T 1 This appeal involves an action for auto negligence arising out of injuries sustained by Plaintiffs, Rachael Montgomery ("Montgomery"), and her three year old son, Noah Oreutt, on December 18, 2011. Montgomery was rear-ended by Defendant, Morgan Pot
T2 At the time of the accident, Montgomery admits that she was driving uninsured as her automobile insurance had lapsed approximately sixty days prior. Pursuant to 47 0.S8.2011 § 7-116, Defendant alleges that Montgomery is precluded from seeking pain and suffering damages due to her status as an uninsured driver. Plaintiffs challenge the constitutionality of § 7-116, asserting that the statute is a special law violative of art. 5, § 46 of the Oklahoma Constitution. Montgomery filed a motion for declaratory relief asking the trial court to find § 7-116 unconstitutional. The trial court agreed and declared the statute an unconstitutional special law. Defendant appeals by certified interlocutory order and we previously granted cer-tiorari.
DISCUSSION
13 The sole issue before the Court is whether 47 0.8.2011, § 7-116 is a constitutional law. Section 7-116, known as the No Pay, No Play law, prohibits uninsured drivers from the recovery of damages for pain and suffering in automobile accident cases with the exception of certain cireumstances, none of which applies to Montgomery. 1
T4 Among other arguments, Plaintiffs assert § 7-116 violates the special law proscription of art. 5, § 46 of the Oklahoma Constitution which provides that the Legislature may not create a local or special law involving specific activities enumerated therein. Among the prohibited activities, the constitutional provision forbids a special law "[rlegulating the practice or jurisdiction of, or changing the rules of evidence in judicial proceedings or inquiry before the courts ..." Okla. Const. art. 5, § 46.
T5 Plaintiffs contend the statute is an impermissible special law which affects only victims of auto accidents who are uninsured, carving out this special class from the more general class of all victims of auto accidents. Defendant insists that the statute applies to all uninsured drivers equally and is general in its application. We disagree with Defendant's characterization of the class and find § 7-116 to be an unconstitutional, special law.
T6 This Court faced a similar special law challenge in Zeier v. Zimmer,
The terms of art. 5, § 46 command that court procedure be symmetrical and apply equally across the board for an entire class of similarly situated persons or things. In a special laws attack under art. 5, § 46, the only issue to be resolved is whether a statute upon a subject enumerated in the constitutional provision targets for different treatment less than an entire class of similarly situated persons or things. The test is whether the provision fits into the structured regime of established procedure as part of a symmetrical whole. If an enactment injects asymmetry, the § 46 interdiction of special law has been offended.
Zeier,
17 A statute is a special law where a part of an entire class of similarly affected persons is separated for different treatment. Reynolds v. Porter,
T8 Like the claimants in Zeter, it is clear that § 7-116 "sets aside a subset of negligence plaintiffs for different" treatment based on the status of a plaintiff's automobile insurance coverage. Zeier,
PETITION FOR CERTIORARI TO REVIEW A CERTIFIED INTERLOCUTORY ORDER PREVIOUSLY GRANTED; AFFIRMED.
Notes
. Specifically, the statute provides that ""in any civil action to recover damages arising out of an accident involving the operation of a motor vehicle or for any claim against the motor vehicle liability insurance coverage of another party, the maximum amount that a plaintiff or claimant may receive, if the plaintiff or claimant is not in compliance with the Compulsory Insurance Law, shall be limited to the amount of medical costs, property damage, and lost income and shall not include any award for pain and suffering." 47 ©.S.2011, § 7-116(A).
Section 7-116 does not apply: (1) where the claimant was injured by another driver operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, (2) to passengers in the vehicle who were not the owner of the vehicle, (3) to claims for wrongful death, (4) if the claimant was not in the vehicle involved in the accident, (5) to accidents intentionally caused by another, by one who left the scene of the accident or by one who was acting feloniously at the time, (6) if the claimant is a dependent whose parents were not in compliance, or (7) the claimant had previously been validly covered, unless the claimant had received notice of termination at least 30 days before the accident. 47 0.$.2011, § 7-116(B).
. Title 23 0.S.2011, § 61.2 provides that "in any civil action arising from a claimed bodily injury, the amount of compensation which a trier of fact may award a plaintiff for noneconomic loss shall not exceed" $350,000.
. The Compulsory Liability Insurance Law is codified as Article VI of Chapter 7 of Title 47. It begins at 47 0.S.2011 §§ 7-600 et seq.