§996.4. Dangerous substance stop order; effects; seizure of dangerous substances; duration of order; validity

A. A dangerous substance stop order issued by the secretary pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 40:996.3, shall remain in effect upon adoption of the rule and shall extend through the sixtieth day after final adjournment of the succeeding legislative session. Upon the sixtieth day after final adjournment of the succeeding regular legislative session, the dangerous substance stop order shall be null, void, and of no effect.

B. Upon the adoption of the rule declaring a substance a dangerous substance and the issuance of the dangerous substance stop order, any law enforcement officer may seize any products containing the dangerous substance that are in plain view.

C. Whenever a law enforcement officer, or an agent of the Louisiana Department of Health, has probable cause to believe that any dangerous substance is located within the territorial jurisdiction of such officer, the officer may make application pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Article 162 to a court of competent jurisdiction for a search warrant. The warrant shall be executed pursuant to the provisions of Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 163, 164, and 165. In lieu of a return on the warrant, the executing officer shall attach to the search warrant a copy of the receipt required to be provided to the person from whom any such property is seized pursuant to this Section.

D. Any product containing any quantity of the dangerous substance shall be deemed contraband drugs, which are subject to forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of Article I, Section (4)(D) of the Louisiana Constitution.

E. The law enforcement officer seizing any dangerous substance pursuant to Subsections B or C of this Section shall appraise the value of the property seized according to his best judgment at its usual and ordinary retail price and shall deliver to the person found in possession thereof, if any, a receipt showing the fact of seizure, the date of the seizure, the name of the person from whom the property is seized, the location of the seizure, the description of the property seized, and the appraised value of such property.

F. Property seized under this Section shall not be subject to sequestration or attachment but is deemed to be in the custody of the law enforcement agency making the seizure, subject only to the order of the court. The seized property shall be immediately returned to the owner upon expiration of the dangerous substance stop order unless the legislature has enacted a provision to designate the dangerous substance as a controlled dangerous substance. In the event the legislature provides for the dangerous substance to be designated as a controlled dangerous substance, the property seized shall be considered contraband and destroyed immediately by the seizing law enforcement agency unless the seizing law enforcement agency determines that the property will be needed as evidence in a civil or criminal proceeding. If the property is needed as evidence, the law enforcement agency shall place the seized property in a secure facility designated for the holding of evidence, pending further orders of the court.

G. The validity of a rule declaring a substance to be a dangerous substance and issuing a dangerous substance stop order may be determined in an action for declaratory judgment in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court. The Louisiana Department of Health shall be made a party to the action. An action for a declaratory judgment under this Subsection may be brought only by a person to whom such rule is applicable or who would be adversely affected by such rule and only on the grounds that the rule does not meet the criteria for adoption of a dangerous substance stop order as provided for in R.S. 40:996.3. The court shall declare the rule invalid if it finds that there is not sufficient evidence for the adoption of the dangerous substance stop order. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the dangerous substance stop order shall remain in effect until such declaratory judgment is rendered or until it expires as provided for in this Section. The provisions of R.S. 49:963 shall not apply to any action brought pursuant to this Subsection. The provisions of this Subsection are in addition to R.S. 49:963 and shall not limit any action pursuant to R.S. 49:963.

Acts 2012, No. 347, §1.