A. When a fine is levied against a person convicted of any criminal offense, including any violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance regulating traffic, and the court grants the defendant an extension of time to pay the fine, if at the expiration of the extended period granted by the court, the defendant shows that he is financially unable to pay the fine, the judge of the court having jurisdiction shall grant the person an extension of time, not to exceed one hundred eighty days, in which to pay the fine, or offer the person, in lieu of paying the fine, the alternative of performing community service as set by the judge.

            B. If, at the expiration of the one-hundred-eighty-day period granted by the judge pursuant to Paragraph A of this Article, the judge determines that the defendant has either willfully not paid the fine or has not performed the community service, the judge may do either of the following:

            (1) For any offense that involves the operation of any motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other means of conveyance as a necessary element of proof in the commission of the offense, order the person’s driver’s license to be surrendered to the sheriff or official of the court collecting fines, and the sheriff or official of the court designated to collect fines shall forward the license to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

            (2) Grant the person an extension of time to either pay the fine or perform the community service.

            C. If the person’s license is surrendered pursuant to Subparagraph (B)(1) of this Article, upon receipt of the defendant’s surrendered driver’s license, the department shall suspend the driver’s license of the defendant. The suspension shall begin when the department receives written notification from the court, and the department shall send immediate written notification to the defendant informing him of the suspension of driving privileges.

            D. The department shall not reinstate, return, reissue, or renew a driver’s license in its possession pursuant to this Article until payment of the fine and any additional administrative cost, fee, or penalty required by the judge having the jurisdiction and any other cost, fee, or penalty required by the department in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. 32:414(H) or other applicable cost, fee, or penalty provision.

            E. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if the person against whom the fine is levied is financially unable to pay the fine, the provisions of this Article shall not apply and the judge of the court shall not order that the person’s driver’s license be surrendered for failure to pay such fine, unless the court determines that the defendant is financially able but has willfully refused to pay the fine, or to perform the community service ordered as an alternative to the fine pursuant to the provisions of this Article.

            Acts 2003, No. 364, §1; Acts 2017, No. 260, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, No. 137, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, No. 668, §4, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2019, No. 111, §1; Acts 2019, No. 253, §1.

            NOTE: See Acts 2021, No. 313, §§ 3B and 4.