| Advisory Opinion request from Richard Raynie, former employee of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority ("CPRA") regarding his potential employment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. |
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Richard Raynie was previously employed as a Coastal Resources Administrator within the Executive Division of the State of Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority ("CPRA"). Mr. Raynie retired on July 15, 2023.
While employed with CPRA, Mr. Raynie's duties included developing and implementing the System-Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program, Adaptive Management Program, and natural resources and habitat restoration monitoring programs. He also managed the financial components and budgets of monetary awards from projects and programs related to restoration activities. Additionally, he represented the State of Louisiana on several high-level regional teams, including the RESTORE Council Monitoring and Adaptive Management Working Group and the National Resource Damage Assessment Monitoring and Adaptive Management Trustee Implementation Group.
Mr. Raynie has been offered a Biologist position in the Programs and Project Management Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the New Orleans District. His employment will involve the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study, which is federally funded, and Section 408 permissions for projects such as the Mid-Breton Sediment and Diversion Project. Mr. Raynie stated that he was not involved with these projects or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while employed with CPRA.
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La. R.S. 42:1121(B) provides that no former public employee shall, for a period of two years following the termination of his public employment, assist another person, for compensation, in a transaction, or in an appearance in connection with a transaction in which such former public employee participated at any time during his public employment and involving the governmental entity by which he was formerly employed, or for a period of two years following termination of his public employment, render, any service which such former public employee had rendered to the agency during the term of his public employment on a contractual basis, regardless of the parties to the contract, to, for, or on behalf of the agency with which he was formerly employed.
La. R.S. 42:1102 provides the following relevant definitions:(4) "Assist" means to act in such a way as to help, advise, furnish information to, or aid a person with the intent to assist such person.(15) "Participate" means to take part in or to have or share responsibility for action of a governmental entity or a proceeding, personally, as a public servant of the governmental entity, through approval, disapproval, decision, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or the failure to act or perform a duty.(16) "Person" means an individual or legal entity other than a governmental entity, or an agency thereof.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
David Bordelon |
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