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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> OF LOU DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> � �~ r ,1,„ LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE, LA 70821 <br /> ONr-i oc ` (225)219-5600 <br /> «o» FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.la.gov <br /> November 20, 2019 <br /> Melissa Young <br /> 820 Wiltz Drive <br /> Baton Rouge, LA 70806 <br /> Re: Board Docket No. 2019-1081 <br /> Dear Ms. Young: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its November 15, 2019 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether your receipt of a car won at the annual American Correctional <br /> Association Conference constitutes a violation of the Code of Governmental Ethics. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You stated that you are employed with the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections <br /> (DPSC) as a Reentry Program Manager for the Lake Charles District and that you are a member <br /> of the non-profit organization Louisiana Correctional Association (LCA), where you currently <br /> serve as president. You attended ACA's annual Conference of Correction held in Boston, <br /> Massachusetts, in August 2019. LCA paid your conference registration fee and travel expenses <br /> association with attendance. While there, you won a drawing for a car. All registered conference <br /> participants were eligible to enter the drawing. In order to participate, you had to visit designated <br /> exhibitors to get a drawing card stamped. Once a card had been stamped by the required exhibitors, <br /> it was placed in a large hopper.Cards were then drawn from the hopper and placed in a bowl where <br /> three were selected. The holders of those cards were invited on stage and given a car key. Your <br /> key started the car, making you the winner. <br /> You stated that you paid your own LCA membership dues and that membership is an individual <br /> decision, not mandated by DPS. You also stated that you attended the conference on leave from <br /> DPS and in your capacity as LCA president rather than on DPS business. Your DPS position falls <br /> under the Reentry Program within Division of Probation and Parole and your duties are to manage <br /> formerly incarcerated persons and assist them transition back into society. You stated that the car <br /> was purchased by ACA using funds donated by sponsors. The organizations providing the funds <br /> were Acorn Engineering, Attenti, Bob Barker Company, Inc., Falcon Inc., Hazelden Publishing, <br /> and Vital Core Health Strategies. One of these sponsors, Attenti, has a contract with DPS to <br /> provide electronic monitors and web-based monitoring services used to track high-risk offenders. <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />