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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> oF LOUl DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> w°�� �S,sr LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> f.�J2 nr. �,'�,c`"9 . <br /> � v ��� 9 P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> N7-:.,� <br /> * �-� ��'0.�� `� * BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> `ONFioEN`� (225)219-5600 <br /> -•«o.•••' FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.la.gov <br /> August 11, 2025 <br /> Amanda Martin <br /> Louisiana Housing Coiporation <br /> 2415 Quail Drive <br /> Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2025-374 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Ms. Mai-tin: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its August 8, 2025 meeting, considered your advisory opinion <br /> request as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics ("Code") permits your continued service <br /> as a board member for the SMILE Community Action Agency while you are employed as a staff <br /> attorney with the Louisiana Housing Corporation. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You recently started employment as a staff attonley with the Louisiana Housing Corporation <br /> (`LHC"). You also serve on the Board of Directors for the St. Martin-Iberia-Lafayette Community <br /> Action Agency ("SMILE") for which you do not receive compensation. SMILE is a non-profit <br /> organization that provides needed resources to low-income residents in the tri-parish region, <br /> ' focusing on health, education, and economic stability assistance. SMILE receives some funding <br /> from LHC for its housing programs, such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Progranl <br /> and Community Housing Development Organization. <br /> You would like to know whether you can continue to serve on the SMILE Board while being <br /> employed with LHC. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1112B(3) states that no public servant shall participate in a transaction involving the <br /> governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any person of which he is an officer, <br /> director, trustee, parti�er, or employee has a substantial economic interest. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1123(1) provides an exception for participation in the affairs of charitable, religious, <br /> nonprofit education, public service, or civic organizations when no compensation is received. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1102(2)(a) defines "agency" to mean a department, office, division, agency, <br /> commission, board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity. <br /> Page 1 of 3 (BD 2025-374) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />