Louisiana 2024 2024 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HB106 Comm Sub / Analysis

                    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)]
HB 106 Original	2024 Regular Session	Jackson
Abstract: Reduces the maximum amount of late fees and the maximum civil penalty imposed by
the Bd. of Ethics on lobbyists for failure to timely file required reports.
Present law requires legislative, executive branch, and local lobbyists to register with the Bd. of
Ethics (the "board") as soon as possible after employment as a lobbyist or after the first action
requiring his registration as a lobbyist, whichever occurs first, and in any event no later than five
days after employment or first action as a lobbyist.
Present law provides that any person required to register and who fails to timely register and any
person who fails to timely file any required report, including a combined report for legislative and
executive branch lobbying, shall be assessed a late fee of $50 per day.
Present law requires legislative and executive branch lobbyists to file with the board monthly
expenditure reports containing specific information.
Present law provides that any person who fails to file a required expenditure report containing all
required information shall be assessed a late fee of $50 per day.
Present law establishes maximums for late filing fees assessed by the board; such maximums are
based on the amount of the per day fee.  If the per day late filing fee is $50, present law provides that
the maximum fee is $1,500.
Proposed law reduces the maximum fee as applicable to legislative, executive branch, and local
lobbyists to $500.  Otherwise retains present law.
Present law provides that any lobbyist whose registration or report is filed 11 or more days after the
day on which it was due may be assessed, in addition to late fees, after a hearing by the board, a civil
penalty not to exceed $10,000. Proposed law lowers the maximum civil penalty to $1,000.
(Amends R.S. 24:58(D)(2), R.S. 33:9668(D)(2), R.S. 42:(A)(4)(c), and R.S.49:78(D)(2))