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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> �4 of Lo STATE <br /> DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> °�NFioEN (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> March 9, 2026 <br /> Patrice Thomas <br /> 1614 La Annie Drive, Unit C <br /> Baton Rouge, LA 70815 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2026-015 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Ms. Thomas: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its March 6, 2026 meeting, considered your advisory opinion <br /> request as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics (the "Code") permits you to perform <br /> notarial and accounting services with a private company on a part-time basis for compensation <br /> while you are an employee at the Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You are employed with the Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office ("LLFO") within the Legislative <br /> branch. You are also a commissioned Louisiana notary public and would like to offer your notarial <br /> and accounting services, on a part-time basis and outside your normal working hours, to a local <br /> behavioral health agency in Baton Rouge. In October 2025,the behavioral health agency received <br /> grant funds from the city of Baton Rouge to provide services. The source of the grant funds is <br /> national opioid settlements from private pharmaceutical companies. In addition, the behavioral <br /> health agency is registered as a behavioral health service provider with the Louisiana Department <br /> of Health. Currently, the behavioral health agency does not have any contracts with the <br /> department,nor does the agency anticipate receiving any upcoming contracts with the department. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) states that no public servant and no legal entity in which the public <br /> servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any <br /> thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered, to or for <br /> any person during his public service unless such services are: (d) Neither performed for nor <br /> compensated by any person from whom such public servant would be prohibited by R.S. <br /> 42:1115(A)(1) or(B) from receiving a gift. <br /> La.R.S.42:1115A(1)prohibits a public servant from soliciting or accepting,directly or indirectly, <br /> anything of economic value as a gift or gratuity from any person or from any officer, director, <br /> agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that <br /> Page 1 of 3 (BD 2026-015) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />