HLS 12RS-500 ENGROSSED
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 365
BY REPRESENTATIVE STUART BISHOP
ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Requires candidates for certain offices to receive ethics
education prior to qualifying
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 18:461.1, relative to candidates for certain office; to require certain ethics2
education and training for certain candidates; to provide relative to certifying such3
training; and to provide for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 18:461.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 6
ยง461.1. Ethics education requirement; certification for ethics education7
A. Any person who becomes a candidate for statewide elective office or the8
office of state representative or state senator shall be required to obtain at least one9
hour of ethics education and training in the same manner as required of public10
servants by R.S. 42:1170.11
B. Each person who has qualified for a statewide elective office or the office12
of state representative or state senator shall certify that he has obtained at least one13
hour of ethics education and training as required by this Section by executing the14
certification designed pursuant to Subsection C of this Section. The certification15
shall be filed with the Board of Ethics no later than the deadline for filing a financial16
disclosure statement filed pursuant to R.S. 18:1495.7.17
C. The certification required by this Section shall be designed by the Board18
of Ethics and shall at a minimum include the assertion that all of the statements19
contained in it are true and correct.20 HLS 12RS-500 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 365
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
D. The certification form and a notice to the candidate regarding the1
requirements and the availability of education and training shall be included in the2
informational packets provided for in R.S. 18:463(D).3
Section 2. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2013.4
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Stuart Bishop HB No. 365
Abstract: Requires each candidate for statewide office and for the state legislature to
certify that he has obtained at least one hour of ethics education and training and to
file a certification of such with the Board of Ethics no later than the deadline for
filing the personal financial disclosure statement.
Present law provides relative to certain requirements to become a candidate.
Proposed law additionally requires each person who has qualified for a statewide elective
office or the office of state representative or state senator to certify that he has obtained at
least one hour of ethics education and training in the same manner as required of public
servants by present law (ethics code-R.S. 42:1170) by executing a certification designed by
the Board of Ethics. Proposed law requires the certification to, at a minimum, include an
assertion that all of the statements contained in it are true and correct. Requires the
certification to be filed with the Board of Ethics no later than the deadline for filing a
financial disclosure statement filed pursuant to the present law (Campaign Finance
Disclosure Act-R.S. 18:1495.7).
Proposed law further provides that the certification form and a notice to the candidate
regarding the requirements and the availability of education and training shall be included
in the informational packets for candidates provided for in present law (R.S. 18:463(D)).
Effective Jan. 1, 2013.
(Adds R.S. 18:461.1)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and Governmental
Affairs to the original bill.
1. Changes the deadline to file the certification from at the same time as filing the
notice of candidacy to no later than the deadline for filing the personal financial
disclosure statement required by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act.
2. Removes provision that the certification be designed in conjunction with the
secretary of state.
3. Requires the certification form and a notice to the candidate regarding the ethics
education requirement and availability of the education to be included in the
informational packets for candidates.