Louisiana's ethics board has reversed a three-month-old decision that prohibited candidates from using their campaign funds to pay for child care.
News outlets reported the board voted 6-4 Friday to let candidates use the money for babysitting expenses during campaign events.
Gov. John Bel Edwards and several Republican and Democratic lawmakers supported the reversal, saying child care is a reasonable expense associated with running for office. A board opinion issued nearly two decades ago allowed child care expenses to be paid with campaign funds.
But in November, the ethics board told Morgan Lamandre, a Baton Rouge woman running for a state House seat, that she cannot use campaign dollars for care of her children when she attends campaign events.
That ruling sparked outcry, and Lamandre asked for Friday's reconsideration.