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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> OV.Lour DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> � P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> CONFIDE"' (225)219-5600 <br /> •••«o»••' FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> July 7, 2025 <br /> Jared Marcell <br /> 7814 Lady Gray Street <br /> New Orleans, Louisiana 70127 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2025-309 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Mr. Marcell: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its meeting on July 3, 2025, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics ("Code") prohibits you, a <br /> New Orleans Public Library(NOPL) employee from starting a video podcast. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You are currently an Assistant Branch Manager for the NOPL. Outside of work hours, you would <br /> like to start a video podcast featuring books you have read during your free time. You would like <br /> to create and publish this video podcast. You intend to distribute it via streaming services such as <br /> Apple and/or YouTube. After you have time to develop a video library of your podcasts you hope <br /> to monetize them, meaning you hope to have sponsors and receive compensation for your work. <br /> You will not solicit the NOPL or any of its vendors to sponsor you. You do not intend to mention <br /> your employment with the NOPL on your podcast. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1111C(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 has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with <br /> the public servant's agency; conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public <br /> employee's agency; or has substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by <br /> the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1102(2)(a) defines "agency" as a department, office, division, agency, commission, <br /> board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity. <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />