§415.1. Economic and medical hardship appeal of driver's license suspension

A.(1) Except as provided in R.S. 32:378.2(A), 414, 415(B)(2), and Paragraph (3) of this Subsection, upon suspension, revocation, or cancellation of a person's driver's license for the first time only as provided for under R.S. 32:414 and 415, the person, after initial notice from the department, shall have the right to apply to the department for a restricted license. In the event that the department fails or refuses to issue the restricted license, the person shall have the right to file a petition for a restricted driver's license in the district court of the parish in which the applicant is domiciled. Such application or petition for a restricted license shall allege that revocation of his driving privileges will deprive him or his family of the necessities of life, will prevent him from earning a livelihood, or prevent him from obtaining proper medical treatment if disabled. The district court is vested with jurisdiction to set the matter for contradictory hearing in open court upon ten days written notice to the department, and thereupon to determine whether the allegations of hardship have merit. Upon determination by the department or the court that the lack of a license would deprive the person or his family of the necessities of life or prevent the licensee from obtaining proper medical treatment if disabled, the department may grant or the court may order that the person be granted, by the department, a restricted license to enable the person to continue to support his family or to obtain such medical treatment as provided for in this Section. The restrictions of said license shall be determined by the department or the court and shall include the following:

(a) Licensee shall be permitted to operate a motor vehicle only on such streets or watercraft on the waterways of the state as would enable him to earn his livelihood or for treatment of his debilitative condition as provided for in Subparagraph (e) of this Paragraph.

(b) Such operation is restricted to such times during which he is involved in earning a livelihood or for treatment of his debilitative condition as provided for in Subparagraph (e) of this Paragraph.

(c) During the period of suspension, licensee shall be responsible for applying to the court in the event that either earning his livelihood or treatment of his debilitative condition as provided for in Subparagraph (e) of this Paragraph necessitates a change in the original restrictions proposed by the department or the court.

(d) Any other restrictions that the court determines to be necessary and proper.

(e) If the licensee is disabled and such disability is a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of the licensee, such licensee shall be permitted to operate a motor vehicle only on such streets and at such times as would enable him to obtain medical treatment for his debilitative condition.

(f) In addition to any other restrictions determined necessary and proper by the department or the court, a license ordered issued and restricted under this Section must include the requirement of installation and maintenance of an ignition interlock device upon a motor vehicle to be used by the licensee during the course of the term of the restricted license, when the suspension of driving privileges arises from operating a vehicle under the influence of alcoholic beverages.

(2) Notwithstanding the restrictions contained in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, in any case in which the applicant for a restricted driver's license has had his driver's license suspended, revoked, or cancelled upon conviction or entry of plea of guilty and sentence thereupon, or the forfeiture of bail if the offense involved constituted operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating beverages, the court may additionally order that the applicant's restricted license include permission to operate a motor vehicle on such streets as would enable him to go to and from meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and to go to and from approved group therapy or special education courses for or about the disease of alcoholism, alcohol abuse or drug abuse, in a suitable public or private institution or program approved by the appropriate state authority; provided however, that the receipt of such a restricted license may be conditioned upon (1) a medical evaluation and a recommendation that the convicted person is pathologically addicted to alcohol and/or a habitual alcoholic or other drug offender and (2) on the condition that such convicted individual submit to medical treatment and/or medically approved group therapy or special education courses for or about the disease of alcoholism, alcohol abuse or drug abuse, in a suitable public or private institution or program approved by the appropriate state authority; and the provisions of this Paragraph shall apply only to persons never previously convicted of operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating beverages.

(3) Any person whose driver's license is suspended, revoked, or cancelled for a first or subsequent violation of R.S. 32:415 may apply to the department or petition the district court for a restricted license as provided for in this Section if the original suspension, revocation, or cancellation of the driver's license resulted from a violation of R.S. 32:57.1.

B. A copy of the order shall be sent to the department along with a copy of the conviction notice. A copy of the order containing the restrictions shall be attached to the license of the person convicted and must be in possession of the person whenever he is operating a motor vehicle or watercraft. A restricted license shall be issued by the department and designated by a large red R printed on the face of the license. The term of the restrictions shall be the same as the term of the original suspension, cancellation, or revocation.

C. A violation of the restrictions or a subsequent conviction of any offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle or watercraft during the term of the restricted license shall result in the extension of the period of suspension, revocation, or cancellation for one year from the date upon which the licensee would otherwise have been able to apply for new license and shall also constitute contempt of court. Suspension, revocation, or cancellation that results from such a violation shall not be subject to appeal as set forth in this Section. Except as provided in R.S. 32:378.2(B), restricted driving privileges for this Section may be allowed to a person only once.

D. The provisions of this Section shall apply to Class "D" and Class "E" licenses.

Added by Acts 1976, No. 618, §2. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 243, §1, eff. July 7, 1977; Acts 1982, No. 822, §2; Acts 1991, No. 936, §1, eff. July 24, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 516, §1; Acts 2001, No. 398, §1; Acts 2004, No. 905, §1; Acts 2007, No. 413, §1; Acts 2009, No. 513, §1; Acts 2011, No. 35, §1; Acts 2013, No. 213, §1.