PAR Statement on Blue Cross Sale
A proposed sale of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana to Elevance Health involves the creation of a $3 billion foundation, the Accelerate Louisiana Initiative. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has concerns about the structure of the governing board that will oversee the foundation, particularly the appointment of a board member by […]
Reverse Lawsuit Sets Bad Example
The Attorney General’s threat to sunshine law tempts all agencies to foil citizen access.
2014 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
The 2014 legislative session ended with a state budget balanced conveniently with contrived and borrowed revenue and the further depletion of trust fund resources. PAR reviews the poor fiscal practices and worthy accomplishments of the spring lawmaking period.
Louisiana’s Ethics Policies
Louisiana’s ethics laws form an important foundation for establishing appropriate standards of conduct for public officials regarding conflicts of interest, cronyism and fair contracting practices. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has in the past suggested a number of important changes to the state’s ethics system, many of which have been implemented.
Personal Use of Campaign Contributions
Louisiana should strive for a campaign finance reporting and enforcement system that promotes compliance, sets a high ethical standard and provides clear procedures that are practical, consistent and transparent. These principles should be at the core of the current policy discussion about how political candidates and elected officials should be able to spend their campaign […]
PAR Issues Letter on Senate Bill 148
Dear Senator LaFleur: The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has a strong interest in promoting fair and effective ethics laws, as I know you do as well. I appreciate your openness to suggestions on this issue, and particularly this session with regard to your Senate Bill 148.
PAR Releases Statement on Impact of House Bill 1034
The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted Friday to oppose House Bill 1034, a piece of legislation that would exempt several professional classes from an important though somewhat vague area of the Code of Ethics.