State’s boards hit hard

• By MARSHA SHULER AND JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jul 2, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:15 a.m.

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Uncertainty and misconceptions about new financial disclosure laws caused more than 200 resignations from government boards, the lawmaker who tried to stem the tide said Tuesday.

“I would think, by the numbers, there’s a lot of overreacting,” said state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, who sponsored Senate Bill 718 that reduces the information required to be disclosed.

“The problem is there’s a lot of uncertainty,” Martiny said. “So I think a lot of people are resigning out of an abundance of caution.”

The Secretary of State’s Office reported late Tuesday that it had received 201 resignations from various state boards and commissions.

Among the latest are three Louisiana Recovery Authority members, including authority Chairman Norman Francis.

The number could be far greater because members of local government boards also are submitting resignations to their parish councils.

For instance, eight members of various boards for East Baton Rouge Parish resigned,  Metro Council Administrator Brian Mayers said.

One resignation was reported from a board in Ascension Parish by Parish President Tommy Martinez.

Another 56 officials in Lafayette Parish quit, according to the local government in that parish.

Officials on government boards and commissions had to quit before midnight Tuesday to avoid having to disclose personal financial information as required by a law passed during the February special legislative session on ethics.

The resignations are leaving some local and state government boards without quorums to transact business.

Six of 11 members of Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission stepped down.

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office refused to say how many resignations the governor’s office has received from the hundreds of boards under its jurisdiction, nor from what positions.