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Regular Session, 2011 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 153
BY SENATORS RISER, ADLEY, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, CHABERT,
CHAISSON, CHEEK, CLAITOR, CROWE, DONAHUE, DORSEY,
ERDEY, GAUTREAUX, GUILLORY, HEITMEIER, JACKSON,
KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTI NY, MCPHERSON,
MICHOT, MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH, MOUNT, MURRAY,
NEVERS, PERRY, PETERSON, QUI NN, SHAW, SMITH,
THOMPSON, WALSWORTH AND WILLARD-LEWIS
A RESOLUTION
To honor and commend the Honorable Robert "Rob" M. Marionneaux Jr. for his dedicated
service and outstanding contributions to the citizens of the parishes of Iberville,
Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West
Feliciana, and St. Helena, and to the state of Louisiana, during his sixteen years of
noble leadership as a distinguished member of the Louisiana Legislature, serving
twelve years in the Louisiana Senate representing District 17, and four years in the
Louisiana House of Representatives representing District 18, and to express eternal
gratitude for making Louisiana a better place for all citizens of this state.
WHEREAS, Robert M. Marionneaux Jr. a practicing attorney in Baton Rouge, is
married to Keely Williams Marionneaux, has one son, Robert M. Marionneaux III, and
resides in Grosse Tete; and
WHEREAS, Robert M. Marionneaux Jr. a native son and lifelong resident of
Louisiana, was born on October 7, 1968, in Baton Rouge, to Patricia Smith Marionneaux and
the late Robert M. Marionneaux Sr. and grew up on a small rural farm in Maringouin; and
WHEREAS, Rob graduated from Catholic High of Pointe Coupee, and went on to
attend Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he received his Bachelor of
Science Degree in Criminal Justice, and a minor in psychology and sociology, and was a
member of Sigma Nu fraternity; and
WHEREAS, being interested in government and serving people, Rob ran for and was
elected to serve as the Criminal Justice Representative on the General College Student
Council, and thereafter was elected president of LSU's largest college, The General College;
and
WHEREAS, in 1995, he graduated from Southern University Law Center, where he
was on the Dean's List, and represented the Law Center in various capacities, including SR NO. 153 ENROLLED
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being elected Vice-President, the first Caucasian student representative at Southern, and
participating in trial competition where he and his teammates won Best Brief and Best Oral
Argument; and
WHEREAS, in May 1995, Rob married Keely Williams, who fell in love with the
young man on the tractor, the fierce lawyer ready to take on the world, and the heart of a
man not afraid to stand up for his beliefs, or speak out for others, and who wanted to make
this world a better place; and
WHEREAS, on their honeymoon, Keely recalls Rob telling her "I think I'm going
to run for office," and she smiles while remembering them campaigning and walking
door-to-door, and how Rob wore out the soles of his cowboy boots, and how she will never
forget making homemade signs and t-shirts in Rob's first campaign headquarters, their living
room; and
WHEREAS, at the age of twenty-seven, Robert M. Marionneaux Jr., a country boy
wanting to serve the people, was elected in 1996 to serve as the State Representative for
District 18 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing parts of Iberville, Pointe
Coupee, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana parishes, and was appointed to serve on the
administration of criminal justice; transportation, highways, and public works; and
agriculture committees; and
WHEREAS, during his first term in office, on April 26, 1998, Representative
Marionneaux and his wife were blessed with a son, Robert, their pride and joy, whose first
outing was to be introduced on the House floor at two months old; and
WHEREAS, after serving one term in the House of Representatives, Rob was elected
in November 2000 to serve as the State Senator for District 17 in the Louisiana Senate,
representing all or parts of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St.
Helena, and West Baton Rouge parishes, and was appointed to serve on the agriculture,
forestry, aquaculture, and rural development, and joint capital outlay committees; and
WHEREAS, Senator Marionneaux was re-elected for a second term in 2004 and was
appointed Chairman of the Judiciary B Committee, which oversees the criminal justice
system, including juvenile justice, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and
Corrections, and all gaming issues, and was also appointed to serve on the Senate and SR NO. 153 ENROLLED
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governmental affairs, revenue and fiscal affairs, and consumer affairs and technology
committees; and
WHEREAS, having a special interest and deep appreciation for the military, Senator
Marionneaux started the Annual Senate Military Family Day in 2005 to honor and officially
recognize Louisiana's fallen soldiers and their families during a legislative session for the
ultimate sacrifice made by them in defense of our freedoms; and
WHEREAS, since the beginning of Military Family Day, the Senate has honored 167
fallen military heroes and their families, and Senator Marionneaux authored legislation,
signed into law in 2007, which increases soldier death benefits to help families ease the
financial strain as they cope with the loss of their loved one; and
WHEREAS, his love of all people truly shined in 2005 when, after Hurricane Katrina
destroyed New Orleans and forever changed the history of Louisiana, Senator Marionneaux
was on the ground shortly after helping fellow Louisianians who lost everything in the
storm, bringing18-wheeler trucks loaded with supplies to needy people, coordinating a
water-borne relief effort for the people of St. Bernard Parish who were completely
devastated, and visiting each shelter in his district meeting, comforting, and assisting the
people in need; and
WHEREAS, in response to Hurricane Katrina, he was appointed the Chairman of the
Joint Capital Area Subcommittee on Disaster Planning, Crisis Management, Recovery, and
Long-Term Revitalization, helping citizens try to get their lives back to normal after the
storm and addressing concerns and plans for future hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, being equally as passionate about service, the legislature, the military,
and moving this state forward, Senator Marionneaux is focused on improving the lives and
health of all Louisiana citizens, and authored the Louisiana Smokefree Air Act, which
became law on January 1, 2007, and prohibits smoking in public places, including
restaurants, schools, school buses, school campuses, public buildings, and places of
employment; and
WHEREAS, he was chosen by the Louisiana Public Health Association as the
recipient of the Public Service Award in 2007, for being the first person to successfully pass
legislation to prohibit smoking in Louisiana, and for his profound contribution to public SR NO. 153 ENROLLED
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health; and
WHEREAS, Senator Marionneaux was re-elected to his third term of office in 2008,
and was appointed as the Chairman of the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee,
which oversees the state's revenue, tax laws, and capital outlay legislation; was appointed
Senate Parliamentarian; and was appointed to serve on the Senate and governmental affairs,
labor and industrial relations, judiciary A, joint capital outlay and joint budget committees;
and
WHEREAS, being an advocate for the citizens of Louisiana, Rob has fought for
many different causes, particularly for the working class, sponsoring and passing many
pieces of legislation, including the Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday to save taxpayer dollars, and
fighting hard to lower taxes for working families by repealing parts of the Stelly Plan,
believing that tax cuts are for individuals and not big corporations at the expense of working
citizens, and in 2011, attempting to save the state millions in tax breaks, and attempting to
phase out the state income tax; and
WHEREAS, Senator Marionneaux is a fiscally responsible Democrat, whose top
priority is education, fighting to raise the quality of schools and demanding increased
performance in the classroom, voting for the TOPS scholarship program while in office, and
authoring and passing legislation to grant each parent a tax deduction up to fifty percent of
that amount paid for private and parochial school tuition up to five thousand dollars; and
WHEREAS, Rob has secured many millions of dollars for the parishes he represents
for improvements, economic development, non-profit organizations, and various entities,
most importantly to enhance the lives of the citizens by making their community a better and
more safe place to live; and
WHEREAS, he is blessed with a wonderful family who are his strongest supporters
of his political dreams, Robert and Patsy; sisters Julie and Janet; niece Janie; and nephews
Chuck and Mark, each spending hours stuffing envelopes, making calls, walking
door-to-door, and putting up signs during each campaign, all being very proud of Rob's
accomplishments, and of the fact that he never forgot where he came from, and has fought
hard for the people of his district and state; and
WHEREAS, Rob is also blessed with great friends, and a dedicated and committed SR NO. 153 ENROLLED
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staff who have helped him along his legislative career, who are like family to him and will
miss him dearly; Kim Daigle, his legislative assistant of over thirteen years, and his capitol
family, Danielle Doiron, Shannon Simpson, and Camille Morgan, each having praise and
respect for him and the causes he fights for, and learning many lessons from him and sharing
many memorable moments along the way, such as buying and babysitting an iguana,
watching him spring into action and volunteer after Hurricane Katrina, Camille staying up
all night stapling papers "accordion style" so he could show his colleagues the vast amount
of tax credits we allow in this state, Danielle coordinating Military Family Day and listening
to Senator Marionneaux read each resolution honoring our fallen heroes and visiting with
military families and listening to stories about their loved ones, and Shannon always running
around the capitol, making sure to always have a back-up plan; and
WHEREAS, no job is as important to him as being the most loving and supportive
father to his son Robert, 13, who looks up to his dad and is very close to him, and has fond
memories of growing up at the capitol, sitting in his dad's desk on the Senate floor watching
him debate issues and pass laws, while also coaching his baseball team and supporting him
at each track meet, baseball, football, and basketball game, and taking him flying in his
plane, and on hunting, fishing, skiing, and beach trips; and
WHEREAS, Rob Marionneaux is a partner at the Law Firm of Unglesby and
Marionneaux in Baton Rouge, and specializes in personal injury and criminal defense,
having represented thousands of individuals in their quest for justice; and
WHEREAS, his hobbies include fishing, hunting, flying his plane, snow skiing, and
working on his cattle farm in Grosse Tete; and
WHEREAS, Rob is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana
Cattleman's Association, Louisiana Farm Bureau, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Wild
Turkey Federation; a board member of the Mental Health Board of Louisiana; and a member
of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Maringouin; and
WHEREAS, he has been the deserving recipient of numerous honors and awards
throughout the course of his exemplary career and his professional, civic, and business
affiliations; and
WHEREAS, Rob Marionneaux is a public servant whose proven leadership, SR NO. 153 ENROLLED
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dedication, knowledge, and excellence as a state representative and state senator has merited
his consistent re-election to office since 1996; and
WHEREAS, he must relinquish his Senate seat when his term of office officially
ends in January 2012, due to term limits, and although this chapter as a state legislator is
coming to an end, he will never stop fighting for the citizens of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, as he prepares to begin the next exciting chapter in his life, Senator
Marionneaux deserves commendation for his singular contributions and the exemplary
strides he has taken as an exceptional member of the Louisiana Senate and the Louisiana
House of Representatives.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Honorable Robert "Rob" M.
Marionneaux Jr. is hereby commended and congratulated, and honor and recognition are
hereby extended to him for his outstanding accomplishments, particularly during his tenure
as a member of the Louisiana Senate and the Louisiana House of Representatives, which has
been marked by his uncompromising endeavors to improve the health and welfare of his
constituents and all citizens of the state of Louisiana, and tribute is hereby paid to him for
the generous and effective way in which he has made a difference, and shared his
intelligence and energy to serve his family, friends, community, and state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that enduring gratitude is hereby expressed to him
for his exemplary achievements and unforgettable moments as a member of this
distinguished body, and best wishes from all of his colleagues for continued prosperity and
success in his future endeavors are hereby extended.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Senator Rob Marionneaux.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE