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STATE OF LOUISIANA "F............. DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE :Q 'iLOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS n ilii, d �= P.O.BOX 4368 BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 °+---_ ' `� (225)219-5600 „n` FAX.(225)381-7271 1-800-842-6630 www.ethics.state.la.us November 23,2015 Honorable Jonathan"JP"Perry Louisiana Senate P.O. Box 100 Kaplan, Louisiana 70548 Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2015-1152 Dear Senator Perry: The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its November 20,2015 meeting, considered your request for an advisory opinion as to whether you,Representative Mike Johnson and Representative Alan Seabaugh may receive complimentary travel and lodging to attend an educational trip to Israel from the American Israel Education Foundation. You stated that you, Representative Johnson and Representative Seabaugh were invited to participate in the Educational Seminar in Israel for Southwest Christian Leaders being sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation. According to the invitation attached to your request,the participants include political and religious leaders. The invitation also stated that the American Israel Education Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. It also stated that it is the charitable organization affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a private entity. The American Israel Education Foundation would cover the costs of transportation, lodging, and meals during the program. The Board concluded,and instructed me to inform you,that the Code of Governmental Ethics would prohibit you, Representative Mike Johnson and Representative Alan Seabaugh from receiving complimentary transportation and lodging from the American Israel Education Foundation to travel to Israel to attend an educational seminar on U.S.-Israel relations since it is not part of yours, Representative Johnson's and Representative Seabaugh's job duties and responsibilities as members of the Louisiana Legislature to attend educational seminars on the relationship between the United States and Israel. La. R.S. 42:1111A prohibits a public employee from receiving anything of economic value,other than compensation and benefits from the governmental entity to which he is duly entitled, for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of his office or position. In addition, since the educational seminar is not being held in the United States or Canada, the exception contained in La. R.S. 42:1123(41) is not applicable herein. La. R.S. 42:1123(41) provides an exception that allows a public servant to receive complimentary admission, and reasonable transportation and lodging for an educational or professional development seminar within the U.S. or Canada, provided that (i) the public servant is requested or invited to attend by the sponsoring civic,nonprofit,educational,or political group or organization, (ii)the sponsor is not a AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER