| Advisory opinion request of Melinda Richard, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Health, regarding her husband, Augustin "Chard" Richard's, service on the La. Health Care Quality Forum Board of Directors. |
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Melinda Richard is employed with the Department of Health (LDH) as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Public Health (OPH). Her husband, Augustin A. "Chard" Richard, III, serves as a non-compensated Board member on the Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum (Forum), which is a private, non-profit organization that works to improve the health of Louisiana Citizens. The Forum as a contract agreement with LDH and receives funding from LDH in connection with the implementation of an electronic health record used by LDH to support the exchange of health information.
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La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) provides that no public servant and no legal entity in which the public servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered, to or for any person during his public service unless such services are: (d) Neither performed for nor compensated by any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency; conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public employee's agency; or has substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
David Bordelon |
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