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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> �p LOUr DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> `• > P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> ca' (225)219-5600 <br /> °n'FDENS' - <br /> p,. <br /> FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> March 11, 2025 <br /> Anthony V. Ligi, Jr. <br /> Louisiana Dept. of Education <br /> 1201 N. 3rd Street <br /> Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 <br /> Re: Docket-No. 2025-012 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Mr. Ligi: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its March 7, 2025 meeting,considered your advisory opinion <br /> request, on behalf of the Louisiana Department of Education ("LDOE"), as to whether the Code <br /> of Govemrnental Ethics (the "Code") permits LDOE employees to solicit donations from third <br /> parties to cover certain costs associated with the hosting of an upcoming event. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> LDOE is hosting an event called "Teacher Leader Summit 2025" in June 2025 (the "Event"). As <br /> cun-ently contemplated by LDOE, the costs of hosting the Event would be defrayed by soliciting <br /> donations. Additionally, donors would receive various benefits based upon the size of their <br /> Donation. <br /> You would like to know if employees of LDOE can solicit donations from third parties to cover <br /> tl-e costs of hosting the Event. You would also like to know if there are any limitations as to the <br /> amount of donation or the benefit a donor would receive. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:11.15 provides with respect to gifts: <br /> "A. No public servant shall solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any thing of economic <br /> value as a gift or gratuity from any person or from any officer,director,agent,or employee of such <br /> person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person: <br /> (1) Has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with <br /> the public servant's agency." <br /> Page 1 of 3 (BD 2025-012) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />