Code of Ethical Behavior

 
 Code of Ethical Behavior (Adopted November 8, 2011)

1. Lobbying activities should be conducted with honesty and integrity.

• Truthful communications with state legislative and executive branch officials, local officials, and other interested parties is paramount.
   
• Information provided to officials and other interested parties should be timely and accurate.
   
• If information changes, or if inaccurate information was provided by the lobbyist, he or she should seek to provide accurate, updated information to officials and interested parties.

2. Lobbyists should fully comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and rules and should not cause a public official to violate any law or regulation of his or her office.

• A lobbyist should be familiar with Louisiana’s Legislative and Executive Branch Lobbyist Disclosure Acts and the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics and comply with all reporting requirements and spending limitations as they apply to his or her profession.
   
• A lobbyist should understand and comply with Louisiana’s Campaign Finance Disclosure Act.

3. Lobbying activities should be conducted in a professional manner.

• A lobbyist should maintain a basic knowledge of the legislative process, Administrative Procedures Act and other processes of Louisiana government.
   
• A lobbyist should have a basic understanding of issues presented to public officials on behalf of a client or employer.
   
• A lobbyist should convey respect of and common courtesy toward both allies and opponents. 
   
• Lobbyists should conduct their behavior in a manner commensurate with the importance of the First Amendment protections that protect the Right to Petition the government, and should not engage in any activities that would do harm to public trust in the democratic process.
   
• A lobbyist’s resources and time should be dedicated to advance a client’s or employer’s interests appropriate to client expectations, agreements and compensation.

4. Lobbyists should avoid conflicts of interest.

• A lobbyist should not advocate a position on behalf of one client while representing another client that has a conflicting position on that issue, unless all parties involved are notified and grant consent.
   
• Contract lobbyists should not undertake a representation of a new client that may generate a conflict of interest without the informed consent of the existing client or potential client involved.
   
• All known conflicts and potential conflicts should be disclosed by a lobbyist to all clients or prospective clients in a timely manner to resolve the conflict promptly.
   
• Any subcontractor hired by a lobbyist to assist with efforts on behalf of a client should be vetted for potential conflicts.

5.  A lobbyist should maintain confidentiality of a client’s or employer’s proprietary or privileged information.

• A client’s or employer’s confidential information should not be disclosed by a lobbyist without consent of the client or employer.
   
• Following termination of service, a lobbyist should surrender any client papers or property to which the client is entitled and should avoid the use of confidential information against the client’s interests.

6. A professional lobbyist should set the example when dealing with public officials.

• Ethical lobbying includes conducting public communication with legislative, executive and local officials with decorum.
   
• A lobbyist should instill public confidence in the democratic process by assisting non-professionals and members of the general public in their ability to communicate with officials in accordance with the rules of legislative bodies and executive branch procedures.