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2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 492
BY REPRESENTATIVES SPELL, BOUDREAUX, BOYER, DICKERSON, FISHER,
GLORIOSO, HORTON, LAFLEUR, LYONS, MARCELLE, MCMAKIN, VILLIO,
AND WALTERS
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Part IV-A of Chapter 2 of Title 49 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be
3 comprised of R.S. 49:219.1.1 through 219.1.4, relative to the Governor's Task Force
4 on Impaired Driving; to create the Governor's Task Force on Impaired Driving; to
5 provide for the policy and purpose; to provide for membership; to provide for
6 powers, duties, and procedures; to provide for assistance and cooperation of other
7 agencies relative to the task force; to provide for use of facilities relative to the task
8 force; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. Part IV-A of Chapter 2 of Title 49 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
11 1950, comprised of R.S. 49:219.1.1 through 219.1.4, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 PART IV-A. GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON IMPAIRED DRIVING
13 §219.1.1. Policy and purpose
14 A. It is the policy of this state to take every responsible action, explore all
15 opportunities, invite meaningful contributions, and utilize all available resources to
16 reduce impaired driving involving alcohol, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and
17 drugs, and to mitigate the resulting loss of life, serious injury, and harm to
18 individuals, families, and communities.
19 B. In view of the policy of this state, it is the purpose of this Part to establish
20 the Governor's Task Force on Impaired Driving as a coordinated, multidisciplinary
21 body positioned to motivate, advise, and coordinate the efforts of state, parish, and
22 local agencies, organizations, and stakeholders in addressing impaired driving
23 through data-driven analysis, effective countermeasures, and collaborative strategies
24 to improve public safety.
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1 §219.1.2. Governor's Task Force on Impaired Driving; establishment; membership;
2 selection; terms; compensation; organization; domicile; procedure
3 A. The Governor's Task Force on Impaired Driving is established as a body
4 corporate to operate within the office of the governor.
5 B.(1) The task force shall be composed of twenty-three members as follows:
6 (a) The attorney general or his designee.
7 (b) One member of the House of Representatives designated by the speaker
8 of the House of Representatives.
9 (c) One member of the Senate designated by the president of the Senate.
10 (d) The commissioner of the office of alcohol and tobacco control or his
11 designee.
12 (e) The commissioner of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
13 office of motor vehicles, or his designee.
14 (f) The executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
15 (g) The assistant secretary of the office of behavioral health of the Louisiana
16 Department of Health or his designee.
17 (h) A representative of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
18 office of state police, designated by the superintendent of the office of state police.
19 (i) The director of the office of drug policy within the office of the governor.
20 (j) A representative of the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory
21 designated by the commander of the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory.
22 (k) The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development or
23 his designee.
24 (l) The commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance or his
25 designee.
26 (m) A representative of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association
27 designated by the executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.
28 (n) A representative of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association designated by the
29 executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association.
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1 (o) A representative of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police
2 designated by the president of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police.
3 (p) A representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving designated by the
4 highest-ranking staff member of the Louisiana State Office of Mothers Against
5 Drunk Driving.
6 (q) A representative of the Louisiana Restaurant Association designated by
7 the president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association.
8 (r) The director of the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug and Specialty Court
9 Office or his designee with expertise in administration of court cases involving
10 driving while impaired and controlled dangerous substances.
11 (s) A representative from the American Automobile Association, specializing
12 in roadside assistance and impaired driving prevention.
13 (t) Four at-large members appointed by the governor, at least one who shall
14 be either a victim or family member of a victim of impaired driving.
15 C.(1) The task force shall be domiciled in the city of Baton Rouge in East
16 Baton Rouge Parish.
17 (2) The task force shall establish its own rules of procedure.
18 (3) Each member shall serve a term concurrent with that of the appointing
19 governor. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
20 (4) The members of the task force shall elect the executive director of the
21 Louisiana Highway Safety Commission who shall serve as chairman of the task force
22 and may elect other officers as deemed necessary.
23 (5) The task force shall meet at least four times per calendar year and at the
24 call of the chairman.
25 (6) Official action of the task force shall require the affirmative approval of
26 not less than a majority of those present. A quorum is required to conduct a meeting.
27 A quorum shall be a majority of the total membership of the board.
28 (7) Each task force member who is authorized to appoint a designee to serve
29 in his stead pursuant to Paragraph (B)(1) of this Section shall provide written notice
30 of such designation to the chairman of the task force. Such written notice shall name
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1 the individual who shall be the official designee until the member revokes such
2 designation. No task force member shall be represented in a meeting other than by
3 the official designee.
4 (8) Members shall serve without salary or per diem, but shall be reimbursed
5 for travel, lodging, and related expenses occasioned by attendance on the business
6 of the board in the same manner as provided for state employees.
7 (9) Members shall not receive additional compensation or a per diem from
8 the office of the governor for serving on the task force.
9 (10) A task force member who is an employee or an elected public official
10 of the state or a political subdivision may seek reimbursement of travel expenses
11 from his employing government agency or elective office in accordance with state
12 travel guidelines issued by the division of administration.
13 (11) A task force member who is also a member of the Louisiana Legislature
14 may, as appropriate, seek a per diem from the House of Representatives or Senate
15 for his attendance.
16 D. The office of drug policy within the office of the governor and the
17 Louisiana Highway Safety Commission shall provide staff, facilities, and resources
18 for the task force.
19 §219.1.3. Powers, duties, and functions; staffing; funding
20 A. The task force shall do all of the following:
21 (1) Address the high incidence of driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs,
22 or a combination of alcohol or drugs, including data collection and analysis related
23 to impaired driving arrest, prosecution and conviction rates, the prevalence of drivers
24 refusing to submit to chemical testing as directed by law enforcement, and strategies
25 to reduce such occurrences.
26 (2) Identify and implement effective impaired driving countermeasures,
27 including substance use assessment and treatment, electronic monitoring, impaired
28 driving offender monitoring, ignition interlock devices, sanctions, and other
29 evidence-based strategies to reduce impaired driving.
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1 (3) Analyze data trends related to alcohol-involved, drug-involved, and
2 polysubstance-involved fatal or serious injury motor vehicle crashes.
3 (4) Solicit input and recommendations from agencies, departments,
4 commissions, boards, or offices involved in impaired driving enforcement,
5 prevention, adjudication, and countermeasures, including law enforcement agencies
6 at the state, parish, and local levels to support coordinated implementation efforts.
7 (5) Conduct regular analysis and assessment of Louisiana’s impaired driving
8 statutes and recommend changes as needed to improve effectiveness.
9 (6) Evaluate changes in the methods or priorities of the allocation of funds
10 to state and local agencies.
11 (7) Align priorities to support the Louisiana Statewide Impaired Driving Plan
12 as updated annually by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and the Strategic
13 Highway Safety Plan.
14 (8) Act in an advisory capacity to the governor, office of drug policy within
15 the office of the governor, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, the office of
16 alcohol and tobacco control, and the office of behavioral health of the Louisiana
17 Department of Health.
18 (9) Assess the roles and interaction of federal, state, and local partners
19 involved in impaired driving enforcement and adjudication, including law
20 enforcement agencies and related operations, and develop recommendations to
21 improve the effectiveness of coordinated and multi-jurisdictional efforts to reduce
22 impaired driving incidents and fatalities throughout the state.
23 (10) Provide an annual report to the governor by February first of each year
24 regarding the task force’s findings, activities, and recommendations and provide
25 additional reports as needed or requested by the governor.
26 (11) Develop long or short range plans, or both, or strategies that prioritize
27 areas of need or otherwise organize the use of resources.
28 (12) Seek assistance or support from any state agency or private sector entity
29 that may be helpful in preventing, reducing, or mitigating impaired driving involving
30 alcohol, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs.
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1 (13) Adopt and promulgate rules as may be necessary to implement the
2 provisions of this Part.
3 B. Staff support shall be provided by the executive office of the governor
4 and may be provided by the agencies of the executive department of the government
5 as directed by the governor.
6 C. The board shall be funded by appropriation of the legislature.
7 §219.1.4. Assistance and cooperation of other agencies; boards; use of facilities
8 All state agencies, boards, commissions, departments, and political
9 subdivisions shall assist the task force in its work by providing requested
10 information, reports, research, aid, services, and other support, without imposing any
11 cost or charge to the office of the governor. However, such assistance shall be
12 subject to the funding constraints of the respective entity. The facilities of the state
13 library and Louisiana State University shall be available for use by the task force.
14 The attorney general shall assist the task force and provide written opinions on any
15 subject requested by the legislative fiscal officer.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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