Chamber backs recusal if conflict faces judge
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The state needs to adopt a law that would require judges to recuse themselves in cases where certain conflicts of interest arise, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber said in a report issued Tuesday.
Adoption of that law and stopping the weakening of others adopted in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s special ethics session are among the chamber’s top priorities in the legislative session, BRAC President Adam Knapp said.
Meanwhile, the chamber opposes bills that would require more public officials to disclose their personal financial dealings.
Knapp said the state inspector general, legislative auditor and members of levee boards and port commissions and others that lawmakers want to wrap in don’t fit under the guidelines for determining who should report.
“If we want to be moving ourselves forward … the conflict of interest laws on judicial recusal is something not yet touched on,” Knapp said.
Passage of House Bill 758 by Rep. Erich Ponti, R-Baton Rouge, would further improve the state’s national ethics rankings, Knapp said. “It goes to the bottom line of having the best ethics laws,” he said.
Knapp said the judicial recusal bill is a ranking issue rather than one that affects economic development activity.
BRAC opposes two bills sponsored by Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge:
n House Bill 635 would require financial disclosure by the state inspector general, the legislative auditor, the head of the governor’s transition team and members of other groups that advise the governor.
n And, House Bill 902 that would remove the requirement that disclosure reports include the name and description of investment securities and information about purchase and sales of property. Knapp called the legislation “scary.” BRAC also opposes House Bill 648 sponsored by House and Governmental Affairs Committee chairman Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, that would require members of levee boards and port commissions to disclose their finances.
Adoption of that law and stopping the weakening of others adopted in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s special ethics session are among the chamber’s top priorities in the legislative session, BRAC President Adam Knapp said.
Meanwhile, the chamber opposes bills that would require more public officials to disclose their personal financial dealings.
Knapp said the state inspector general, legislative auditor and members of levee boards and port commissions and others that lawmakers want to wrap in don’t fit under the guidelines for determining who should report.
“If we want to be moving ourselves forward … the conflict of interest laws on judicial recusal is something not yet touched on,” Knapp said.
Passage of House Bill 758 by Rep. Erich Ponti, R-Baton Rouge, would further improve the state’s national ethics rankings, Knapp said. “It goes to the bottom line of having the best ethics laws,” he said.
Knapp said the judicial recusal bill is a ranking issue rather than one that affects economic development activity.
BRAC opposes two bills sponsored by Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge:
n House Bill 635 would require financial disclosure by the state inspector general, the legislative auditor, the head of the governor’s transition team and members of other groups that advise the governor.
n And, House Bill 902 that would remove the requirement that disclosure reports include the name and description of investment securities and information about purchase and sales of property. Knapp called the legislation “scary.” BRAC also opposes House Bill 648 sponsored by House and Governmental Affairs Committee chairman Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, that would require members of levee boards and port commissions to disclose their finances.
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