TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY

Initial Agency Notice

Title of Regulation: 18VAC125-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Psychology.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Andrew Byrnes.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: To amend 18VAC125-20-43 to allow an Employment Verification Form from a third party employer contracting to provide psychological services to a local school system.

Agency Plan for Disposition of Request: In accordance with Virginia law, the petition has been filed with the Registrar of Regulations for publication on May 14, 2018, with a request for comment to be received until June 13, 2018. The petition will also be posted for comment on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall at www.townhall.virginia.gov. At the next meeting after the comment period, which is scheduled for July 9, 2018, the board will consider the petition and any comment received to decide whether or not to initiate the rulemaking process.

Public Comment Deadline: June 13, 2018.

Agency Contact: Jaime Hoyle, Executive Director, Board of Psychology, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4406, or email jaime.hoyle@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R18-30; Filed April 13, 2018, 3:41 p.m.

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TITLE 24. TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES

COMMISSION ON THE VIRGINIA ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROGRAM

Initial Agency Notice

Title of Regulation: 24VAC35-60. Ignition Interlock Program Regulations.

Statutory Authority: § 18.2-270.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: David Hites.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: On April 15, 2018, citing § 2.2-4007 of the Code of Virginia, David Hites submitted the below petition to the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). The petition is in regard to the definition of "alcohol" in 24VAC35-60-20 as it relates to "alcohol specific" ignition interlock devices.

"Under § 2.2-4007 of the Code of Virginia, I David Hites submit the following petition to the Commission on VASAP: Suspend all future ignition interlock device installations in Virginia until a 100% ethanol specific device can be developed as is required by law. The current technology being used is NOT specific to ethanol as required by 24VAC35-60-70. The Commission on VASAP cannot allow electrochemical fuel cells to be used on breath alcohol ignition interlock devices as they are not specific to ethanol, but the problem is that the law requires only this technology which impedes development of newer (lawful) and better technology. I suggest that someone propose an amendment to the legislation allowing use of any technology that is specific to ethanol. Until then, all new installations must be suspended as they are ILLEGAL! The vendors cannot meet the terms of their contracts. They are subject to the paradox the law has created. At the March 2018 commission meeting, one interlock vendor, Alcolock, was under scrutiny for using a non-ethanol-specific device to which Alcohol Countermeasure Systems CEO Felix Comeaux admitted, as evidenced in the March 2018 commission quarterly meeting minutes, that his devices do detect other alcohols. Since it is now known and acknowledged that breath alcohol ignition interlock devices, due to the nature of their technology being an electrochemical fuel cell, can and do detect other substances to a degree that would cause an interlock user to fail a breath test, the vendors are not following Virginia law, which means the vendors are all in breach of contract with the state. Virginia law states: 24VAC35-60-20 "Alcohol" means ethyl alcohol, also called ethanol (C₂H₅OH). 24VAC35-60-70 "F. Except where otherwise required in this chapter, all ignition interlock devices shall meet the model specifications for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices as set forth in the most current model specifications published in the Federal Register by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and operate reliably over the range of motor vehicle environments or motor vehicle manufacturing standards. At a minimum, the following specifications shall be met: Paragraph 3. The ignition interlock device shall be alcohol specific, using an electrochemical fuel cell that reacts to and measures alcohol, minimizing positive results from other substances. Since alcohol is defined as ethanol and interlock devices must be ALCOHOL specific, that would mean that ignition interlocks must measure ethanol ONLY and no other substance, including other alcohols. Since vendors' contracts stipulate that they will obey all Virginia laws, they have all violated the above statutes and have therefore violated their contracts. I am requesting that all ignition interlock vendors be suspended from taking on new clients until an ethanol specific device is developed."

Agency Plan for Disposition of Request: The petitioner's request will be considered at the next meeting of the Commission on VASAP on June 8, 2018.

Public Comment Deadline: June 3, 2018.

Agency Contact: Richard Foy, Field Services Specialist, Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, 701 East Franklin Street, Suite 1110, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-5895, or email rfoy@vasap.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R18-31; Filed April 16, 2018, 1:52 p.m.