| Advisory opinion regarding the receipt of reimbursement for travel taken by Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of the City of New Orleans. |
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Mitch Landrieu, the Mayor for the City of New Orleans, serves as the Vice President for the US Conference of Mayors, a national organization. Mayor Landrieu receives no compensation for his service as the Vice President for the US Conference on Mayors. Further, the US Conference of Mayors does not have a contractual or financial relationship with the City of New Orleans. Additionally, the First Lady also travels with Mayor Landrieu to these meetings, conferences, and seminars as a guest of a member and officer of the US Conference of Mayors. These meetings, conferences and seminars are held within the United States and Internationally.
Mayor Landrieu has also received a request to attend, in his capacity as the Mayor of New Orleans, a professional conference in South Africa that will be hosted by the United States Department of Transportation. At the request of the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, the Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, will lead the delegation of U.S. mayors to South Africa. The purpose of the visit includes Ladders of Opportunity and corresponding transit infrastructure investment, and maritime/ports-related economic growth meetings. Air, hotel, and ground transportation will be paid for by the U.S. Department of Transportation through direct-booking.
The Mayor has also been invited to attend a professional conference in Rome, Italy from the non-profit Galileo Foundation. The City of New Orleans does not have a contractual or financial relationship with the Galileo Foundation. The purpose of the conference is to convene international mayors to discuss humanitarian aid after natural disasters. Mayor Landrieu has been requested to speak to discuss the US perspective on responding and adapting to natural disasters. Mayor Landrieu seeks an opinion as to whether the Galileo may book his travel directly; therefore, he would not be receiving any direct reimbursement or may the Galileo Foundation make an unconditional donation to the City of New Orleans, which the city may in turn use to cover these travel expenses.
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La. R.S. 42:1115 prohibits a public servant from soliciting or accepting a "thing of economic value" from persons that have or are seeking a contractual or other business or financial relationship with his agency.
La. R.S. 42:1123(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 US or Canada, provided that (1)the public servant is requested or invited to attend by the sponsoring nonprofit organization, (2) the sponsor is not a person seeking to have legislation passed, (3) the seminar or conference is related to the public service of the servant and (4) the public servants agency head approves the acceptance.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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