Section 10. Definitions

Part I. General Provisions

The terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context indicates otherwise.

"ASAP" means Alcohol Safety Action Program formed by political subdivisions or by the commission as a criminal justice program that uses community and state services to address the problem of driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. ASAPs receive referrals from local courts or the commission. ASAPs deliver intervention services within locally-administered programs to specific municipal jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to §§ 18.2-271.1 and 18.2-271.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"ASAP components" means the separation of actions into specifically defined areas which the VASAP system uses to offset and deter the actions of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and potential DUI offenders. They comprise a systemic approach to educate the general public, reduce the incidence of impaired driving and to prevent drunk driving. There are five specific components defined and utilized by the VASAP system.

"ASAP Regional Council" means one of the three geographical areas of the Commonwealth of Virginia in which the ASAPs have been organized (Colonial, Blue Ridge, and Battlefield ASAP Councils).

"BAC" means blood alcohol concentration, which is determined by law-enforcement or other licensed personnel in accordance with procedures established in § 18.2-268.

"Budget" means a written financial plan for expenditures of a program or accounting entity for a given period.

"Certification" means the process whereby the commission evaluates an ASAP for its organization, management, fiscal standing, and overall operation. Certification also includes on the ASAP's ability to receive referrals from courts of persons convicted of DUI.

"Classification" means a process involving the assessment of an offender's personal involvement with alcohol or other drugs which results in referral to an appropriate intervention service (education or treatment).

"Commission" means the state agency established as the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. It is composed of two members from the House Committee for Courts of Justice, two members from the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, two sitting or retired district court judges who regularly hear or heard cases involving DUI and who are familiar with local ASAPs, two directors of ASAPs, one representatives from the law-enforcement profession, one citizen at large, one representative from the Department of Motor Vehicles and one representative from the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services.

The commission establishes and certifies ASAPs and requires them to be operated in accordance with commission standards and § 18.2-271.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Deficit" means that the ASAP, in order to conduct its program, expects to or projects that it will expend more funds than it will receive from offenders or other sources in a fiscal year. Deficit means an excess of expenditures over revenue.

"Director of ASAP" means the person who is in charge of and accountable for the operation of an ASAP. The ASAP director reports to the ASAP policy board.

"DMV" means the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

"DUI" means operating or driving a motor vehicle or boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs (§§ 18.2-266, 29.1-738 and 46.2-341.24 of the Code of Virginia.)

"Education" means commission-approved classes provided to some offenders following classification. This intervention service may include alcoholic or drug education, young offenders education, and intensive education.

"Enrollment" means the process by which the offender reports to the ASAP, obtains an intake appointment, arranges to pay the ASAP fee, and signs an enrollment agreement as provided in §§ 18.2-266 through 18.2-273 of the Code of Virginia.

"Executive director" means the executive director of the commission. This person is appointed by the commission and carries out the purposes of §§ 18.2-271.1 and 18.2-271.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Finance committee" means a fiscal review committee composed of the executive director, two committee members, and such other persons as the commission designates.

"Intervention services" means direct service activities to offenders entering a program which provides direct services. Such activities include assessment services, crisis intervention, case management services and exit activities.

"Joint exercise of powers" means the process by which ASAPs can be organized as provided in §§ 15.1-20 and 15.1-21 of the Code of Virginia.

"Policy board" means a group established by the ASAP which controls and gives direction to the ASAP's activities and provides input of local needs. This board may also be established in accordance with §§ 18.2-271.1 and 18.2-271.2 of the Code of Virginia by the commission.

"Program fiscal agent" means a unit of local government or a combination of units of local government which possess the legal authority to receive funds and to transact business throughout its jurisdiction, and the administrative capability to perform these services for an ASAP.

"Regular board meeting" means those meetings of the policy board which are held quarterly. These meetings shall be open to the public.

"Treatment" means intervention services provided to offenders subsequent to a recommendation for referral by an ASAP to outpatient, inpatient or residential service treatment and provided by a certified agent or licensed program.

"VASAPDA" means the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Directors' Association, a group composed of the directors of the various ASAPs established and operating in the Commonwealth.

"VASAP" means the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, a probation intervention system providing services to offenders referred to the program by the courts. VASAP consists of the Commission on VASAP, the Advisory Board to the Commission on VASAP, local ASAP policy boards and local Alcohol Safety Action Programs established in §§ 18.2-271.1 and 18.2-271.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"VMIS" means VASAP Management Information System, and automated management information system; a computer network which provides offender profiles to the ASAPs and mechanism for the transfer of cases and information between the ASAPs and the VASAP office.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR647-01-02 § 1.1, eff. September 13, 1989; amended, Volume 07, Issue 09, eff. February 28, 1991.

Statutory Authority

§§ 18.2-271.1 and 18.2-271.2 of the Code of Virginia.