Governmental Reform.

LABI encourages the enactment and enforcement of state laws and policies that are honest, fair, transparent and responsible, allowing all citizens to participate in electoral and governmental processes. 

Major Issues.

Constitutional Amendments

LABI Position: A constitutional convention or legislative referendum will be required to amend key articles and provisions within the Louisiana Constitution to permit changes that will facilitate the policy reforms promoted by Louisiana’s business community to advance economic development and prosperity for the state and its citizens. Support legislative actions that amend or allow amendment of the state constitution as necessary to enable such reform. 

Fiscal Transparency

LABI Position: Support efforts to increase the transparency of state and local government operations and enhance public online access to information.

Government Efficiency

LABI Position: In an effort to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, support efforts to operate state government in a more efficient, cost-effective and fiscally responsible manner, including privatizing state government services where feasible, and the utilization of technology.

Current Issues.

Boards and Commissions: Support legislation that would require public or quasi-public boards and commissions to adhere to the same legal requirements and accountability standards as other public bodies. Also, support legislation to limit the number of terms a person can serve on certain boards and commissions. Support legislation to promote experience and expertise by allowing individuals to serve on boards and commissions and to recuse themselves when an issue arises involving a conflict of interest.

Civil Service: Support legislation to reform civil service to achieve maximum efficiency in state government.

Elections: Support legislation to reduce the number of election dates to maximize voter turnout.

Ethics:
• Support the retention of an appropriate board or boards governing ethics for elected officials, public employees and lobbyists, and support the enforcement of existing laws. Monitor the activity and decisions of this board, particularly regarding their effects on the business community and the election process.

• Strengthen enforcement of Louisiana’s ethics law regarding campaign finance, lobbyist disclosure and implementation and enforcement of the Code of Ethics as it relates to public employees and elected officials.  Support storing ethics data in a form that is easily exportable for public consumption.

•  Support retention of a strong campaign finance disclosure law, including provisions to require full disclosure of all campaign contributions. Support the current rights of citizens and corporations to contribute to political campaigns, both individually and as legally constituted committees.

•  Support retention of a strong lobbyist disclosure law.

•  Actively oppose any unjustified weakening of the current ethics law.

Government Appointments: Support efforts to change appointed governmental positions and certain elected positions to professional positions.

Investigative Independence: Support efforts to ensure that the Ethics Board and Inspector General have the independence and focus to investigate and enforce substantive ethics laws against conflicts, abuse and corruption in state government.

Little Hatch Act: Support “Little Hatch Act” provisions in the state constitution that prohibit state and local classified civil service employees from participating in certain partisan political activities while so employed.

Public Access to Legislators: Oppose any efforts to limit and/or restrict public access to legislators and/or House and Senate chambers.

Public Meetings/Public Records: Oppose efforts to weaken the Open Meetings Law, the Public Records Law, the Election Code, the Public Bid Law and the Local Government Budgeting Act; and protect the rights of individuals and organizations to full and open participation in governmental processes. Support extending the period to which a recorded public meeting is archived for public access and legislative intent.

Retirement Systems: Support consolidation and reform of state retirement systems, including elimination of early retirement after 20 years of service regardless of age for future state employees. Oppose any expansion of benefits or coverage to help ensure fiscally responsible funding and actuarial soundness of Louisiana’s public retirement systems. Support legislation that would raise the retirement age and/or increase the years of service needed for new state employees to retire. Support the use of surplus funds to pay down the unfunded accrued liability of the state retirement systems.

State Contracts: Support strengthening existing law that prohibits awarding state contracts for goods and services to any public official or his/her immediate family.

Term Limits: Support legislation to limit the terms of all statewide elected officials and the judicial branch. Continue to support the existing law that limits the number of terms a person can serve in the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives.

Ongoing Policy.

Initiative: Maintain Louisiana’s current referendum system, which requires that voters approve all changes to Louisiana’s constitution.

Judicial Reform: Support programs and legislation to foster judicial excellence, including, but not limited to, consolidating districts and court functions.

Office of the Inspector General: Support efforts to protect the existence of the Office of Inspector General in state law.

Contacts.

Jim Patterson serves as Director of the Governmental Reform Council. In this capacity, his responsibilities include all governmental reform issues that impact Louisiana’s business community. 

Jim Patterson

Director, Small Business Council, LABI
jimp@labi.org

John Overton

Chair, Governmental Reform Council
Turn Key Solutions
john@tks.com