STATE OF LOUISIANA oF LOU DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE s 9 LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS yQ P O BOX 4368 BATON ROUGE LA 70821 x 225 o FAX 219 5600 225 381 7271 1 800 842 6630 www ethics state la us June 22 2015 President Diane Hollis Discovery Health Sciences Foundation Inc Through counsel of record Mr Robert L Rieger Jr Mr Lee C Reid Adams and Reese LLP 450 Laurel Street Suite 1900 Baton Rouge Louisiana 70801 Re Board Docket No 2015 417 Dear President Hollis The Louisiana Board of Ethics at its June 19 2015 meeting considered your request for an advisory opinion regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics Code would prohibit the Discovery Health Sciences Foundation Charter School from hiring Julia Mott the daughter in law of the Charter School CEO Patty Glaser Ph D You provided that Ms Mott is a certified Social Studies teacher If hired Ms Mott would be employed as a classroom teacher Additionally you provided that Ms Glaser will make no decisions regarding the employment ofMs Mott If Ms Mott is hired she will be supervised by the Principal All decisions regarding discipline and evaluations of Ms Mott would be made by the Principal and the Assistant Head of Schools The Board concluded and instructed me to inform you that generally La R S 42 1119B of would prohibit Ms Mott from being employed by the Discovery Heaith Sciences Foundation Charter School while her mother in law serves as the CEO of the Discovery Health the Code Sciences Foundation Charter School La R S 42 1119B provides that No member ofthe immediate family of a member of a governing authority or the chief executive of a governmental entity shall be employed by the governmental entity However La R S 42 1119B 2 a i provides a limited exception which permits the school board to employ an immediate family member ofa school board member provided the family member is certified to teach and teaching in a classroom Therefore Ms Mott may be employed by the Discovery Health Sciences Foundation Charter School as a classroom teacher However the Board further instructed me to inform you that La R S 1112B 1 would prohibit Dr Glaser from participating in a transaction with her governmental entity in which Ms Mott s has a substantial economic interest Finally if Ms Mott is hired Dr Glaser would be required by La R S 42 1119B 2 a iii to file a school board disclosure statement La R S 42 1119B 2 a iii provides that any superintendent whose immediate family member is employed by the school board file a disclosure statement with the Board of Ethics within thiriy AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER I days after the beginning of each school year This advisory opinion is based solely on the facts as set forth herein Changes to the facts presented may result in a different application of the provisions of the Code of Ethics The Board issues no opinion as to past conduct or laws other than Code of Governmental Ethics If you have any questions please contact me at 225 219 5600 or 800 842 6630 Sincerely LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS Suzanne Quinlan Mooney For the Board