WICHITA — Kansas drivers can no longer be charged with a crime for refusing a field sobriety test under a new state law.
The Wichita Eagle reports that a change in state law that took effect Monday means police can’t ticket suspected drivers for not taking one.
But refusal to comply comes with a year-long license suspension. That is as long as the longest suspension for failing a breathalyzer or blood test.
Drivers who refuse to be tested can still be prosecuted for a DUI based on other evidence.
The decision to strike the law making it a separate violation comes amid court rulings on whether motorists driving on streets and highways give implied consent to sobriety tests.
