Signed by Governor Jeff Landry

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that amends and revises the state's code of ethics laws in Louisiana.

Highlights:

• Repeals geographic restrictions relating to the transportation of legislators for the primary purpose of making public speeches (Sec. 1).

• Defines compensation paid to school teachers, administrators, and supervisors as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Defines awards and stipends paid to school teachers and administrators during the administrator certification process as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Defines certain stipends paid to school trainers as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Repeals restrictions placed upon public servants, family members of public servants, and legal entities in which public servants have an interest, seeking services available to members of the general public (Sec. 1).

• Specifies the circumstances under which a contract containing an option by the state government to extend the contract may be renewed (Sec. 1).

• Specifies how the amount expended on air transportation by private aircraft shall be calculated (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a former commissioner of the Ernest N. Morial - New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority to meet certain criteria to be employed by the authority regardless of prior service (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the provision above shall take effect through December 31, 2025 (Sec. 1).

• Increases the gift and gratuity limit to public servants from $100 to $200 per event and specifies that donations made under this exemption must be made to organizations qualified for an exemption from federal income tax (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes public servants to accept seasonal or holiday foods and non-alcoholic beverages commemorating a religious or state holiday, provided the value does not exceed existing limits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies how value per person is to be calculated if such food and drink are provided to multiple public servants (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Executive Director and members of the Louisiana Racing Commission to own certain racehorses in specified circumstances (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes peace officers, firemen, and their immediate family members to receive assistance from federally tax-exempt organizations and funds to offset financial losses (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes members and former members of the State Mineral and Energy Board to post a bond or other security as is required by law (Sec. 1).

• Increases the maximum value of disclosure category I from $5 thousand to $10 thousand (Sec. 1).

• Increases the maximum value of disclosure category II from $24,999 to $49,999 (Sec. 1).

• Increases the minimum income threshold requiring disclosure from $250 thousand to $500 thousand annually (Sec. 1).

• Increases the minimum threshold requiring the disclosure of campaign contributions made by board appointees to the individual who appointed them from $1,000 to $2,000 (Sec. 1).

• Reduces the frequency of board reports to be required semi-annually (Sec. 1).

• Specifies additional data that is to be presented in the report above (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the board conduct educational seminars relating to the filing of campaign finance disclosures (Sec. 1).

• Establishes and amends various hearing procedures relating to violations of the aforementioned provisions and the timely notification of parties involved upon certain actions and filings (Sec. 1).

• Establishes certain rights and responsibilities of the parties involved in a hearing (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the board to take certain actions, set certain requirements, and subpoena certain materials (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the ethics administrator provide to the board a monthly report of the number of subpoenas issued in a given month (Sec. 1).

• Requires that defendants be advised of their constitutional rights to counsel and not to incriminate themselves (Sec. 1).

• Repeals a requirement that every sworn complaint be investigated and authorizes the board to conduct investigations as deemed warranted (Sec. 1).

• Establishes board jurisdiction in certain situations relating to the aforementioned provisions (Sec. 1).

• Establishes district court jurisdiction in certain situations relating to the aforementioned provisions (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the aforementioned provisions shall take effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends and revises the state's code of ethics laws in Louisiana.

Highlights:

• Repeals geographic restrictions relating to the transportation of legislators for the primary purpose of making public speeches (Sec. 1).

• Defines compensation paid to school teachers, administrators, and supervisors as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Defines awards and stipends paid to school teachers and administrators during the administrator certification process as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Defines certain stipends paid to school trainers as duly entitled compensation from a governmental entity (Sec. 1).

• Repeals restrictions placed upon public servants, family members of public servants, and legal entities in which public servants have an interest, seeking services available to members of the general public (Sec. 1).

• Specifies the circumstances under which a contract containing an option by the state government to extend the contract may be renewed (Sec. 1).

• Specifies how the amount expended on air transportation by private aircraft shall be calculated (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a former commissioner of the Ernest N. Morial - New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority to meet certain criteria to be employed by the authority regardless of prior service (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the provision above shall take effect through December 31, 2025 (Sec. 1).

• Increases the gift and gratuity limit to public servants from $100 to $200 per event and specifies that donations made under this exemption must be made to organizations qualified for an exemption from federal income tax (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes public servants to accept seasonal or holiday foods and non-alcoholic beverages commemorating a religious or state holiday, provided the value does not exceed existing limits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies how value per person is to be calculated if such food and drink are provided to multiple public servants (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Executive Director and members of the Louisiana Racing Commission to own certain racehorses in specified circumstances (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes peace officers, firemen, and their immediate family members to receive assistance from federally tax-exempt organizations and funds to offset financial losses (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes members and former members of the State Mineral and Energy Board to post a bond or other security as is required by law (Sec. 1).

• Increases the maximum value of disclosure category I from $5 thousand to $10 thousand (Sec. 1).

• Increases the maximum value of disclosure category II from $24,999 to $49,999 (Sec. 1).

• Increases the minimum income threshold requiring disclosure from $250 thousand to $500 thousand annually (Sec. 1).

• Increases the minimum threshold requiring the disclosure of campaign contributions made by board appointees to the individual who appointed them from $1,000 to $2,000 (Sec. 1).

• Reduces the frequency of board reports to be required semi-annually (Sec. 1).

• Specifies additional data that is to be presented in the report above (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the board conduct educational seminars relating to the filing of campaign finance disclosures (Sec. 1).

• Establishes and amends various hearing procedures relating to violations of the aforementioned provisions and the timely notification of parties involved upon certain actions and filings (Sec. 1).

• Establishes certain rights and responsibilities of the parties involved in a hearing (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the board to take certain actions, set certain requirements, and subpoena certain materials (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the ethics administrator provide to the board a monthly report of the number of subpoenas issued in a given month (Sec. 1).

• Requires that defendants be advised of their constitutional rights to counsel and not to incriminate themselves (Sec. 1).

• Repeals a requirement that every sworn complaint be investigated and authorizes the board to conduct investigations as deemed warranted (Sec. 1).

• Establishes board jurisdiction in certain situations relating to the aforementioned provisions (Sec. 1).

• Establishes district court jurisdiction in certain situations relating to the aforementioned provisions (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the aforementioned provisions shall take effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text