House Bill No. by Representative Chassion proposes significant amendments to Louisiana law regarding penalties for late or inaccurate filings under the Code of Governmental Ethics, the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, and lobbying disclosure laws. The bill aims to reduce daily penalties and maximum fines for various candidates and committees. For example, penalties for major office candidates are decreased from $100 per day (capped at $2,500) to $50 per day (capped at $1,250), while district office candidates see a reduction from $60 per day (capped at $1,000) to $30 per day (capped at $500). Similar reductions apply to other categories, including lesser office candidates and political committees, with the overall goal of encouraging compliance with reporting requirements.

Additionally, the bill modifies civil penalties for late filings, lowering maximum penalties from $10,000 to $5,000 for certain violations and establishing a new late fee structure that reduces daily fees from $50 to $25. It also addresses penalties for lobbyist registration and disclosure, capping maximum late fees at $250 instead of $500 and reducing civil penalties for late filings beyond 11 days from $1,000 to $500. The proposed changes reflect a shift towards a more lenient penalty structure, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on individuals and organizations while still holding them accountable for their reporting obligations.

Statutes affected:
HB694 Original: 18:4(A)(2), 24:58(D)(1), 33:9668(D)(1), 42:2(G)(2), 42:3(C)(4), 42:1(A)(2), 42:1157(A)(2)