Breath Alcohol

State Public Health Laboratory

The State Public Health Laboratory is responsible for providing scientific and technical oversight to our state’s operators, supervisors, training and technical instructors for the approximate 473 breath alcohol (BA) analyzers. These instruments are used to analyze the breath sample from an individual suspected of alcohol consumption.

The regulations cover the following:

• Determination of alcohol or drugs from a sample of blood, breath, urine or saliva.
• Approve satisfactory techniques.
• Evaluate and approve breath analyzer instruments used in our state.
• Approve equipment or methods to be considered valid.
• Establish standards to ascertain the qualifications and competence of individuals to conduct analyses.
• Issue permits to conduct analyses, which shall be subject to termination or revocation.
• Provide scientific and technical testimony and consultation for DWI cases.
• Responsible for conducting on-site inspections of the BA instruments throughout the State for acceptable levels of performance to assure that the instruments are operating within the established tolerances

Permit Types
There are three types of permits:

• Type 1 - laboratory persons who test for alcohol or drugs in blood, urine or saliva
• Type 2 - persons authorized to supervise the breath analyzer, perform preventative monthly maintenance not to exceed 35-days, train Type 3 operators and perform breath tests on specified evidential breath analyzer
• Type 3 -persons authorized to perform breath tests on an evidential breath analyzer

Our Authority
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was given the statutory authority to approve satisfactory techniques, devices, equipment, or methods to be considered valid pursuant to the provisions of sections 577.020 to 577.041 and shall establish standards to ascertain the qualifications and competence of individuals to conduct analyses and to issue permits which shall be subject to termination or revocation by the state health department. This authority has given rise to 19 CSR 25-30.011-.080, the Rules for the Determination of Blood Alcohol by Blood, Breath, Saliva, and Urine Analysis; and Determination for the Presence of Drugs in Blood and Urine.

To obtain a copy of the current Rules and Regulations, contact the Secretary of States office or http://www.sos.mo.gov/adrules/csr/current/19csr/19c25-30.pdf.