§409. Filing of applications; use of abbreviations; release of information

A. The driver's license division shall file every application approved by it and arrange them alphabetically under the name of the applicant, including only applications granted, and shall assign to each applicant a distinguishing number. The driver's license division shall also maintain an alphabetical file containing the names of all persons whose licenses have been suspended, cancelled, or revoked by it or by a court of competent jurisdiction and the reasons therefor. For purposes of the driver's license law the department may, by regulation, require the use of an abbreviated form of an excessively lengthy name.

B. Upon written request, the department may provide information contained in these files to any interested party for a reasonable fee. These fees shall be adopted pursuant to R.S. 49:950 et seq.

C.(1) Any law enforcement officer or officer of court shall be given the option of exempting his name and the name of any member of his immediate family from release to interested parties except a law enforcement officer acting within the scope of his duties or pursuant to a court order. If a law enforcement officer or officer of the court requests the exemption, it shall be in effect until the officer or family member requests that it be changed. The office of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules and regulations as are necessary in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and shall provide forms to implement the provisions of this Subsection. As used in this Section, the following words shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "Court officer" shall mean any active or retired justice of the peace, or judge or justice from a city, parish, state, or federal court located in this state. Court officer shall also mean any district attorney, assistant district attorney, investigator, or city prosecutor in this state. Court officer shall also include any administrative law judge or the director of the division of administrative law as provided in Chapter 13-B of Title 49 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.

(b) "Immediate family member" shall mean the spouse, child, or parent of a law enforcement or court officer or any other adult who lives in the same residence as a law enforcement or court officer.

(c) "Law enforcement officer" shall mean any active duty or retired city, parish, or state law enforcement officer, peace officer, sheriff, probation and parole officers, marshals or deputies, wildlife enforcement agents, state correctional officers, and any commissioned agent of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

(2) In accordance with the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 2721, the office of motor vehicles may only release the personal information of a party who elects to exempt his name from release in accordance with the provisions of this Section for one of the following reasons:

(a) It is requested or demanded by a law enforcement officer within the scope of his duties or pursuant to a court order.

(b) Matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft.

(c) Motor vehicle emissions.

(d) Motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories.

(e) Performance monitoring of motor vehicles and dealers by motor vehicle manufacturers.

(f) Removal of non-owner records from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers to carry out the purposes of titles I and IV of the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992, the Automobile Information Disclosure Act (15 U.S.C. 1231 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and Chapters 301, 305, and 321-331 of Title 49 of the United States Code.

(3) A party who elects to exempt his name from release in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection may sign a waiver authorizing the office of motor vehicles to release his personal information to a specified third party.

Amended by Acts 1978, No. 311, §2. Acts 1986, No. 69, §1; Acts 2006, No. 416, §1.