Resource Category: Ethics

PAR Says Senate Bill Would Gut Major Ethics Code Provision, Commentary

Senate Bill 138, presented as a narrow exception, would destroy a cornerstone of the state’s Ethics Code that has been in place for over 35 years. Current law prohibits any public official from doing business with a person or firm that does business with the official’s agency.

Legislative Wrap-Up 1999

In the 1999 regular session, the Louisiana Legislature worked down to the final hour to complete its consideration of some 3,397 bills and 842 resolutions. The Legislature passed out 1,435 of the bills and 712 resolutions. With one week left to veto legislation, the governor has announced five vetoes.

Memo To Members of Louisiana Legislature: Authority of the Proposed Ethics Board to Initiate Investigations

The major ethics reform proposal in this special session would be undone if Wednesday’s House action to remove the single ethics board’s investigative authority is allowed to stand. The House amendment to SB 5 would continue to require a sworn complaint before the ethics agency could investigate an alleged violation by an elected official.

1996 Special Legislative Session; PAR Analysis 290

A number of major PAR reform recommendations were enacted in the governor’s first special session. These include: the creation of a strong, independent single ethics board; computerization of campaign finance records; and a ban on campaign contributions by gambling interests.

Ethics Reform Update; PAR Study

A key administration bill to create a strong, single ethics board would implement many of the major reforms proposed in a recent joint report by the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) and the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR).

Governmental Ethics Laws in Louisiana: Public Trust or Private Gain?; PAR Study

A widespread and pervasive distrust of government exists among Louisiana voters. To address this problem, BGR and PAR have undertaken a collaborative in-depth review of Louisiana’s laws related to governmental ethics.

Prohibit Legislators’ Contracts With State Agencies, Commentary

PAR and BGR are in the middle of a joint study on governmental ethics in Louisiana. Preliminary research has already identified special treatment of legislators as one problem area in the state’s Code of Governmental Ethics. In particular, we are concerned with legislators’ ability to contract with state agencies.