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2026 Op. La. Att'y Gen. 1 (2026)

handle is hein.sag/sagla2026 and id is 1 raw text is: Lr~**~ Liz MuRRILL ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE ATrORNEY GENERAL P.O. Box 94005 BATON ROUGE, LA 70804-9005 January 5, 2026 OPINION 24-0153 71 Municipalities Mr. Ronnie E. Murray Town Marshal/Chief of Police P.O. Box 426 Plain Dealing, LA 71064 Mr. Douglas C. Dominick City Attorney - Town of Plain Dealing 203 W. Alabama P.O. Box 20 Vivian, La 71082 La. R.S.33:321, et seq. La. R.S. 33:481. La. R.S. 33:5151. La. Const. art. VII § 14. The Town of Plain Dealing is may not increase the salary of its elected Town Marshal/Chief of Police by offering the option to opt out ofthe health insurance premiums paid by the Town and adding those funds to his salary. Dear Marshal Murray and Attorney Dominick: This office has received your request regarding the legality of a proposed ordinance setting a salary increase for the Town Marshal/Chief of Police (Marshal) for the Town of Plain Dealing (Plain Dealing). The proposed ordinance would permit the Marshal to opt out of the health insurance offered and paid for by Plain Dealing and instead use those funds to increase his salary. Question: Can the Town of Plain Dealing pass an ordinance authorizing the elected Town Marshal/Chief of Police to opt out of the Town's health insurance and use those funds to increase his salary? Answer: It is the opinion of this office that the Town of Plain Dealing may not increase the salary of its elected Town Marshal/Chief of Police by offering the option to opt out of the health insurance premiums paid by the Town and adding those funds to his salary. Louisiana Revised Statute 33:321 provides that unless governed by a special legislative charter, a home rule charter, or plan of the government, Louisiana municipalities are governed by the Lawrason Act.1 However, where a special legislative charter is silent 1 See La. R.S. 33:321, et seq.