By ADAM NOSSITER
The Associated Press
3/17/2004, 4:43 p.m. CT
 

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Proposals to tighten Louisiana's notoriously loose ethics laws were apologetically presented and coolly received at the state Capitol Wednesday, as the state ethics board proposed striking at a key element in the lobbyist-legislator relationship.

In the end, no promises were made and legislation to enact the ethics changes seemed a distant prospect.

Free, lobbyist-paid restaurant meals, receptions where liquor flows and tables are laden with food, and casual cocktails are all essential currency in a legislative session. On any session night, the Ruth's Chris steakhouse off Interstate 10 is crowded with legislative heavyweights and their lobbyist "sponsors."

Wednesday, the Louisiana Board of Ethics proposed doing away with all that, presenting a legislative committee with a ban on lobbyist-supplied food and drink and a host of other restrictions.

The proposal was made gently by officials of the ethic board, which critics say sometimes lacks vigor in enforcing ethics rules.

Ethics board vice chairman T.O. Perry began by complimenting members of the House and Senate governmental affairs committees for having passed strong ethics legislation, a perspective sharply at odds with that of national and local watchdogs, who consistently give Louisiana failing grades in key areas of ethics law.

The board's executive director, Gray Sexton, hastened to assure the lawmakers the proposed food-and-drink ban was not meant to cast aspersions on their integrity.

"This is in no way trying to say someone's interest is provoked by food and drink," Sexton said. "This is merely to avoid the appearance." Public officials are currently not allowed to receive "things of value," but there are exceptions including for food and drink.

Still, prospects for legislation enacting the proposed ban, and another one suggested on tickets to cultural and sporting events, appeared dim. The deadline for filing bills is Friday, and no lawmaker has leaped to the challenge.

Legislators Wednesday seemed skeptical of the proposals. Going over his current invitations list, Rep. Billy Montgomery, D-Bossier City, asked: "Do I have to bring my own lunch?" The answer was yes.

And Montgomery said the changes were "going to be very difficult to float. Y'all realize that. I just think one and two are going to be very difficult to deal with," he said, referring to the meals-and-tickets ban.

"You've got to have an author," he said, meaning a legislator who would agreed to draft legislation, "and that's going to be difficult too."

Sexton reassured the legislators: "The board has no reason to believe that any government official has achieved undue influence due to the provision of food and drink."