Panel advances ethics rule
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A House panel Tuesday approved compromise legislation that would require limited disclosure of personal finances by state board and commission members.
The action by the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee would dramatically reduce how much specific information appointees would have to divulge under current state law. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive counsel Jimmy Faircloth told the panel that the governor supports the change.
Supporters said the limited disclosure spelled out in Senate Bill 718 by state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, will prevent mass resignations from state boards by members who don’t want to share their private finances in order to serve.
Jindal signed into law a personal financial disclosure bill that lawmakers expanded from statewide elected officials and legislators to include state boards and commissions, ranging from higher education to museum boards.
Under that law, board members would have to reveal their income, liabilities, debts, property ownership, investments — just like legislators.
As it cleared committee, SB718 would create a new category of disclosure for most boards that would require reporting of sources of income of the board members and their spouses, amounts of income from state and political subdivisions, and gambling interests.
The House committee version strips Senate floor changes to Martiny’s bill that would have kept a higher standard for many boards and commissions.
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne got the committee to make it clear that museum and other boards that have no control over public funds do not have to file the reports.
Martiny said many members of state boards have told him “I’m out of here!” if they have to report at the same level as lawmakers.
“Don’t you think there would be other people equally qualified that could take people’s place?” asked Rep Mert Smiley, R-St. Amant.
“It is so important for this state that we have qualified people willing to offer themselves up for public service,” Martiny told the panel. “We should ask questions about their ability to serve in an impartial manner,” not every aspect of an individual’s personal finances.
State Rep. Jane Smith, R-Bossier City, said she looks at the change as “adding some sanity to the process.”
Martiny told committee members that he was open to moving specific boards to the higher standard of disclosure “if there are boards and commissions that need to give us more information.”
The full House has already said it favors adding local government boards to the mix of those filing financial disclosure reports.
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