A bipartisan plan from state Rep. Brian BeGole that works to keep Michigan’s roadways safer was advanced today by the Michigan House.

BeGole’s legislation, House Bill 4390, allows oral fluid screening as a means for law enforcement to determine if people have controlled substances in their body and are operating a vehicle while impaired. A total of 32 states use oral fluid screening to detect impaired drivers, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that Michigan adopt this testing method to address a significant, nationwide public safety issue.

“I’m pleased the House came together in bipartisan fashion to improve road safety, reduce serious injuries and save lives by advancing these bills,” said BeGole, of Antrim Township. “This testing capability is non-invasive, simple and reliable. It will help law enforcement when they have probable cause to conduct a stop and as they are working to protect the public.”

Oral fluid collection provides results for common drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, THC, and opioids and shows recency of drug use as opposed to historical use. Updates in the technology behind the collection devices will also soon let law enforcement detect for fentanyl.

Oral fluid screening occurs at the tail-end of an impaired driving investigation following the administration of field sobriety tests and preliminary breath testing to see if there is probable cause for a drug-impaired arrest. To take a test, a person places a sterile swab in their mouth and rubs it under their gums and tongue, as well as on the inside of their cheek. The test sample is then placed into a handheld screening machine that can perform an analysis within five minutes.

BeGole noted that of the 1,021 fatal crashes that occurred in Michigan in 2023, nearly 25 percent of all deaths were drug related.

“One life lost on our roads because someone was driving while impaired by drugs is too many,” BeGole said. “We should be embracing technology that gives law enforcement the tools they need to get impaired drivers off our roads.”

Several groups indicated their support for the plans when they were before the House Government Operations Committee, which BeGole chairs. These groups include the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association and the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. BeGole’s bill, HB 4390, and HB 4391 sponsored by state Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) now move to the Senate for consideration.