Newly-elected governor of the US state of Louisiana Bobby Jindal, just six weeks into the job, has approved a set of ethics bills that will aim to bring more transparency to the legislative system in his state.
With an aim to bring more investment to the state and shake off its brash image, Jindal, the first US governor of Indian origin, approved the bills that will make state politicians' finances more transparent, cut down on their perks, and create an overall ethical image for Louisiana.
Faced with opposition from lawmakers of a state that takes pride in its extravagant lifestyle, Jindal made it clear that there was little scope for outside investment in the state until it painted a more ethical picture for itself.
"I've talked to CEOs in New York, even the president of the United States. And when you ask them for more investment, their first reaction always is 'Well, who do you need to know? Who do I have to hire? Is this money going to end up in somebody's pocket?'," Jindal was quoted as saying in The New York Times.
Henceforth, state legislators would be required to disclose all sources of income over $10,000. They will also no longer be eligible for contracts for state-financed or disaster-related work.
The income disclosure requirements stated in the new bills will be comparable to Washngton state, which is the top-ranked state by the US Center for Public Integrity, The New York Times reported.
Louisiana currently lags behind other US states on the ethics charts. Moreover, the state is known for the unapologetic and frank manner in which its legislators use their public standing as leverage to secure their business deals.
One of Jindal's more unpopular moves is the $50 cap on paid meals for state legislators at all restaurants. Louisiana is known for its proud food culture, so much so, that the unlimited paid meals were, until now, seen as an incentive to join public service.
While Jindal's bold moves may be unpopular with a section of legislators, he has public opinion on his side.
"Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused people to rethink how they wanted their social institutions to be designed, how they wanted services to be delivered, what kind of state they wanted to call home," The New York Times quoted him as saying.
Jindal says he has a long road ahead to bring his state at par with the top tier of states in the US. Lack of an educated work force, poor infrastructure, bad roads, an outflow of residents, and lack of investment will demand much of his attention for the remainder of his time in office.
"My biggest concern is, we'll run out of time," Mr. Jindal told The New York Times. "There are so many things we need to do in our state. It's like being in this endless buffet and having this incredible appetite, but knowing there's no way you're going to be able to eat everything you want to eat, or taste everything that's out there".
