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)]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP ORT DIGEST
HB 231 2017 Regular Session Thibaut
Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
ETHICS/CODE: Allows the immediate family member of a mayor or governing authority member
of a municipality with a population of five thousand or less or a legal entity in which the family
member has an interest to enter into a transaction with the municipality subject to certain conditions
Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1. Provided an additional ethics exception to allow classroom teachers in public schools to
provide tutoring services in academic subjects on a private fee basis outside school hours to
their own students or other students enrolled in a school under the jurisdiction of the public
school governing authority.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Same as finally passed the House.
Present law provides for any mayor or member of a governing authority of a municipality with a
population of 5,000 or less, or legal entity in which he has a controlling interest, from entering into
any transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the municipality. Provides that any
person who enters into such a transaction does so under the supervision or jurisdiction of the
municipality and requires the municipality to submit a plan to the Board of Ethics for approval. The
plan shall include recusal of the elected official in matters affecting the transaction; quarterly
affidavits concerning the recusal filed with the clerk of the municipality and the board; the manner
of supervising the transactions. Present law provides certain rules based on the amount of the
transaction. Exempts individual transactions of $250 or less, until they exceed $2,500 in the
aggregate in a calendar year; thereafter such a transaction requires at least three telephone quotations
with written confirmation in the manner provided for transactions in excess of $250, but less than
$2,500. Requires telephone quotations with written confirmation or facsimile quotations to be
solicited from at least three vendors within the municipality, the parish, or within a 50-mile radius
of the municipality for transactions in excess of $250, but less than $2,500, except in case of
emergency. Provides that the plan adopted by the municipality and subject to board approval may
specify situations in which a quotation submitted by the elected official or his legal entity may be accepted even if it was not the lowest bid received by the municipality. Provides for an elected
official or legal entity in which the elected official has a controlling interest to enter into transactions
with the municipality in excess of $2,500 only after written invitations are sent to at least three bona
fide qualified bidders, other than the elected official or his legal entity, and upon specific advance
approval by the board.
Proposed law retains present law, but additionally allows an immediate family member of such a
mayor or governing authority member, or legal entity in which such an immediate family member
has a controlling interest to enter into transactions with the municipality subject to the same
conditions, and requires the elected official involved to file the same affidavits required by present
law for transactions entered into by his immediate family members and legal entities in which his
immediate family members own a controlling interest. Additionally makes some technical changes.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 42:1123(22))