Meetings
 
Agenda Item
Docket No. 23-136
 
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RE:
Advisory Opinion Request from West Baton Rouge Parish Government relating to outside employment.
Facts:
Ben Bello is an employee of West Baton Rouge Parish Government (the "Parish"), serving as a building inspector within the Parish Planning and Development Department (the "Department"). His duties include conducting inspections to ensure compliance with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code.
Mr. Bello has been offered part-time employment with a private employer, Easley Builders ("Easley"). Easley performs construction projects in the Parish, as well as other surrounding parishes.
Mr. Bello would not have any role performing inspections on work done by Easley, and would have no role on behalf of Easley with respect to applications or inspections.
Law:
La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) provides that no public servant and no legal entity in which the public servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered, to or for any person during his public service unless such services are: (d) Neither performed for nor compensated by any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency; conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public employee's agency; or has substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty.
La. R.S. 42:1102(2)(a)(i) defines "agency" to mean a department, office, division, agency, commission, board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity.
La. R.S. 42:1102(18)(a) defines "public employee" to mean any person, whether compensated or not who is: (i) an administrative officer or official of a governmental entity who is not filling an elective office; (ii) appointed by any elected official when acting in an official capacity, and the appointment is to a post or position wherein the appointee is to serve the governmental entity or an agency thereof, either as a member of an agency, or as an employee thereof; (iii) engaged in the performance of a governmental function; (iv) under the supervision or authority of an elected official or another employee of the governmental entity.
La. R.S. 42:1102(18)(c) provides that a public employee shall be in such status on days on which he performs no services as well as days on which he performs services. The termination of any particular term of employment of a public employee shall take effect on the day the termination is clearly evidenced.
La. R.S. 42:1102(19) defines "public servant" to mean a public employee or elected official.
Recommendations:
Adopt proposed advisory opinion.
Assigned Attorney: Charles Reeves
 
 
ATTACHMENTS:
Description:
2023-136 - AO
2023-136 - Advisory Opinion Draft - Garrett