Opinion ID: 2093647
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Heading: Whether the Use of the 4011A Intoxilyzer Is Sanctioned for Purposes of Testing Alcohol Concentration.

Text: Bruno also contends that the use of the 4011A Intoxilyzer for purposes of determining alcohol concentration is not sanctioned by law. This argument is premised on the contention that this device does not meet the minimum performance requirements established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. We find no merit in this contention. The statutory requirement for testing samples of breath for alcohol concentration is contained in Iowa Code section 321J.11 (1997). It provides that any peace officer, using devices and methods approved by the commissioner of public safety, may take a specimen of a person's breath ... for the purpose of determining the alcohol concentration. Iowa Code § 321J.11. In order to implement this statutory requirement, the department of public safety has promulgated the following regulation. Although any breath testing device that meets the minimum performance requirements established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or its successor is authorized by the commissioner to be employed or to be caused to be used to determine the alcohol concentration, the following devices are being used in Iowa at the time of the adoption of this rule and do meet those standards: a. Intoxilyzer Model 4011A CMI, Inc., Minturn, Colorado (the device at issue here); b. Mark IV Gas Chromatograph Intoximeters, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri; c. Mark IVA Gas Chromatograph Intoximeters, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri; d. Mark II Gas Chromatograph Intoximeters, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri; e. Breathalyzer Model 1000 Smith & Wesson Electronics Co., Eatontown, New Jersey. Iowa Admin. Code r. 661-7.2(3) (1997). We interpret the foregoing rule as verifying that each of the foregoing devices is approved for purposes of testing alcohol concentration in breath pursuant to section 321J.11. The reference to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards is only in regard to the department of public safety's authorization to use other units not specifically designated in the rule but which meet those standards. The rules of the commissioner also provide that all devices to be used must be certified to be in proper working order within a period of one year immediately preceding use. Iowa Admin. Code r. 661-7.2(1). The device employed for testing Bruno's alcohol concentration was certified to be in proper working order approximately forty-five days prior to the initiation of implied-consent procedures in Bruno's case. We find no merit in his contention that the 4011A device was not a lawfully approved means of testing for alcohol concentration.