BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana must combat its reputation for corruption by
forcing extra restrictions on elected officials who stand to make money
from federal hurricane relief efforts, a House committee decided
Wednesday.
The panel passed two bills whose sponsors said are meant to counter
reports in the national news media that labeled Louisiana a state
incapable of combating corruption and patronage. Rep. Eric LaFleur said
Louisiana has been depicted as "a rogue state that can't function
properly."
However, LaFleur's bill differs from Rep. Peppi Bruneau's on how tough
the restrictions should be: Bruneau's would prohibit state and local
elected officials from profiting in any way from the federal money;
LaFleur's only requires that officials report all the income they or
their spouses receive.
LaFleur said a complete ban was impractical because many elected
officials -- such as House and Senate members -- work part-time and have
side businesses that are often vital to smaller communities.
He offered the example of a small town sheriff who also owns a hardware
store. LaFleur said it would be unfair to bar such a sheriff from
selling generators to people using money from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
"I think it would stifle the entire process of recovery," said
LaFleur, D-Ville Platte.
Lafleur's bill would require that state and local elected officials,
appointed state officials and their spouses to fill out ethics sheets
detailing income of more than $2,500 that came from contracts,
subcontracts or other transactions involving money meant for hurricane
recovery.
Those failing to file would be subject to fines from the state Board of
Ethics.
LaFleur's bill has the backing of Gov. Kathleen Blanco.
Bruneau's bill initially dealt only with disclosure; he amended it to
prohibit officials from getting such contracts after is signed by the
governor.
For those who already have the contracts, Bruneau's bill includes
tougher disclosure rules that would also require reporting from
officials' immediate family members -- parents, siblings, children --
rather than just their spouses.
Bruneau said Louisiana needs an outright ban because of its dismal
ethical reputation.
"We have been laughed at nationally, and anybody that does not
understand that has his head in the sand," said Bruneau, R-New
Orleans.
But Bruneau acknowledged that his bill likely would face debate on the
House floor over whether it fits -- as legally required -- inside the
governor's outline for the ongoing special legislative session.
The House and Governmental Affairs Committee passed both bills without
votes, sending them to the full House for debate.
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On the Net: House Bills 9 and 51 can be viewed at
http://www.legis.state.la.us/
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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