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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ��m�','oF L 'is•- DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> it °M f9y= LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> y�Ilpi ilk �� <br /> 10 •• P.O.BOX 4368' L1 BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> ,„ (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> wwwethics.la.gov <br /> November 21, 2016 <br /> Nancy G. Cooper <br /> Mental Health Advocacy Service <br /> 2620 Centenary Boulevard <br /> Building 2, Suite 231 <br /> Shreveport, LA 71104 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2016-1020 <br /> Dear Ms. Cooper: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its November 18, 2016 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether appointed board members of the Shreveport/Caddo Metropolitan <br /> Planning Commission (Shreveport/Caddo MPC) are required to file annual personal financial <br /> disclosure statements pursuant to La.R.S.42:1124.2.1.You stated that the Shreveport/Caddo MPC <br /> was created pursuant to La. R.S. 33:140.6 with its primary responsibility being to conduct public <br /> hearings regarding zoning change applications after which members of the Shreveport/Caddo MPC <br /> vote on whether to recommend a requested zoning change to the City Council or Parish Commission <br /> for final approval.You also stated that members of the Shreveport/Caddo MPC vote to recommend <br /> its budget to the City Council for approval,but the Shreveport/Caddo MPC does not have authority <br /> to spend or disburse any of those funds without first obtaining approval for its budget from the City <br /> or Parish Council.Finally,you stated that the average annual budget for the Shreveport/Caddo MPC <br /> is $1.6-1.65 million which is used primarily to pay the salary of the Shreveport/Caddo MPC staff. <br /> The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you,that the appointed board members of the <br /> Shreveport/Caddo MPC are required to file annual personal financial disclosure statements pursuant <br /> to the Code of Governmental Ethics. La. R.S. 42:1124.2.1 requires financial disclosure for each <br /> member and designee of a board or commission which has the authority to expend,disburse or invest <br /> $10,000 or more of funds in a fiscal year on or before May 15th of each year during which the person <br /> holds office and the year following termination of the holding of such office. La. R.S. <br /> 42:1124.2.1(D)(1)(a)defines a board or commission as(i) each board,commission,and like entity <br /> created by law or executive order that is made a part of the executive branch of state government by <br /> the provisions of Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,or that is placed in an executive <br /> branch department or in the office of the governor or lieutenant governor by law or executive order, <br /> or that exercises any authority or performs any function of the executive branch of state government; <br /> (ii) each board, commission, and like entity created by the constitution, by law, by a political <br /> subdivision, except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, or jointly by two or more <br /> political subdivisions as a governing authority of a political subdivision of the state or of a local <br /> government.La.R.S.42:1124.2.1 D(1)(b)states that a"board or commission" shall not mean(i)the <br /> governing authority of a parish, (ii)any board or commission or like entity that governs a political <br /> subdivision created by a single parish governing authority of a parish with a population of two <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />