DWI Legislation Among New Laws Passed in Louisiana

Louisiana lawmakers passed a number of laws in the 2012 legislative session that address drunk driving. Following are some of the new laws that target DWIs:

• SB 306 (ACT 547): Addressed the computation of time for the 10-year cleansing period for DWI offenses. The goal of the bill was to have probation and parole treated similarly. This bill retains present law and adds that the 10-year period will not include the time in which the defendant is on parole.
• SB 488 (ACT 470): Clarifies that existing law requiring a 45-day “hard suspension” of a driver’s license applies to all second offense DWI’s.
• HB 781 (ACT 592): Provides relative to the administration of multiple chemical tests for suspected drunken drivers and persons under arrest for offenses involving the operation of a vehicle while intoxicated.

Other vehicle laws addressed proof of insurance, including:

• HB 1053 (ACT 512): Repeals the 2010 law prohibiting the impoundment of motor vehicles when the driver cannot produce proof of compulsory liability security.
• HB 1130 (ACT 824): Provides for electronic display of proof of insurance by the driver of a vehicle.