Louisiana Lawmakers Put some Limits Back in Place on Gifts to Public Officials

Louisiana lawmakers put some limits back in place on gifts to public officials

Rep. Beau Beaullieu has updated his proposal to change state ethics laws concerning gifts to public officials. (Allison Allsop/Louisiana Illuminator)Louisiana lawmakers are no longer looking to broadly lift restrictions on gifts to elected officials and public employees while doing their jobs, but they appear intent on discouraging ethics investigations. Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-Iberia, removed language from House Bill 674 that would have allowed …

Plan to rein in Louisiana's ethics watchdog advances in Louisiana Legislature

A bill that would put new restrictions on the board that investigates alleged ethics violations by Louisiana public officials is one step closer to becoming law after a Senate committee passed it unanimously with a few tweaks.

Concerns raised over bill that changes process for ethics investigations

BATON ROUGE - A bill to change how ethics investigations are handled has so far moved swiftly through the capitol, though one government watch group is concerned there could be dangerous consequences if the bill passed in its current form. Steven Procopio is the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana and said the bill changing the ethics code would make it more difficult to look into elected officials. "You have the govern…

Lawmakers advance bill easing ethics scrutiny

A Louisiana bill initially aimed at loosening gift restrictions for public officials has been scaled back but still raises alarm among ethics watchdogs, Louisiana Illuminator writes.  Rep. Beau Beaullieu removed a controversial provision in House Bill 674 that would have allowed $200 in gifts annually to public employees, replacing it with narrower allowances, such as $200 in sympathy flowers or charitable donations and expanded permissions for …