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HLS 26RS-448 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 694
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHASSION
ETHICS/BOARD: Provides relative to penalties for failure to timely or accurately file
required reports
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1505.4(A)(2)(a) and (4), R.S. 24:58(D)(1) and (2), R.S.
3 33:9668(D)(1) and (2), R.S. 42:1114.2(G)(2), 1114.3(C)(4)(b), 1124.1(A)(2) and (B),
4 1124.4 (C)(1), (2), (3), and (4) and (D)(1)(b), 1153, and 1157(A)(2) and (4), and R.S.
5 49:78(D)(1) and (2), relative to fees, fines, and penalties assessed by the Board of
6 Ethics and Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure; to provide for
7 penalties assessed for late and inaccurate filings required by the Code of
8 Governmental Ethics; to provide for penalties assessed for late and inaccurate filings
9 required by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act; to provide for penalties assessed
10 for late and inaccurate filings required by the lobbying disclosure laws; to provide
11 for daily fees, fines, and penalties; to provide for maximum fees, fines, and penalties;
12 to provide for the assessment of criminal penalties; and to provide for related
13 matters.
14 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
15 Section 1. R.S. 18:1505.4(A)(2)(a) and (4) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
16 as follows:
17 §1505.4. Civil penalties; failure to file; timely and accurate filing; forfeiture
18 A.
19 * * *
20 (2)(a) The amount of such penalty may be:
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1 (i) One hundred Fifty dollars per day, not to exceed two thousand five
2 hundred one thousand two hundred fifty dollars, for each candidate for major office
3 and any treasurer or chairman of any committee designated as a principal campaign
4 committee or subsidiary committee of such a candidate.
5 (ii) Sixty Thirty dollars per day, not to exceed one thousand five hundred
6 dollars, for any candidate for district office and any treasurer or chairman of any
7 committee designated as a principal campaign committee or subsidiary committee
8 of such a candidate.
9 (iii) Forty Twenty dollars per day, not to exceed five hundred two hundred
10 fifty dollars, for any candidate for all other offices and any treasurer or chairman of
11 any committee designated as a principal campaign committee or subsidiary
12 committee of such a candidate.
13 (iv) Forty Twenty dollars per day, not to exceed one thousand five hundred
14 dollars, for any person or the treasurer or chairman of any political committee or
15 independent expenditure-only committee, not supporting or opposing a candidate,
16 but only supporting or opposing any proposition or question submitted to the voters
17 or any the recall of a public officer.
18 (v) Two One hundred dollars per day, not to exceed three one thousand five
19 hundred dollars, for the treasurer or chairman of any political committee or
20 independent expenditure-only committee supporting or opposing a candidate, other
21 than a candidate's principal or subsidiary campaign committee.
22 * * *
23 (4)(a) For reports required by this Chapter which are required to be filed
24 between the time a candidate qualifies and election day, in addition to any penalties
25 which may be imposed under this Section or any other law, the supervisory
26 committee may impose on any person required to file such a report who has not filed
27 such report by the sixth day after the report is due, after an adjudicatory hearing by
28 an adjudicatory panel of the Ethics Adjudicatory Board conducted in accordance
29 with the provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics, with notice to the party who
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1 is the subject of the hearing, an additional civil penalty not to exceed ten five
2 thousand dollars.
3 (b) For all other reports required by this Chapter, in addition to any penalties
4 which may be imposed by this Section or any other law, the supervisory committee
5 may impose on any person required to file such a report who has not filed such report
6 by the eleventh day after the report is due, after an adjudicatory hearing by an
7 adjudicatory panel of the Ethics Adjudicatory Board conducted in accordance with
8 the provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics, with notice to the party who is
9 the subject of the hearing, an additional civil penalty not to exceed ten five thousand
10 dollars.
11 * * *
12 Section 2. R.S. 24:58(D)(1) and (2) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
13 follows:
14 §58. Enforcement
15 * * *
16 D. In addition to any other applicable penalties:
17 (1)(a) Any person required to register and who fails to timely register and
18 any person who fails to timely file any report required by this Part shall be assessed,
19 pursuant to R.S. 42:1157, a late fee of fifty twenty five dollars per day.
20 (b) However, any person who fails to timely file a lobbyist expenditure
21 report filed pursuant to R.S. 24:55(G) or R.S. 49:76(G) which contains all of the
22 information required by this Part and Part IV of Chapter 1 of Title 49 of the
23 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 shall be assessed, pursuant to R.S. 42:1157, a
24 late fee of fifty twenty five dollars per day.
25 (2) Any person whose registration or report is filed eleven or more days after
26 the day on which it was due may be assessed, in addition to any late fees pursuant
27 to this Section, after a hearing by the board, a civil penalty not to exceed one
28 thousand five hundred dollars.
29 * * *
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1 Section 3. R.S. 33:9668(D)(1) and (2) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
2 follows:
3 §9668. Enforcement
4 * * *
5 D. In addition to any other applicable penalties:
6 (1) Any person required to register and who fails to timely register and any
7 person who fails to timely file any report required by this Chapter shall be assessed,
8 pursuant to R.S. 42:1157, a late fee of fifty twenty five dollars per day.
9 (2) Any person whose registration or report is filed eleven or more days after
10 the day on which it was due may be assessed, in addition to any late fees pursuant
11 to this Section, after a hearing by the board, a civil penalty not to exceed one
12 thousand five hundred dollars.
13 * * *
14 Section 4. R.S. 42:1114.2(G)(2), 1114.3(C)(4)(b), 1124.1(A)(2) and (B), 1124.4
15 (C)(1), (2), (3), and (4) and (D)(1)(b), 1153, and 1157(A)(2) and (4) are hereby amended and
16 reenacted to read as follows:
17 §1114.2. Financial disclosure; retirement systems
18 * * *
19 G.
20 * * *
21 (2) Whoever fails to file a report required by this Section, or knowingly and
22 willfully fails to timely file any such report, or knowingly and willfully fails to
23 disclose or to accurately disclose any information required by this Section shall be
24 assessed a civil penalty pursuant to R.S. 42:1157 for each day until such report or the
25 required accurate information is filed. The amount of the penalty shall be one
26 hundred fifty dollars per day.
27 * * *
28 §1114.3. Disaster or emergency contracts; prohibition; disclosure
29 * * *
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1 C.
2 * * *
3 (4)
4 * * *
5 (b) In addition to other applicable penalties, whoever fails to file a statement
6 required by this Section, or knowingly and willfully fails to timely file any such
7 statement, or knowingly and willfully fails to disclose or to accurately disclose any
8 information required by this Section shall be assessed a civil penalty in accordance
9 with R.S. 42:1157 for each day until such statement or the required accurate
10 information is filed. The amount of the penalty shall be one hundred fifty dollars per
11 day.
12 * * *
13 §1124.1. Penalties; required reports; failure to file; timely and accurate filing
14 A.
15 * * *
16 (2) The amount of such penalty shall be two hundred fifty one hundred
17 dollars per day for statements required by R.S. 42:1114.
18 B. Whoever knowingly and willfully files a false report required by this Part,
19 except for statements required by R.S. 42:1124, 1124.2, 1124.2.1, or 1124.3, shall
20 be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than
21 one thousand five hundred dollars nor more than ten five thousand dollars or
22 imprisoned in parish prison for not more than six months, or both. Any prosecution
23 under this Subsection shall be tried before a jury of six persons, all of whom must
24 concur to render a verdict.
25 * * *
26 §1124.4. Penalties
27 * * *
28 C. Penalties may be assessed as follows:
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1 (1) Five hundred Two hundred fifty dollars per day for financial statements
2 required by R.S. 42:1124.
3 (2) One hundred Fifty dollars per day for statements required by R.S.
4 42:1124.2.
5 (3) Fifty Twenty five dollars per day for statements required by R.S.
6 42:1124.2.1.
7 (4) Twenty-five Ten dollars per day for statements required by R.S.
8 42:1124.3.
9 * * *
10 D.(1)
11 * * *
12 (b)(i) Upon first conviction thereof, the person shall be fined not less than
13 one thousand five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand two thousand five
14 hundred dollars.
15 (ii) Upon a second or subsequent conviction for violation of the same
16 reporting requirement, the person shall be fined not less than one thousand five
17 hundred dollars nor more than ten five thousand dollars.
18 * * *
19 §1153. Penalties
20 A. Upon a determination that any elected official or other person has violated
21 any provision of any law within the jurisdiction of the Board of Ethics except
22 violations of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act which shall be governed by
23 Chapter 11 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the Ethics
24 Adjudicatory Board may censure the elected official or person, or impose a fine of
25 not more than ten five thousand dollars, or both.
26 B. Upon a determination that any public employee or other person has
27 violated any provision of any law within the jurisdiction of the Board of Ethics
28 except violations of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act which shall be governed
29 by Chapter 11 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the Ethics
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1 Adjudicatory Board may remove, suspend, or order a reduction in pay, or demotion
2 of the public employee or other person, or impose a fine of not more than ten five
3 thousand dollars, or both.
4 * * *
5 §1157. Late filing fees
6 A.
7 * * *
8 (2) The late filing fees for any lobbyist required to register and file reports
9 under the provisions of R.S. 24:50 et seq., shall be as provided in R.S. 24:58(D). The
10 late filing fees for any lobbyist required to register and file reports under the
11 provisions of R.S. 49:71 et seq., shall be as provided in R.S. 49:78(D); however, the
12 late filing fees applicable to a lobbyist for a lobbyist expenditure report filed
13 pursuant to R.S. 24:55(G) or R.S. 49:76(G) which contains all of the information
14 required by Part IV of Chapter 1 of Title 49 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
15 1950 and all of the information required by Part III of Chapter 1 of Title 24 of the
16 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 shall be fifty twenty five dollars per day. The
17 late filing fees for any lobbyist required to register and file reports under the
18 provisions of R.S. 33:9661 et seq., shall be as provided in R.S. 33:9668(D).
19 * * *
20 (4) Any late filing fees assessed by the Board of Ethics or its staff, for any
21 failure to timely file any report or statement due, shall not exceed the following:
22 (a) If the fee is twenty-five ten dollars per day, the maximum shall be five
23 hundred two hundred fifty dollars.
24 (b) If the fee is forty twenty dollars per day, the maximum shall be one
25 thousand five hundred dollars.
26 (c) If the fee is fifty twenty five dollars per day, the maximum shall be one
27 thousand five hundred seven hundred fifty dollars, except that the maximum shall
28 be five hundred two hundred fifty dollars for fees assessed pursuant to Paragraph (2)
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1 of this Subsection. The computation of days provided for in this Subparagraph shall
2 not include Saturdays, Sundays, or other legal holidays.
3 (d) If the fee is sixty thirty dollars per day, the maximum shall be two one
4 thousand dollars.
5 (e) If the fee is one hundred fifty dollars per day, the maximum shall be two
6 thousand five hundred one thousand two hundred fifty dollars.
7 (f) If the fee is two one hundred dollars per day, the maximum shall be three
8 thousand one thousand five hundred dollars.
9 (g) If the fee is five hundred two hundred fifty dollars per day, the maximum
10 shall be twelve thousand five hundred six thousand two hundred fifty dollars.
11 * * *
12 Section 5. R.S. 49:78(D)(1) and (2) are amended and reenacted to read as follows:
13 §78. Enforcement
14 * * *
15 D. In addition to any other applicable penalties:
16 (1)(a) Any person required to register and who fails to timely register and
17 any person who fails to timely file any report required by this Part shall be assessed,
18 pursuant to R.S. 42:1157, a late fee of fifty twenty five dollars per day.
19 (b) However, any person who fails to timely file a lobbyist expenditure
20 report filed pursuant to R.S. 24:55(G) or R.S. 49:76(G) which contains all of the
21 information required by this Part and Part III of Chapter 1 of Title 24 of the
22 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 shall be assessed, pursuant to R.S. 42:1157, a
23 late fee of fifty twenty five dollars per day.
24 (2) Any person whose registration or report is filed eleven or more days after
25 the day on which it was due may be assessed, in addition to any late fees pursuant
26 to this Section, after a hearing by the board, a civil penalty not to exceed one
27 thousand five hundred dollars.
28 * * *
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 694 Original 2026 Regular Session Chassion
Abstract: Lowers fees assessed by the Board of Ethics and associated criminal penalties
for late or inaccurate ethics, campaign finance disclosure, and lobbying disclosure
filings.
Present law (R.S. 42:1132) requires the Board of Ethics to administer and enforce the
provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics; the legislative, executive branch, and local
governmental lobbying registration and disclosure requirements; and, when functioning as
the Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure, the provisions of the
Campaign Finance Disclosure Act.
Campaign finance disclosure penalties
Present law (R.S. 18:1505.4) provides that any candidate, the treasurer or chairman of a
committee, or any other person required to file any campaign finance disclosure reports, who
knowingly fails to file or who knowingly fails to timely file any such reports may be
assessed a civil penalty for each day until such report is filed.
For reports filed by a candidate for major office or the principal campaign committee or
subsidiary committee of such a candidate, present law imposes a penalty of $100 a day, not
to exceed $2,500. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $50 a day, not to exceed $1,250.
For reports filed by a candidate for district office or the principal campaign committee or
subsidiary committee of such a candidate, present law imposes a penalty of $60 a day, not
to exceed $1,000. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $30 a day, not to exceed $500.
For reports filed by a candidate for any other office or the principal campaign committee or
subsidiary committee of such a candidate, present law imposes a penalty of $40 a day, not
to exceed $500. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $20 a day, not to exceed $250.
For reports filed by any person or any political committee or independent expenditure-only
committee, not supporting or opposing a candidate, but only supporting or opposing any
proposition or question submitted to the voters or any the recall of a public officer, present
law imposes a penalty of $40 a day, not to exceed $1,000. Proposed law lowers the penalty
to $20 a day, not to exceed $500.
For reports filed by any political committee or independent expenditure-only committee
supporting or opposing a candidate, other than a candidate's principal or subsidiary campaign
committee, present law imposes a penalty of $200 a day, not to exceed $3,000. Proposed
law lowers the penalty to $100 a day, not to exceed $1,500.
Present law provides that for reports which are required to be filed between the time a
candidate qualifies and election day, the supervisory committee may impose on any person
required to file such a report who has not filed such report by the sixth day after the report
is due, after an adjudicatory hearing, an additional civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.
Proposed law lowers the additional penalty to $5,000.
Present law provides that for any other reports which are required to be filed, the supervisory
committee may impose on any person required to file such a report who has not filed such
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report by the 11th day after the report is due, after an adjudicatory hearing, an additional
civil penalty not to exceed $10,000. Proposed law lowers the additional penalty to $5,000.
Ethics disclosure penalties
Present law (R.S. 42:1114) requires public servants, legislators, elected officials, and their
immediate family members to disclose certain transactions with their agency, the state, or
a political subdivision of the state, under certain circumstances. Present law provides that
a person who fails to file the required disclosure or knowingly and willfully fails to timely
file any such statement, or knowingly and willfully fails to disclose or to accurately disclose
any required information shall be assessed a civil penalty of $250 per day. Proposed law
lowers the penalty to $100 per day.
Present law (R.S. 42:1114.2) provides that each person who has or is seeking to obtain
contractual or other business or financial relationships with a state or statewide public
retirement system shall file with the board a report of all expenditures for a retirement
official or retirement officials.
Present law provides that whoever fails to file such a report or knowingly and willfully fails
to timely file any such report, or knowingly and willfully fails to disclose or to accurately
disclose any required information shall be fined $100 per day. Proposed law lowers the
penalty to $50 per day.
Present law (R.S. 42:1114.3) requires disclosure of certain contracts related to disasters or
emergencies. Present law provides that whoever fails to file such a statement or knowingly
and willfully fails to timely file any such statement, or knowingly and willfully fails to
disclose or to accurately disclose any required information shall be fined $100 per day.
Proposed law lowers the penalty to $50 per day.
Present law provides for personal financial disclosures required of statewide elected
officials, department secretaries, and other certain public servants (Tier 1). Present law
provides for penalties for failure to file, timely file, or accurately file such disclosures to be
assessed at $500 per day. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $250 per day.
Present law provides for personal financial disclosures of certain public servants including
legislators, members of the Board of Ethics, State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education, and the Board of Pardons, among others (Tier 2). Present law provides for
penalties for failure to file, timely file, or accurately file such disclosures to be assessed at
$100 per day. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $50 per day.
Present law provides for personal financial disclosures of persons appointed to a state board
or commission (Tier 2.1) who made a contribution or loan to a campaign of the official who
appointed him. Present law provides for penalties for failure to file, timely file, or accurately
file such disclosures to be assessed at $50 per day. Proposed law lowers the penalty to $25
per day.
Present law provides for personal financial disclosures of elected officials of voting districts
with a population under 5,000, among others (Tier 3). Present law provides for penalties for
failure to file, timely file, or accurately file such disclosures to be assessed at $25 per day.
Proposed law lowers the penalty to $10 per day.
Present law provides that a person has willfully and knowingly failed to file a personal
financial disclosure 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. Present law provides that upon first conviction, the person shall be fined not
less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000; upon a second or subsequent conviction, the person
shall be fined not less than $1,000 dollars nor more than $10,000 dollars. Proposed law
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lowers the fine for the first conviction to not less than $500 nor more than $2,500; lowers
the fine for a second or subsequent conviction to not less than $500 nor more than $5,000.
Present law (R.S. 42:1124.1) provides that whoever fails to file a financial statement
required by the Ethics Code or whoever knowingly and willfully fails to timely file any such
statement, or knowingly and willfully fails to disclose or to accurately disclose any
information required by the Ethics Code shall be assessed a civil penalty for each day until
such statement or the required accurate information is filed.
Present law provides the maximum filing fee is as follows, unless otherwise provided:
(1) If the fee is $25 per day, the maximum shall be $500. Proposed law instead provides
that if the fee is $10 per day, the maximum shall be $250.
(2) If the fee is $40 per day, the maximum shall be $1,000. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $20 per day, the maximum shall be $500.
(3) If the fee is $50 per day, the maximum shall be $1,500. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $25 per day, the maximum shall be $750.
(4) If the fee is $60 per day, the maximum shall be $2,000. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $30 per day, the maximum shall be $1,000.
(5) If the fee is $100 per day, the maximum shall be $2,500. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $50 per day, the maximum shall be $1,250.
(6) If the fee is $200 per day, the maximum shall be $3,000. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $100 per day, the maximum shall be $1,500.
(7) If the fee is $500 per day, the maximum shall be $12,500. Proposed law instead
provides that if the fee is $250 per day, the maximum shall be $6,250.
Present law provides that whoever files a false report, other than a personal financial
disclosure, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not
less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 dollars or imprisoned in parish prison for not more
than six months, or both. Proposed law lowers the criminal fine to no less than $500 nor
more than $5,000.
Lobbyist registration and disclosure penalties
Present law (R.S. 25:50, et seq.) requires legislative lobbyists to register and to file
expenditure reports with the board. Present law (R.S. 49:71, et seq.) further requires
executive branch lobbyists to register and to file expenditure reports with the board. Present
law (R.S. 33:9661 et seq.) further requires local government lobbyists to register and file
expenditure reports with the board.
In regulating legislative, executive branch, and local government lobbyists, present law
provides that any person required to register and who fails to timely register and any person
who fails to timely file any report or fails to timely file a complete expenditure report shall
be assessed a late fee of $50 dollars per day. Proposed law lowers the late fee to $25 per
day.
Present law provides that any person whose registration or report is filed 11 or more days
after the day on which it was due may be assessed, in addition to any late fees, after a
hearing by the board, a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000. Proposed law lowers the
additional penalty to $500.
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Present law (R.S. 42:1157) provides that the maximum amount of late fees for all lobbyist
registrations and disclosures is $500. Proposed law lowers the maximum fee to $250.
(Amends R.S. 18:1505.4(A)(2)(a) and (4), R.S. 24:58(D)(1) and (2), R.S. 33:9668(D)(1) and
(2), R.S. 42:1114.2(G)(2), 1114.3(C)(4)(b), 1124.1(A)(2) and (B), 1124.4 (C)(1)-(4) and
(D)(1)(b), 1153, and 1157(A)(2) and (4), and R.S. 49:78(D)(1) and (2))
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