shoulder", "solid tires", "stop", "subsequent offense", "tail lamp", "tractor", "tractor-trailer unit", "trailer", "truck" and "vanpool vehicle";

(2) "Carrier" means

(A) any local or regional school district, any educational institution providing elementary or secondary education or any person, firm or corporation under contract to such district or institution engaged in the business of transporting school children;

(B) any person, firm or corporation providing transportation for compensation exclusively to persons under the age of twenty-one years; or

(C) any corporation, institution or nonprofit organization providing transportation as an ancillary service primarily to persons under the age of eighteen years;

(3) "Curb" includes the boundary of the traveled portion of any highway, whether or not the boundary is marked by a curb stone;

the urinalysis is conducted as part of an employee assistance program sponsored or authorized by the employer in which the employee voluntarily participates. (4) "Intersection" means the area embraced within the prolongation of the lateral curb lines of two or more highways which join one another at an angle, whether or not one of the highways crosses the other;

(5) "Motor vehicle" includes all vehicles used on the public highways;

(6) "Parking area" means lots, areas or other accommodations for the parking of motor vehicles off the street or highway and open to public use with or without charge;

(7) "Rotary traffic island" means a physical barrier legally placed or constructed at an intersection to cause traffic to move in a circuitous course;

(8) "Student transportation vehicle" means any motor vehicle other than a registered school bus used by a carrier for the transportation of students, including children requiring special education; and

(9) "Vehicle" is synonymous with "motor vehicle".

14-261b. Drug testing of operators of commercial vehicles operating in intrastate commerce.

(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Driver" means an employee driver or a contract driver under contract for ninety days or more in a period of three hundred sixty-five days; and

(2) "Employer" means a person employing or contracting with a driver.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, (1) any person employing a driver of a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, operating in intrastate commerce in the state shall require such driver to submit to testing as provided by federal law pursuant to 49 USC 3102 and 49 CFR Parts 382 and 391, and (2) any person employing a driver of a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand and one pounds or more but not more than twenty-six thousand pounds, a mechanic who repairs or services such a vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, or a forklift operator may require such driver, mechanic or operator to submit to testing as provided by federal law pursuant to 49 USC 3102 and 49 CFR Parts 382 and 391.

(c) Any employer who fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of one thousand dollars which shall be imposed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles after notice and opportunity for a hearing pursuant to the provisions of chapter 54. The commissioner shall impose a civil penalty of two thousand five hundred dollars for any subsequent failure to comply by such employer.

14-276a. Regulations re school bus operators and operators of student transportation vehicles; qualifications; training. Preemployment drug test required for operators.

(a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 establishing a procedure for the physical examination and safety training of school bus operators and operators of student transportation vehicles. Such regulations shall provide for minimum physical requirements for such operators and for minimum proficiency requirements for school bus operators. The safety training administered by the commissioner shall conform to the minimum requirements of number 17 of the National Highway Safety Standards. Such safety training shall include instruction relative to the location, contents and use of the first aid kit in the motor vehicle.

(b) No person shall operate a school bus as defined in section 14-275 or a student transportation vehicle as defined in section 14-212, for the purpose of transporting school children unless such person has prior to the issuance or renewal of his license endorsement:

(1) Furnished evidence to the satisfaction of the commissioner that he meets the minimum physical requirements set by the commissioner for operation of a school bus or a student transportation vehicle;

(2) successfully completed a course in safety training administered by the commissioner and, in the case of school bus operators, passed an examination in proficiency in school bus operation given by the commissioner. Such proficiency examination shall include a road test administered in either a type I school bus having a gross vehicle weight exceeding ten thousand pounds or a type II school bus having a gross vehicle weight of ten thousand pounds or less. Any operator administered a road test in a type II school bus only shall not be eligible for a license to operate a type I school bus. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be deemed to have committed an infraction.

(c) Any town or regional school district may require its school bus operators to have completed a safety training course in the operation of school buses, consisting of a minimum of ten hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and three hours of classroom instruction.

(d) A carrier shall require each person whom it intends to employ to operate a school bus, as defined in section 14-275, or a student transportation vehicle, as defined in section 14-212, to submit to a urinalysis drug test in accordance with the provisions of sections 31-51v and 31-51w. No carrier may employ any person who has received a positive test result for such test which was confirmed as provided in subdivisions (2) and (3) of section 31-51u. The commissioner may, after notice and hearing, impose a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each offense on any carrier which violates any provision of this subsection.