Bill
HB 258
Allows volunteer firefighters to hold other public offices and lets judicial branch employees serve part-time on boards/commissions, with limits.
HB 258 (Louisiana 2026) — Ethics/Dual Officeholding: Exceptions for Volunteer Firefighters and Judicial Branch Employees
Overview
- Purpose: Create targeted exceptions to Louisiana’s dual officeholding and dual employment prohibitions. The bill generally preserves existing prohibitions but provides a broad exception for volunteer firefighters and a limited exception for certain judicial branch employees to participate in boards, commissions, or advisory bodies.
- Jurisdiction: Louisiana
- Sponsor: Rep. Beaullieu (Co-sponsor: Sen. Beau Beaullieu is listed as sponsor in action history; main sponsor is Rep. Beaullieu)
Key Provisions and Changes
1) General exception for volunteer firefighters
- The bill adds a broad exception to the dual officeholding/dual employment restrictions for members or officers of volunteer fire departments (and combinations of fire departments).
- Effect: A volunteer firefighter (or volunteer fire department member/officer) would be allowed to hold a position in another branch of government or hold other designated offices/employments that would normally be restricted under existing law.
2) Limited exception for judicial branch employees
- The bill retains the current prohibitions that apply to state and political subdivisions’ offices and employment, but allows a specific, limited exception for judicial branch employees.
- Specifically, a person employed in the judicial branch (including as a judge ad hoc or pro tempore) may simultaneously hold a part-time appointive office in another branch of government, so long as the person serves as a designee or appointed member of any board, committee, task force, or commission.
- This exception is narrowly scoped to part-time appointed roles and to positions within boards/commissions.
3) Code amendments and references
- Adds new statutory references to capture the volunteer firefighter exception and the judicial-branch-based exception.
- New/additional subsections referenced: R.S. 42:66(A)(11) and (Q) (to implement and codify these exceptions).
Who is Affected
- Volunteer firefighters: Broad exception from dual officeholding/employment prohibitions when holding other public roles.
- Judicial branch employees: Limited permission to serve in part-time appointive roles on boards/commissions while employed in the judiciary (including ad hoc/pro tempore positions).
- Other government employees: Retain existing dual officeholding and dual employment prohibitions (no general change outside the specified exceptions).
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- Legislative history shows standard progression through House committee and Senate committee amendments.
- Final passage occurred in March 2026 with full House approval and referral to the Senate; Senate amendments were made (three amendments adding and clarifying the proposed exceptions).
- Effective date: Not specified in the provided text; typically, enacted legislation would become effective upon signature or a specified effective date in the act itself.
Notes for Readers
- The bill neither eliminates general dual-office restrictions nor broadens them beyond the stated exceptions.
- The volunteer firefighter provision notably expands permissible concurrent public service for those volunteers.
- The judicial-branch exception is carefully limited to non-full-time, part-time appointive roles in boards/commissions, reducing potential conflicts of interest while enabling participation in external governance activities.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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