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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,n\$i LOrj7,, DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> 4'`z. <br /> 14 . <br /> c'i,,a+ 'l t P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> S* o BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> °NRiaa ,S (225)219-5600 <br /> . <br /> 0� FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.state.la.us <br /> March 28, 2012 <br /> Ms. Catherine Hollingsworth, Mayor <br /> Town of Elton <br /> P.O. Box 27 <br /> Elton, LA 70532 <br /> Re: Board Docket No.2012-039 <br /> Dear Mayor Hollingsworth: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics,at its March 16,2012 board meeting considered your request for an advisory <br /> opinion regarding whether the Town of Elton may hire a the step-father of Town Councilman, Anthony <br /> Guillory's wife. According to your opinion request,the Town has a job opening for maintenance work. Mr. <br /> Guillory is a Town Councilman. His wife's step-father has applied for the position. Your opinion request <br /> seeks to ensure that the hiring of her step-father would not be a violation of the nepotism laws under the Code <br /> of Governmental Ethics. <br /> The Board concluded, and instructed me to advise you, that the Code of Governmental Ethics will not <br /> prohibit the hiring of the step-father of the wife of a town council member. Section 1 1 19 of the Code <br /> prohibits the immediate family of an agency head from being employed with his agency. Section 1 102(I 3) <br /> defines "immediate family" as children, spouses of children, brothers and their spouses, sisters and their <br /> spouses,his parents,his spouse,and the parents of his spouse. Since the wife's step-parents are not included <br /> within the definition of immediate family then no violation of the Code of Ethics appears to be presented by <br /> this request. <br /> This advisory opinion is based solely on the facts as set forth herein. Changes to the facts presented may <br /> result in a different application of the provisions of the Code of Ethics. The Board issues no opinion as to <br /> past conduct or laws other than Code of Governmental Ethics. If you have any questions,please contact me <br /> at(225)219-5600 or(800) 842-6630. <br /> Sincere) <br /> FOIJISI A ! ' D OF ETHICS <br /> ' <br /> Brent E. Durham <br /> For the Board <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />