Louisiana § RS 14:98.1 - Operating while impaired; first offense; penalties

§ RS 14:98.1. Operating while impaired; first offense; penalties

            A.(1) Except as modified by the provisions of Paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Subsection, on a conviction of a first offense violation of R.S. 14:98, the offender shall be fined not less than three hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, and shall be imprisoned for not less than ten days nor more than six months. Imposition or execution of sentence under this Paragraph shall not be suspended unless the offender is placed on probation with the minimum conditions that he complete all of the following:

            (a) Serve forty-eight hours in jail, which shall not be suspended, or in lieu thereof, perform no less than thirty-two hours of court-approved community service activities, at least half of which shall consist of participation in a litter abatement or collection program.

            (b) Participate in a court-approved substance abuse program, which may include an assessment by a licensed clinician to determine if the offender has a diagnosis of substance abuse disorder. Nothing herein shall prohibit the court from modifying the portions of the program as may be applicable and appropriate to an individual offender as shown by the assessment.

            (c) Participate in a court-approved driver improvement program.

            (d) Except as provided by Subparagraph (3)(c) of this Subsection, the court shall order that the offender not operate a motor vehicle during the period of probation, for no less than six months, unless any vehicle, while being operated by the offender, is equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device in compliance with the requirements of R.S. 14:98.5(C) and R.S. 32:378.2.

            (2)(a) If the offender had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent or more but less than 0.20 percent by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, at least forty-eight hours of the sentence imposed pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, and is to be served in addition to any sentence of imprisonment imposed pursuant to Subparagraph (1)(a) of this Subsection, provided that the total period of imprisonment upon conviction of the offense, including imprisonment for default in payment of a fine or costs, shall not exceed six months.

            (b) In addition to any penalties imposed under this Section and except as provided in R.S. 32:414(A)(1)(d) or 667(H)(1)(b), upon conviction of a first offense, if the offender had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, the driver's license of the offender shall be suspended for two years.

            (3)(a) If the offender had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, the offender shall be fined not less than seven hundred fifty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars and at least forty-eight hours of the sentence imposed pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, and is to be served in addition to any sentence of imprisonment imposed pursuant to Subparagraph (1)(a) of this Subsection, provided that the total period of imprisonment upon conviction of the offense, including imprisonment for default in payment of a fine or costs, shall not exceed six months.

            (b) In addition to any penalties imposed under this Section and except as provided in R.S. 32:414(A)(1)(d) or 667(H)(1)(b), upon conviction of a first offense, if the offender had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, the driver's license of the offender shall be suspended for two years.

            (c) The court shall require that the offender not operate a motor vehicle during the period of probation unless any vehicle, while being operated by the offender, is equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device in compliance with the requirements of R.S. 14:98.5(C) and R.S. 32:378.2. The ignition interlock device shall remain installed and operative on his vehicle during the period of suspension of his driver's license following the date of conviction.

            (4)(a) In addition to the penalties imposed pursuant to this Section, upon conviction of a first offense, the offender shall also be fined an additional twenty-five dollars.

            (b) Monies collected pursuant to this Paragraph shall be forwarded by the sheriff to the state treasurer within thirty days of collection.

            (c) After allocation to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund as provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the state treasurer shall deposit the collections into the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Fund as established in R.S. 40:2845.

            B. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a court from sentencing an offender to serve any portion of the sentence under home incarceration pursuant to R.S. 14:98.5, either in lieu of, or in addition to, a term of imprisonment if otherwise allowed under the provisions of Code of Criminal Procedure Article 894.2 and R.S. 14:98.5(B).

            C. An offender may apply for a restricted driver's license to be in effect during the entire period of suspension upon proof to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections that his motor vehicle has been equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device in compliance with the requirements of R.S. 32:378.2.

            Acts 1997, No. 1296, §2, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2014, No. 385, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2023, No. 409, §1; Acts 2024, 2^nd Ex. Sess., No. 9, §1, eff. July 1, 2024; Acts 2024, No. 662, §1; Acts 2025, No. 194, §1, eff. June 8, 2025.