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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> T <br /> DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.0.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX:(225)3814271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> A., <br /> July <br /> July 10,2023 <br /> Melinda Richard <br /> 7440 Rienzi Boulevard <br /> Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2023-426 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Ms. Richard: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its meeting on July 7, 2023, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics ("Code") prohibits you from <br /> providing outside consulting services. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You are employed by the Louisiana Department of Health ("LDH") as the Assistant Secretary of <br /> the Office of Aging and Adult Services ("OAAS"). <br /> You are a certified Master Black Belt in the continuous improvement methodology known as Lean <br /> Six Sigma. Through your certification, you assist groups in identifying efficiency gains and lead <br /> the team to execute the improvements. You have formed Richard Consulting Solutions LLC in <br /> anticipation of providing consulting services. You have a prospective client that is a non-profit <br /> credit union.The credit union does not receive any funding from LDH.You state that any time you <br /> spend performing the consulting work will be done outside of non nal working hours, or you will <br /> take annual leave. <br /> You stated that your duties as OAAS Assistant Secretary do not include leading Lean Six Sigma <br /> projects. You ask whether you may provide such consulting services. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1111(C)(1)(a): No public servant shall receive any thing of economic value for any <br /> service, the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or <br /> operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1111(C)(2)(d): No public servant and no legal entity in which the public servant <br /> exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any thing of <br /> economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered,to or for any person <br /> during his public service unless such services are:Neither performed for nor compensated by any <br /> person who: (1)has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships <br /> Page 1 of 3 (6D 2023-426) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />