Morrish SB No. 61
Present law (Code of Governmental Ethics) provides that no public servant and no legal
entity in which the public servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of 25% will
receive any thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be
rendered, to or for any person who has or is seeking to obtain a contractual or other business
or financial relationships with the public servant's agency. Defines "public servant" as a
public employee or an elected official.
Proposed law would have provided an exception to allow a member of a governing authority
of a municipality with a population of 5,000 or less according to the latest decennial census,
or a legal entity in which the member exercises control or owns an interest in excess of 25%
to perform bona fide compensated services for any person who has or is seeking to obtain a
contractual or other business or financial relationship with the municipality subject to the
following requirements:
(1)The governing authority member recuses himself on all matters involving the
municipality and the person.
(2)The terms and conditions of the services performed by the governing authority
member are customary and reasonable and the compensation received by the
governing authority member is commensurate with the level of the service provided.
Would have become effective August 1, 2013.
(Proposed to add R.S. 42:1123(43))
VETO MESSAGE: "Senate Bill No. 61 by Senator Morrish creates an exception in the
Ethics' Code. I saw no reason for this exception in 2012 and I continue to see no reason for
it in 2013.
For these reasons, I have vetoed Senate Bill No. 61 and hereby return it to the Senate."