| Advisory opinion regarding whether AARP Louisiana may pay for Sara Guidry, New Orleans City Councilwoman to attend and be apart of a panel discussion during a conference held in Denver, Colorado. |
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AARP Louisiana would like to invite New Orleans City Council member Sarah Guidry to be a part of a panel for the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, which is being held in Denver Colorado, February 13 15, 2014. The session at the conference is titled "Livable Communities Council: Engaging Volunteers to Empower Communities" and is scheduled for Friday, February 1 from 1:30-3:00 pm. AARP is requesting to cover the conference registration, travel, and per diem. AARP Louisiana is a 501(c)(4) and is not currently lobbying any members of the New Orleans City Council, although the organization has done so in the past.
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Section 1111A prohibits a public servant from receiving anything of economic value for the performance of his job duties other than the compensation and benefits from the governmental entity to which he is duly entitled.
Section 1115A of the Code prohibits a public servant from receiving any thing of economic value from a person that (1) has, or is seeking to have, a business, contractual or other financial relationship with the public servant's agency; or (2) is seeking, for compensation, to influence the passage or defeat of legislation by the public servant's agency.
Section 1123 (41)(a) allows the acceptance by a public servant of complimentary admission to, lodging reasonably related to, and reasonable transportation to and from an educational or professional development seminar or conference held in any state of the United States or Canada, provided that (i) the public servant is requested or invited to attend by the sponsoring civic, nonprofit, educational, or political group or organization, (ii) the sponsor is not a person from whom the public servant is prohibited from receiving or accepting a gift pursuant to Section 1115(A)(2) (seeking for compensation to influence the passage or defeat of legislation by the public servant's agency), (iii) the seminar or conference is related to the public service of the public servant and is designed to enhance the knowledge or skill of the public servant as it relates to the performance of his public service, and (iv) the public servant's agency head approves the acceptance.
In additon, any public servant who accepts complimentary admission, lodging, or transportation to and from an educational or professional development seminar or conference must file an affidavit with the Board of Ethics within sixty days after such acceptance, disclosing (i) the name of the person organization who gave, provided, or paid in whole or in part for the admission, lodging, or transportation, (ii) the person or organization that hosted the seminar or conference, and (iii) the amount expended on his behalf by the person or organization on admission, lodging, and transportation.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Aneatra Boykin |
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