A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a court shall suspend a sentence and order an eligible defendant to participate in a substance abuse probation program provided by the department pursuant to Article 903 if the district attorney agrees that the defendant should be sentenced to a substance abuse probation and the court finds all of the following:

            (1) The court has reason to believe that the defendant suffers from an addiction to a controlled dangerous substance or any other mental health disorder.

            (2) The defendant is likely to respond to the substance abuse probation program.

            (3) The available substance abuse probation program is appropriate to meet the needs of the defendant.

            (4) The defendant does not pose a threat to the community, and it is in the best interest of justice to provide the defendant with treatment as opposed to incarceration or other sanctions.

            B.(1) The court shall order the department to assign an authorized evaluator to prepare a suitability report. The suitability report shall delineate the nature and degree of the treatment necessary to address the defendant’s drug or alcohol dependency or addiction or mental health disorder, the reasonable availability of such treatment, and the defendant’s appropriateness for the program. The district attorney and the defendant’s attorney shall have an opportunity to provide relevant information to the evaluator to be included in the report.

            (2) The authorized evaluator shall examine the defendant, using standardized testing and evaluation procedures, and shall provide to the court and the district attorney the results of the examination and evaluation along with its recommendation as to whether the defendant is a suitable candidate for the substance abuse probation program.

            (3) If the court determines that the defendant should be enrolled in the substance abuse probation program, the court shall suspend the execution of the sentence and place the defendant on supervised probation under the terms and conditions of the substance abuse probation program.

            (4) The defendant shall be required to participate in alcohol and drug testing at his own expense, unless the court determines that he is indigent. If the court determines that the defendant is indigent, it may order the defendant to perform supervised work for the benefit of the community in lieu of paying all or a part of the costs related to the drug and alcohol testing. The work shall be performed for and under the supervising authority of a parish, municipality, or other political subdivision or agency of the state or a charitable organization that renders service to the community or its residents.

            C. If the judge fails to make all of the determinations provided for in Paragraph A of this Article, or if the district attorney does not agree that the defendant should be sentenced to substance abuse probation, the court shall impose the appropriate sentence provided by law.

            D.(1) If the defendant violates any condition of his probation or if the defendant would benefit from an adjustment to the probation or treatment program, the defendant, the treatment supervisor, the probation officer, the district attorney, or the court, on its own motion, may file a motion to modify the terms and conditions of the probation or file a motion to revoke the defendant’s probation. After a contradictory hearing on the motion, the court may do either of the following:

            (a) Modify the conditions of probation, including ordering the defendant to participate in a drug division probation program pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. 13:5301 et seq.

            (b) Revoke the defendant’s probation and execute the sentence.

            (2) A defendant placed on probation pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall be subject to the administrative sanctions provided for in Article 899.1.

            (3) If the defendant’s probation is revoked, the defendant shall be required to serve the suspended sentence and shall receive credit for time served in any correctional facility for commission of the crime as otherwise allowable by law.

            E. The provisions of Article 893(A) and (E)(1)(b) which prohibit the court from suspending or deferring the imposition of sentences for violations of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law or for violations of La. Rev. Stat. 40:966(A), 967(A), 968(A), 969(A), or 970(A) shall not apply to defendants who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria for substance abuse probation programs as authorized by this Article.

            F. The provisions of this Article shall not be construed to limit the authority of the court to defer a sentence for a violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law as otherwise provided by law.

            Acts 2013, No. 389, §1; Acts 2018, No. 431, §1.

NOTE: Pursuant to the Section 2 of Act No. 199 of the 2015 R.S., the provisions of Articles 903 through 903.3 enacted by Section 4 of Act No. 389 of the 2013 R.S. shall become null, void, and have no effect on August 1, 2020, and thereafter.