Disclosure requirements for boards and commissions

It won’t affect everyone, but for the people who sit on state boards or commissions, even on a voluntary basis will be required to report to the government a variety of information under the new ethics laws adopted during the regular legislative session and signed by Gov. Jindal.

The original bill required all boards and commissions with an annual expenditure, disbursement or investment of $10,000 to report, but it was amended early in the session.

Locally, several boards will be affected by the bill because they were formed by a legislative act; the newly formed Abbeville Film and Visitor’s Commission, Abbeville Harbor and Terminal and the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission to name a few.

According to the language in the bill the following information will be required for anyone serving as of July 1, 2008.

•General Information - full name and residence address of the individual and spouse.

•Employment - name of employer, job title, and a brief job description.

•Business Positions - the name, address, brief description of and nature of association in each business in which the individual or spouse is a director, officer, owner, partner, member or trustee and in which the individual or spouse owns an interest which exceeds ten percent of the business.

•Business Income Sources - the name and address of all business which provide income to the individual or spouse, including a brief description of the nature of services rendered for each business or of the reason such income was receive. The amounts are not required.

•Non-profits - the name, address, brief description or and nature of association with a non-profit organization in which the individual or spouse is a director or officer.

•Income from Government or Gaming Interests - the name, address, type and amounts and sources of income received by the individual or spouse, or by any business in which the individual or spouse owns an interest which exceeds ten percent of that business and is received from the state or political subdivision or services performed for or in connection with a gaming interest.

•Tax Returns - a certification that such individual has filed his federal and state income tax return, or has file for an extension of time for filing such tax returns.

•Conflict of Interest Statement - certification that any member of a board or his immediate family has no personal or financial interest in any entity that would pose a conflict of interest or a statement describing each conflict and any action the individual took to resolve or avoid the conflict.

•Elected Boards - will be governed if the voting district exceeds 5,000, which also will cover the Legislature, Board of Ethics and administrator, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

•Effective Date - anyone serving on the board or commission on July 1, 2008.

If a person fails to file a statement or if the person omits any pertinent information, the board (Ethics) will notify the person by certified mail and a fee of $50 per day will be assessed.

If a person discovers an error or inaccuracy in the information disclosed he can correct said error under no penalty.