People convicted of covered offenses involving alcohol may be assessed extra court costs, and certain courts must collect and use those funds for alcohol-related treatment programs and related expenses.
§1894.2. Additional costs; certain violations A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and in addition to any fines, forfeitures, costs, or penalties, a person convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor, or a violation of local ordinance, including a traffic felony, misdemeanor, or local traffic violation, shall be assessed an additional cost in any matter where the use of alcohol was a factor involved in the commission of a crime. Any court that designates by rule, divisions, or sections of the court as a specialized division or section having subject matter jurisdiction for alcohol related offenses including driving while intoxicated, shall assess the following costs: (1) One hundred dollars for a violation of R.S. 14:98 or 98.1, or of any municipal or parochial ordinance prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (2) One hundred dollars for a violation of R.S. 14:99, or of any municipal or parochial ordinance prohibiting the reckless operation of a motor vehicle. (3) Fifty dollars for a violation of R.S. 14:92, 93.11, 93.12, or 333, or of any municipal or parochial ordinance prohibiting the purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under the age of twenty-one years old. (4) Twenty-five dollars for a violation of R.S. 14:91.7, 103, or 107, or of any municipal or parochial ordinance prohibiting public drinking, public possession of alcohol, or appearing in an intoxicated condition in public. (5) Twenty-five dollars for a violation of R.S. 32:300, or of any municipal or parochial ordinance prohibiting the possession of open alcoholic beverage containers in vehicles. (6) Twenty-five dollars for all other convictions of a felony, misdemeanor, or violations of any municipal or parochial ordinance, including a traffic felony, misdemeanor, or a local traffic violation where the use of alcohol was a factor involved in the commission of the crime. B. Any court that has an alcohol, driving while intoxicated, or sobriety division may use the fines provided for in Subsection A of this Section for the development or maintenance of alcohol treatment programs that are recognized or certified by the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug Court Office, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. C. The court shall establish a fund to deposit all fees collected pursuant to this Section. The collected fines shall be used solely for the purposes of funding the approved alcohol, driving while intoxicated, or sobriety division and any related treatment programs and associated administrative expenses. In the event that an individual is unable to pay the cost when assessed, the court may allow payment to be deferred within a certain time frame, based on the person's ability to pay the costs. Acts 2014, No. 810, §1.