| Advisory Opinion request regarding post employment restrictions as they pertain to a current employee of the DOA who previously served as designee of Commissioner on the Louisiana Firefighters' Retirement System's Board of Trustees. |
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Marella Houghton has been employed by the State of Louisiana for
approximately 27 years. Ms. Houghton served as Deputy Undersecretary of the Office
of Finance and Support Services (OFSS) for the past 7 years. Prior to her current
employment with the Division of Administration (DOA), Ms. Houghton served with the Department
of Treasury as Fiscal Control Manager, the Department of Education as Audit
Manager, the Office of Statewide Reporting and Accounting Policy (OSRAP) as
Statewide Accounting Consultant 4, and the Legislative Auditor's Office as Financial
Compliance Senior Auditor.
Louisiana R.S. 11:2260 lists the Commissioner of
Administration or his designee as one of 10 members of the Louisiana Firefighters'
Retirement System's Board of Trustees. Under the present administration, the
Commissioner of Administration designated the Director of OSRAP as his designee
to serve as a member of the Board, with the OSRAP Assistant Director to serve
as alternate designee, if required.
The Director of OSRAP position was vacant and the Assistant
Director of OSRAP was unavailable for the Board meetings conducted in May and
June of 2022. Therefore, Commissioner Dardenne executed delegations for Ms. Houghton to appear
as his designee at the Board meeting in May of 2022.
Pursuant to this interim
designation, Ms. Houghton appeared on Commissioner Dardenne's behalf at the Board's May
2022 meeting. A quorum was convened and votes on all action items were passed
unanimously by the Board.
Ms. Houghton recently became aware of an employment opportunity
with the Louisiana Firefighters' Retirement System.
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La. R.S. 42:1121A(2) prohibits a former
member of a board or commission, for a period of two years following the
termination of his public service on such board or commission, from contracting
with, being employed in any capacity by, or being appointed to any position by
that board or commission.
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Adopt the proposed Advisory Opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Mallory Guillot |
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