§1124.4. Penalties

A.(1) If a person fails to timely file a financial statement as required by R.S. 18:1495.7 or by R.S. 42:1124, 1124.2, 1124.2.1, or 1124.3, or a person omits any information required to be included in the statement, or the board has reason to believe information included in the statement is inaccurate, the board shall notify the person of such failure, omission, or inaccuracy by sending him by certified mail or service of process a notice of delinquency immediately upon discovery of the failure, omission, or inaccuracy.

(2) The notice of delinquency shall inform the person that the financial statement must be filed, or that the information must be disclosed or accurately disclosed, or that a written answer contesting the allegation of such a failure, omission, or inaccuracy must be filed no later than seven business days after receipt of the notice of delinquency. The notice shall include the deadline for filing the statement, filing the answer, or disclosing or accurately disclosing the information.

(3) The board shall inform the person in the notice of delinquency that failure to file the statement, to disclose or accurately disclose the information, or to file an answer contesting the allegation by the deadline shall result in the imposition of penalties as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

B.(1) If the person files the statement, provides the omitted information, or corrects the inaccurate information prior to the deadline contained in the notice of delinquency, no penalties shall be assessed against the person. If the person files a written answer contesting the allegations prior to the deadline contained in the notice of delinquency, no penalties shall be assessed until a determination is made by the board that a violation occurred.

(2) If the person fails to file the statement, fails to provide the omitted information, fails to correct the inaccurate information, or fails to file a written answer prior to the deadline contained in the notice of delinquency, he shall be subject to assessment of the penalties provided in Subsection C of this Section for each day until the statement, omitted information, corrected information, or written answer is filed.

(3) Upon a finding by the board in connection with a written answer that no violation has occurred, no penalties shall be assessed against the person. If the board finds in connection with a written answer that the person has failed to file the statement or failed to disclose or accurately disclose the required information, he shall be subject to assessment of the penalties provided in Subsection C of this Section for each day until the statement is filed, until the omitted information is filed, or until the inaccurate information is corrected.

C. Penalties shall be assessed as follows:

(1) Five hundred dollars per day for financial statements required by R.S. 42:1124.

(2) One hundred dollars per day for statements required by R.S. 42:1124.2.

(3) Fifty dollars per day for statements required by R.S. 42:1124.2.1 or 1124.3.

(4) The penalties to be assessed candidates shall be assessed according to which financial statement the candidate is required to file as provided in R.S. 18:1495.7.

D.(1)(a) A finding by the board after the notice provided for in Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section that a person has willfully and knowingly failed to file a statement, willfully and knowingly failed to timely file a statement, willfully and knowingly omitted information from a statement, or willfully and knowingly provided inaccurate information in a statement shall subject the person to prosecution for a misdemeanor.

(b)(i) Upon first conviction thereof, the person shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars.

(ii) Upon a second or subsequent conviction for violation of the same reporting requirement, the person shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars.

(2) Any person prosecuted under this Subsection shall have a right to be tried before a jury of six persons, all of whom shall concur to render a verdict.

(3) Findings pursuant to this Section shall be made by the board at a public hearing conducted for that purpose.

(4) Upon finding at a public hearing a possible violation of Subsection D of this Section, the board shall forward its findings to the district attorney in the parish which is the domicile of the person who filed the report for appropriate action.

E.(1) The Board of Ethics shall post on its web site on the Internet a list of all persons who have failed to file, or failed to timely file, or who have failed to provide omitted information or failed to provide accurate information as required by this Section.

(2)(a) No person shall be included on the list unless he fails to file, to provide omitted information, or to provide accurate information by the deadline included in a notice of delinquency, nor shall he be included on the list if he has filed an answer contesting the allegations included in the notice of delinquency.

(b) A person shall be removed from the list within two business days after filing the statement or accurately disclosing the required information.

F. If a person who is required to disclose information required by R.S. 42:1124, 1124.2, 1124.2.1, or 1124.3 discovers an error or inaccuracy in the information he disclosed and files an amendment to such disclosure correcting such error or inaccuracy prior to the receipt of a notice of delinquency, no penalties shall be assessed against the person, and the board shall replace the initial disclosure with the amendment thereto in the official records of the board.

Acts 2008, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2008, No. 162, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2008, No. 472, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 574, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; Acts 2014, No. 739, §1.