The bill amends the membership structure and operational requirements of the Board of Ethics in Louisiana. It increases the total number of board members from eleven to fifteen, with the governor appointing nine members instead of seven, and the House and Senate each electing three members instead of two. The bill emphasizes the need for demographic representation in appointments, requiring consideration of geography, gender, and race. Additionally, it mandates that at least five members be retired judges, five be retired elected officials, and five have never held elected office. The bill also establishes that a majority of the total membership constitutes a quorum for conducting business, and it raises the number of members required to conduct business en banc from nine to eleven.

Furthermore, the bill repeals certain provisions related to the Board of Ethics, specifically R.S. 42:1132(B)(2) and (3)(b), which may have previously outlined different membership or operational guidelines. The terms for the four additional members created by this legislation will commence on January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
SB497 Original: 42:1132(B)(2)
SB497 Engrossed: 42:1132(B)(1), 42:1132(B)(2)
SB497 Reengrossed: 42:1132(B)(1), 42:1132(B)(2)
SB497 Enrolled: 42:1132(B)(1), 42:1133(A), 42:1141(A)(3), 42:1132(B)(2)
SB497 Act 591: 42:1132(B)(1), 42:1133(A), 42:1141(A)(3), 42:1132(B)(2)