§65.  Civil remedy; penalty

A.(1)(a)  The attorney general, a district attorney, or any citizen of the state of Louisiana may by summary process petition for a declaratory judgment against a person alleged to be holding or to have held incompatible offices or employments or holding or have held a combination of offices or employments prohibited in this Part.  Venue for the suit for a declaratory judgment shall be at the domicile of the defendant who is or was employed or at the official domicile of any office held by the defendant.

(b)  Prior to filing a petition pursuant to Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, the attorney general or district attorney shall send written notice by certified mail to the person detailing the alleged violation of this Part.

(2)  Whether a person has vacated an incompatible or prohibited office or employment prior to the filing of the suit for declaratory judgment or prior to issuance of a final judgment in the suit shall not prohibit the court from declaring that the person has held incompatible offices or employments or a combination of offices or employments prohibited in this Part and ordering reimbursement pursuant to Subsection C of this Section.

B.  If the court declares that the person is holding offices or employments in violation of this Part, the court shall declare the office with the term first to expire or one of the employments vacant and shall enjoin the person from further carrying out the duties of that office or employment; however, a person holding an elective office shall continue to serve and perform the duties of that office until his successor has qualified.

C.  The court may order the reimbursement to the appropriate governmental body of all pay or other compensation and all allowances, including all allowances and payments for travel and other expenses which have been received by the official or employee in the position vacated, during a period of time not to exceed six months preceding the filing of suit for declaratory judgment. If the person vacates the position or office to remedy a violation of this Part within fourteen days after written notice of the violation is sent by the attorney general or a district attorney pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(b) of this Section, such person shall not be subject to the reimbursement provided for in this Subsection. If the person against whom a declaratory judgment is rendered has obtained an opinion of the attorney general issued prior to the filing of the suit for a declaratory judgment stating that the combination of offices or employments are not incompatible, and are not in violation of this Part, the court shall comply with Subsection B of this Section; however, the person against whom the declaratory judgment was rendered shall not be required to return any portion of the compensation or allowances received by him prior to the date on which the declaratory judgment becomes final.  Whenever any person requests an opinion of the attorney general concerning the offices or employments covered hereby, he shall at the same time provide to the attorney general information describing each of the employments or offices concerning which he requests the opinion, the number of hours worked or normally expected to be worked by him per each day of work for each of such employments or offices, the number of hours worked by him per week for such employments or offices, and shall thereafter furnish any other information the attorney general deems necessary for the issuance of the opinion.

Added by Acts 1979, No. 700, §1; Acts 2010, No. 829, §1.