Bill: Resign, avoid financial disclosure

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 22, 2008 - Page: 8A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Public officials could avoid having to disclose their personal finances if they resign by July 1 under a bill advanced Wednesday by a state Senate committee.

The reprieve is contained in one of several bills the panel approved as part of efforts to fix problems that have developed with the implementation of new ethics laws passed during Gov. Bobby Jindal’s February special session.

The three-bill package sponsored by state House and Governmental Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, attempts to clarify what personal financial information officials must disclose, what government business dealings are off-limits, who must file reports and when.

One bill would give lawmakers the go-ahead to attend political fundraisers without violating a ban on free tickets.

Gallot assured the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee that he is working with Senate President Joel Chaisson II, D-Destrehan, who also has ethics law “clean-up” legislation, so that there are no conflicts in whatever is passed.

Most of the committee discussion involved House Bill 842, which would give state and local elected officials and thousands of members of state boards and commissions until July 1 to quit and not file reports giving information about their and their spouses personal finances.

Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans, said he has been getting a lot of calls from board and commission members concerned about the disclosure requirement.

The Louisiana Board of Ethics has a pending request for an advisory opinion on when the reporting requirement kicked in, ethics deputy general counsel Kathleen Allen said. She said it is the ethics staff’s opinion that those in office March 3 would be required to file reports next year reflecting their 2008 financial activity.

“Unless we change the law,” Murray added.

March 3 is when the legislation became law.

Gallot said the House decided to give people time to get out from under the requirement because “people had no idea there would be this sweeping change.”

Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport, said she worried that the July 1 date would provide too much time.

“I don’t want a date so far out that people can continue to serve and perhaps engage in certain transactions and then not be reported,” Jackson said.