House Bill No. by Representative Berault seeks to amend R.S. 33:9611(A)(1) to authorize St. Tammany Parish to create local ethics entities, similar to those already permitted for the city of New Orleans and the parishes of East Baton Rouge and Jefferson. The bill outlines the powers, duties, and authority of these local ethics entities, which may include establishing an ethics review board or an office of inspector general, as well as adopting and enforcing local codes of conduct or ethics ordinances.

The proposed law retains existing provisions that allow local governmental subdivisions to designate a local ethics entity as a law enforcement agency, granting it investigative powers and privileges under state law. It also maintains the ability for these entities to investigate organizations receiving funds from the local government and ensures confidentiality during preliminary investigations. The key insertion in the bill is the inclusion of St. Tammany Parish in the list of jurisdictions authorized to create such ethics entities.

Statutes affected:
HB276 Original: 33:9611(A)(1)