TITLE 17. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL SCHOOL LAW

PART VIII. THE COMPREHENSIVE ACTION AGAINST ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS ACT

17:405      Drug free zone;  notice;  signs

A. (1) A "drug free zone" is:

(a) An area inclusive of any property used for school purposes by any school.

(b) An area within two thousand feet of any property used for school purposes by any school.

(c) A school bus.

(d) Any building or area owned by the state or by a political subdivision and used or operated as a playground or recreational facility.

(e) Any park or recreational area administered by the state.

(f) Any building owned by any quasi public agency or body as defined in R.S. 24:513(A)(1)(b) and used or operated as a community center.

(g) Any public housing dwelling.

(h) Any area inclusive of any property used for a full-time day care center.

(i) Any area within two thousand feet of any property used for the purposes of a full-time day care center.

(2) For purposes of this Section, "school" means any public or private elementary, secondary, or vocational-technical school or any public or private college or university in Louisiana.

(3) For the purposes of this Section, "property used for school purposes by any school" means all property used for school purposes, including but not limited to school playgrounds.

(4) For the purposes of this Section, "full-time day care center" or "property used for a full-time day care center" means any place or facility operated by any institution, society, agency, corporation, person or persons, or any other group pursuant to a license issued by the state for the primary purpose of providing care, supervision, and guidance of seven or more children, not including those related to the care giver, unaccompanied by parent or guardian, on a regular basis for at least twelve and one-half hours in a continuous seven-day week.

B. The local governing authority which has jurisdiction over zoning matters in which each drug free zone is located shall publish a map clearly indicating the boundaries of each drug free zone in accordance with the specifications in Subsection A.  The drug free zone map shall be made an official public document and placed with the clerk of court for the parish or parishes in which the drug free zone is located.

C. (1) The state superintendent of education, with the approval of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the commissioner of higher education, with the approval of the Board of Regents, shall develop a method by which to mark drug free zones, including the use of signs or other markings suitable to the situation.  Signs or other markings shall be located in a visible manner on or near each school and on and in each school bus indicating that such area is a drug free zone, that such zone extends to two thousand feet of school property, and that a felony violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law will subject the offender to severe penalties under law.  The state Department of Education shall assist each school system with providing for the posting required in this Subsection.

(2) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall coordinate and provide rules for the establishment of toll free telephone numbers for use in submitting anonymous information regarding drug activity to local law enforcement agencies.  Such telephone numbers shall be displayed on the drug free zone signs which shall be manufactured in correctional institutions subject to the regulation of the office of corrections in the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

D. (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to cover, remove, deface, alter, or destroy any sign or other marking identifying a drug free zone as provided in this Section.

(2) Any violation of this Subsection shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by a jail sentence of not more than six months, or both.

Added by Acts 1989, No. 171, § 1.  Amended by Acts 1990, No. 293, § 1, eff. July 5, 1990;  Acts 1990, No. 1027, § 1, eff. July 26, 1990;  Acts 1991, No. 464, § 1, eff. July 15, 1991;  Acts 1999, No. 668, § 1;  Acts 2003, No. 1173, § 1;  Acts 2010, No. 506, § 1.