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Committee approves expansion of school‑employment nepotism exception; ethics board raises concerns
Summary
House Bill 661 would let school boards and superintendents hire paraprofessionals and custodians who are immediate family members without triggering ethics rules. The ethics administrator warned continued exceptions may erode nepotism prohibitions; the bill was reported favorably.
House Bill 661, sponsored by Representative Fontenot, would expand an existing exception to Louisiana’s nepotism provisions to allow school boards and superintendents to employ immediate family members as paraprofessionals and custodians. Fontenot told the committee the change responds to recruitment challenges in rural districts for lower-paid positions and would align those categories with current exceptions for teachers and bus drivers.
Committee members asked whether the bill would also cover other support roles such as cafeteria workers; the sponsor said he would be open to amendments. David Bordelon, ethics administrator for the Louisiana Board of Ethics, told the committee the board reviewed the bill and is concerned that continually adding exceptions "erodes the function" of the nepotism prohibition, though he noted disclosure requirements would remain.
After discussion, Speaker Pro Tem Johnson moved to report the bill favorably; the motion carried without objection and HB 661 will proceed with a committee report.
