Louisiana state seal Louisiana Ethics Administration Program
Home Charges Search EAB Decisions Search
STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> �• DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> 44,:°V LOUlg•• <br /> q,-741;\r9i= LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> a. P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> \ 1.1% �c BATON ROUGE, LA 70821 <br /> •`. " " o`' (225)219-5600 <br /> •••• "'d <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> wwwethicsstatela us <br /> January 24, 2017 <br /> Julius P. Hebert, Jr. <br /> Terrebonne Parish Attorney <br /> 4752 Hwy 311, Ste 114 <br /> Houma, LA 70360 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2016-1273 <br /> Dear Mr. Hebert: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its January 20, 2017 meeting, considered your request <br /> for an advisory opinion, submitted on behalf of Darrin Guidry, regarding whether Mr. <br /> Guidry, as an elected member of the Terrebonne Parish Council (Council), may vote on <br /> matters in which South Louisiana Financial Services, LLC, has a substantial economic <br /> interest. You provided the following background information for consideration in <br /> connection with your request: <br /> The Council approves the selection of insurance agents by ordinance and insurers by <br /> resolution based upon a majority of Council membership voting. Terrebonne Parish <br /> Consolidated Government (Parish) recently solicited proposals from agents of record and <br /> insurers for group health insurance coverage for its employees, including medical, dental <br /> and pharmacy benefits. A risk management insurance committee, appointed by the <br /> Parish's Administration, vetted the proposals and narrowed the choices down to three <br /> companies and their respective agents: 1) Blue Cross/Blue Shield, brokered by South <br /> Louisiana Financial Services, LLC, or Laris Insurance Agency, 2) Gilsbar, LLC, <br /> brokered by Anthony J. Alford Insurance Corporation, and 3) United Healthcare <br /> Services, Inc., brokered by South Louisiana Financial Services, LLC, or Laris Insurance <br /> Agency. The risk management insurance committee presented the three proposals to the <br /> Council's Policy and Procedure Committee (Committee), which is made up of the entire <br /> 9-member Council, at its meeting on November 14, 2016, to which the agents were <br /> invited to present their proposals. The Committee was tasked with choosing a group <br /> health insurance provider and its agent of record at the Committee meeting. <br /> South Louisiana Financial Services, LLC, is wholly owned by South Louisiana Bank. <br /> Mr. Guidry currently has a collateralized loan obligation with South Louisiana Bank at a <br /> fixed term and interest rate. If the Council would have voted to contract with Blue <br /> Cross/Blue Shield or with United Healthcare for the Parish's group health insurance <br /> coverage, South Louisiana Financial Services, LLC, would have been appointed the agent <br /> of record and received monetary commissions from the insurer. However, Mr. Guidry <br /> disclosed his potential conflict regarding this matter and recused himself from voting on <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />