| Appearance by Jaclyn Hotard, Parish President for St. John the Baptist Parish, seeking clarification on the application of La. R.S. 42:1141.4K & L. |
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Jaclyn Hotard, in her capacity as the St. John the Baptist Parish President, was sued for violating the First and Fourteenth Constitutional rights of a person when Ms. Hotard allegedly threatened criminal sanctions against a person that appeared before the St. John the Baptist Counsel and disclosed a confidential ethics investigation. An attorney for the Board and the Executive Secretary of the Board were subpoenaed to testify as to the confidentiality stamp placed on confidential and privileged documents.
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La. R.S. 42:1141.4K. The records of the Board of Ethics prepared or obtained in connection with investigations and private hearings conducted by the Board of Ethics, including all extracts of minutes and votes to take any matter under consideration in connection therewith, shall be deemed confidential and privileged, except that such records shall be available to each member of the Board of Ethics upon request. Except as provided in this Section and in R.S. 42:1111(E)(2)(c), all records, including the results and conclusions reached in connection with any investigation or hearing, shall be public.
La. R.S. 42:1141.4L.(1) It shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, for any member of the Board of Ethics, its executive secretary, other employee, or any other person, other than the person who is subject to the investigation or complaint, to make public the testimony taken at a private investigation or private hearing of the Board of Ethics or to make any public statement or give out any information concerning a private investigation or private hearing of the Board of Ethics without the written request of the public servant or other person investigated.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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