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LouisianaHB 6742025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

ETHICS/CODE: Provides for revisions to the Code of Governmental Ethics

Sponsored By: Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu IV (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Senate and Governmental Affairs

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

21 provisions identified: 16 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

Charitable help for officers and families

Peace officers, firefighters, and their immediate family members can receive charitable help to offset economic losses. The recipient must belong to a charitable class, meaning a group eligible for charitable aid. Assistance must come from a qualifying Section 501 tax-exempt organization or a fund it administers. The law sets no aid amount.

Public servants can accept limited gifts

The law raises the sympathy-gift limit from $100 to $200 per event after a public servant’s immediate family member dies. This exception covers flowers or donations to qualifying federally tax-exempt charities, not gifts generally. Public servants can also accept food and non-alcoholic drinks marking religious or state holidays, within the statutory per-holiday limit. For shared holiday gifts, each person’s share equals the total cost divided by the number of recipients.

Outside pay allowed for school staff

The law treats three kinds of outside pay as government-employer compensation for ethics purposes. Teachers, administrators, and supervisors employed by participating public-retirement agencies qualify for pay from another participating agency. Those services benefit their employer, but the time does not count as hours worked for it. Teachers and administrators also qualify for awards or stipends tied to nonprofit certification programs. Athletic trainers qualify for stipends benefiting their employer when private payers support student-athlete health and safety without third-party reimbursements.

Temporary job exception for convention commissioner

The law created a temporary post-service employment exception for a former Ernest N. Morial–New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority commissioner. The person needed at least 30 years of hospitality or hotel-management work experience and commissioner service on January 1, 2025. The Authority’s board also had to find that circumstances required the employment. The exception ended December 31, 2025.

Energy board members can post bonds

Ethics rules do not stop current or former State Mineral and Energy Board members from posting required bonds or security. The requirement must come from law or the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources. The law does not change the underlying security requirement or amount.

Ethics charges face one-year deadline

The Board must issue charges within one year after receiving a sworn complaint or dismiss the matter. Without a sworn complaint, the year starts when the Board votes to consider the matter. The clock can pause for related proceedings that delay the case, failure to comply with Board subpoenas or information requests, or written consent. Charges must include written notice of the rights to counsel and against self-incrimination.

Ethics complaints face stronger screening rules

The Board of Ethics cannot start an investigation based on information in a request for an advisory opinion. A probable-cause finding requires a two-thirds vote based on all known circumstances. Within 10 days of that finding, the Board must send the accused person and complainant a certified copy of the vote. It must also send detailed allegations and the complaint, with the complainant’s name removed. The explanation must state the rights to counsel and against self-incrimination.

Ethics hearings give subjects more tools

Adjudicatory hearing subjects must receive the final report, all gathered evidence, and possible exhibits at least 15 days beforehand. They must also have a chance to submit a brief response. Subjects can compel witnesses and records, question witnesses, present evidence, and have counsel; unrepresented people must receive counsel-rights notice before hearings. Witnesses can bring counsel to advise them and propose questions. Subjects can request Board-paid hearing transcripts; witnesses can promptly obtain their own testimony by written demand, subject to board rules.

Ethics judges need more legal experience

People selected for the Ethics Adjudicatory Board must have at least 10 years of experience practicing law. They must also have at least two years as administrative law judges with the Division of Administrative Law. These requirements govern who can decide ethics cases.

Ethics subjects gain prehearing response rights

Before deciding on a public hearing, the Board must provide its final staff report and allow oral or written responses. Subjects can participate in person, by phone, or by video. Before deciding on an adjudicatory hearing, the Board must allow a brief written response and statement; a two-thirds vote is required. Statements occur in an unrecorded executive session unless the subject requests an open session; no-violation findings require notice within 10 days. The Board must consider offering each subject a consent opinion, but need not offer or issue one.

Late filers gain hearing protections

People facing hearings over missing or late financial statements receive at least 30 days’ notice by certified mail. The Board must provide its staff report, gathered information, and possible exhibits at least 15 days before the hearing. The person can subpoena witnesses and records, respond to the report, and participate in person, by phone, or by video. They can also address the evidence and issues after the hearing. The Board must record the hearing at its own expense.

Officials get higher financial reporting thresholds

Covered disclosures use four amount categories: under $10,000; $10,000–$49,999; $50,000–$100,000; and over $100,000. Certain elected officials representing districts with fewer than 5,000 people report covered prior-year income above $500, rather than $250. That rule covers filer or spouse income and specified gaming-related business income when their combined or individual ownership reaches 10%. Covered state board and commission appointees report campaign contributions or loans to their appointing official above $2,000, rather than $1,000. That information belongs in their annual financial statement.

Officials retain access to basic services

The ethics contract ban does not block public servants or immediate family members from receiving their agency’s basic public services. The exception also covers entities in which the servant has an interest. Services must be available to the general public, such as water, sewer, waste disposal, public safety, education, and recreation. It also covers dealings under generally applicable taxes, permits, licenses, inspections, code enforcement, and law enforcement.

Racing officials gain horse ownership exception

The ethics rules allow Louisiana Racing Commission members and its executive director to own horses racing at Commission-licensed meetings. The exception also covers ownership of horses that sired or bred those racehorses. It allows participation in related breeder or stallion awards.

Campaign filers get disclosure training

The Board of Ethics must hold seminars about campaign finance disclosure requirements. They serve people involved in filing reports, including committee chairs, treasurers, campaign professionals, lawyers, and certified public accountants. The Board must make reasonable efforts to have the seminars qualify for legal and accounting continuing education credits.

State contracts can renew unchanged

State contracts that were lawful when signed can continue through an existing extension option controlled by the State. Renewal must keep all original terms unchanged, including services and price. The State cannot use the option when another law prohibits the extension.

Public servants must report travel costs

Public servants accepting free admission, lodging, transportation, or repayment for these expenses must file a certification within 60 days. The filing goes to the Louisiana Board of Ethics and reports spending on their behalf. Private-aircraft travel must use a listed valuation method. Options include comparable commercial fares or charter costs, actual flight costs divided among passengers, and accepted accounting, auditing, or federal methods.

Legislative travel allowed with disclosure rules

Legislators can accept educational travel to U.S. states, territories, and commonwealths; legislative employees need official purposes and prior presiding-officer approval. These trips are excluded from the ethics definition of an economic benefit. Legislators can also accept transportation between home or the capitol and an official public speech in North America. Reasonable speech-related food, refreshments, lodging, and transportation are allowed in those locations and specified Louisiana waters and offshore structures. For speeches outside Louisiana, including those waters and structures, legislators must report sponsors and spending within 60 days.

Ethics responses gain deadlines and safeguards

Investigation subjects and witnesses generally have 30 days to serve answers, objections, subpoena responses, and subpoenaed written reports. The Board must promptly share questions, subpoenas, responses, and produced materials with the investigation subject. Demands must explain rights to counsel and against self-incrimination; sworn oral questioning requires agreed conditions, counsel access, and prompt transcripts or recordings. The Board must adopt evidence-sharing rules consistent with the named civil procedure rules, within ethics-law limits and as appropriate. On a party’s written request, the Board must accept service by email and provide an address.

Ethics subpoenas balance burden and enforcement

Ethics demands for records or sworn answers must seek relevant information whose importance outweighs the burden of providing it. The ethics administrator must report monthly subpoena counts to the Board. Courts can compel records or sworn answers after refusal only after weighing importance against burden; eligible people can seek protective orders for good cause. Disobeying a court order can lead to contempt. Either ethics board can seek enforcement of hearing subpoenas where a person lives in Louisiana, or where a nonresident does business.

Officials file online with less address detail

Covered officials must submit financial statements electronically through the Board of Ethics’ Computerized Data Management System. They must certify that the information is true and correct to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief. For statements covered by the address change, filers provide mailing addresses instead of home addresses. They no longer report their spouse’s principal business address.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu IV

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 236 • No: 3

House vote • 6/4/2025

Read by title, roll called, yeas 92, nays 1, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 92 • No: 1

Senate vote • 6/3/2025

Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 34 • No: 2

House vote • 5/5/2025

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 96 • No: 0

House vote • 4/24/2025

Read by title, substitute title adopted, lies over in the same order of business, substitute for HB No. 397 reported by the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs

Yes: 14 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 301.

    6/11/2025House

  2. Effective date: 06/11/2025.

    6/11/2025House

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    6/9/2025House

  4. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    6/8/2025House

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    6/8/2025Senate

  6. Read by title, roll called, yeas 92, nays 1, Senate amendments concurred in.

    6/4/2025House

  7. Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    6/3/2025Senate

  8. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    6/3/2025House

  9. Scheduled for concurrence on 06/04/2025.

    6/3/2025House

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    6/1/2025Senate

  11. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/29/2025Senate

  12. Reported with amendments.

    5/28/2025Senate

  13. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.

    5/7/2025Senate

  14. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    5/6/2025Senate

  15. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    5/5/2025House

  16. Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    4/28/2025House

  17. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/05/2025.

    4/28/2025House

  18. Read by title, substitute title adopted, lies over in the same order of business, substitute for HB No. 397 reported by the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs (14-0).

    4/24/2025House

Bill Text

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