Louisiana ethics reform overdue, Terrebonne state lawmakers say

The special state legislative session on ethics reform called by Gov. Jindal began Sunday and Terrebonne Parish’s state legislative delegation is saying, on the whole, they are supporting the package of bills.

State Reps. Damon Baldone and Gordon Dove and state Sen. Reggie Dupre all said they are backing the new financial disclosure laws, which are probably the best-known parts of the reform package.

State legislators, statewide elected officials, executive branch department heads and officials in districts with 5,000 people or more, among others, will be required to reveal information about how they earn their money if the new laws pass.

“We want to make sure we have financial disclosure (about) where they make money, but we don’t want to run off people who would have to expose their pricing,” said Baldone, a Democrat.

“In general, it’s a good topic,” he said. “If they’re making money, we should know about it.”

Dove, a Republican, said Jindal’s reform package will change Louisiana’s image in Washington, D.C., as a politically corrupt state.

“Louisiana has been in desperate need of ethics reform,” he said. “I’m with the governor. Local officials should be as accountable as state officials.”

Dove said most people know what he owns already, but awarding contracts is usually a function local governments perform, not the state Legislature.

“We don’t award contracts to engineers,” he said.

Terrebonne Parish government has experienced few conflicts of interest, he said, except for Barry Blackwell.

The former parish manager was told recently by the state Ethics Board to reduce his level of ownership in a Gray-area real estate development.

Dove said nearly every state legislator is involved in some type of business, so a “line in the sand” needs to be drawn between political and commercial interests.

“Insurance company owners sit on insurance committees,” he said.

Both Dove and Dupre sit on committees in the legislature that oversee coastal restoration. Maintaining those positions is vital for Terrebonne Parish, he said.

“No legislators have complained about Reggie and me being in control of coastal restoration,” he said.

Dove also said family members of public officials disclosing what they own is important.

Dupre said he supports the concept of the ethics reform package, especially more disclosure for public officials dealing with lobbyists.

According to Dupre, he suggested to Gov. Jindal that mayors of towns in Louisiana with fewer than 5,000 people be excluded from the proposed financial disclosure laws.

“I thought that was reasonable,” he said.

Dupre added that any amendments passed during the special session, as well as laws in the reform package concerning relations between the state Legislature and the state judiciary, could pose problems if they are constitutionally challenged.