| Advisory Opinion request from Hamid Belfassi, employee of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development ("DOTD"), regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics would prohibit him from contracting with state agencies. |
|
|
Mr. Belfassi currently serves as a Project Engineer for DOTD. Specifically, he works within District 5 of DOTD ("District 5"). He is considering becoming a partner in a business (the "Proposed Business") that will pursue contracts with other agencies of the State of Louisiana, including other DOTD districts, and agencies in other states. He does not currently know what percentage of the Proposed Business he will own.
|
|
La. R.S. 42:1113A states that no public servant, or a member of such a public servant's immediate family, or a legal entity in which he has a controlling interest shall bid on or enter into any contract, subcontract or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the agency of such public servant.
La. R.S. 42:1102(2)(a)(vi) defines "agency" to mean, for public servants of political subdivisions, it shall mean the agency in which the public servant serves, except that for members of any governing authority and for the elected or appointed chief executive of a governmental entity, it shall mean the governmental entity. Public servants of political subdivisions shall include, but shall not be limited to, elected officials and public employees of municipalities, parishes, and other political subdivisions; sheriffs and their employees; district attorneys and their employees; coroners and their employees; and clerks of court and their employees.
La. R.S. 42:1102(8) defines "controlling interest" to mean any ownership in any legal entity or beneficial interest in a trust, held by or on behalf of an individual or a member of his immediate family, either individually or collectively, which exceeds twenty-five percent of that legal 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(19) defines "public servant" to mean a public employee or elected official.
|
|
|
Adopt proposed advisory opinion.
|
|
| Assigned Attorney: |
Charles Reeves |
|
|