ENROLLED
Page 1 of 3
Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 135
BY REPRESENTATIVES KLECKLEY, ABRAMSON, ADAMS, ANDERS, ARMES,
ARNOLD, BADON, BARRAS, BARROW, BERTHELOT, BILLIOT, STUART
BISHOP, WESLEY BISHOP, BROADWATER, BROSSETT, BROWN,
BURFORD, HENRY BURNS, TIM BURNS, BURRELL, CARMODY, CARTER,
CHAMPAGNE, CHANEY, CONNICK, COX, CROMER, DANAHAY, DIXON,
DOVE, EDWARDS, FANNIN, FOIL, FRANKLIN, GAINES, GAROFALO,
GEYMANN, GISCLAIR, GREENE, GUILLORY, GUINN, HARRIS, HARRISON,
HAVARD, HAZEL, HENRY, HENSGENS, HILL, HODGES, HOFFMANN,
HOLLIS, HONORE, HOWARD, HUNTER, HUVAL, GI ROD JACKSON,
KATRINA JACKSON, JAMES, JEFFERSON, JOHNSON, JONES, LAMBERT,
NANCY LANDRY, TERRY LANDRY, LEBAS, LEGER, LEOPOLD, LIGI,
LOPINTO, LORUSSO, MACK, MILLER, MONTOUCET, MORENO, JAY
MORRIS, JIM MORRIS, NORTON, ORTEGO, PEARSON, PIERRE, PONTI,
POPE, PRICE, PUGH, PYLANT, REYNOLDS, RICHARD, RICHARDSON,
RITCHIE, ROBIDEAUX, SCHEXNAYDER, SCHRODER, SEABAUGH,
SHADOIN, SIMON, SMITH, ST. GERMAIN, TALBOT, THIBAUT, THIERRY,
THOMPSON, WHITNEY, ALFRED WILLIAMS, PATRICK WILLIAMS, AND
WILLMOTT
A RESOLUTION
To commend Sheila McCant upon her retirement after a long career of dedicated public
service, culminating in her longtime service as the first Public Information Officer
for the Louisiana House of Representatives.
WHEREAS, it is appropriate that a sincere and heartfelt measure of commendation
be extended to Sheila McCant for an outstanding career in public service; and
WHEREAS, Ms. McCant has shared her time and efforts with the Louisiana House
of Representatives since April of 1976, when she was hired as the committee secretary for
the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure; and
WHEREAS, in 1981, Ms. McCant was promoted to the position of administrative
secretary for the House Legal Division, serving in this position until August of 1982, when
she transferred to the office of Speaker John Hainkel; and
WHEREAS, Ms. McCant served as the executive secretary to Speaker Hainkel until
March of 1984, when she left the House staff to become his legislative assistant; and
WHEREAS, in March of 1988, Ms. McCant returned to the House staff as an
administrative secretary in the office of Speaker Jimmy Dimos, serving in this capacity until ENROLLEDHR NO. 135
Page 2 of 3
January of 1992, when she became the legislative administrator for the Independent Caucus
on the House general staff; and
WHEREAS, in 1993, Ms. McCant created the Public Information Office with the
blessing of Speaker John Alario, and she has served with great distinction and effectiveness
as the House's first Public Information Officer since that time; and
WHEREAS, Ms. McCant has provided superb leadership as the director of the Public
Information Office, which is responsible for assisting House members and staff with public
information and media relations and provides such services as producing publications that
increase knowledge of and promote public involvement in the legislative process, acting as
liaison with schools and community organizations, and developing audio, video, and print
communication materials for legislator and staff use; and
WHEREAS, Ms. McCant has been recognized with numerous honors and awards for
her excellence in her profession, including numerous first place awards in the Louisiana
Press Women's Margaret McDonald Journalism Contest over multiple years; and
WHEREAS, in addition to her work at the Louisiana House of Representatives, Ms.
McCant has been very active with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and
played an instrumental and formative role in the creation of the NCSL staff section for
communications professionals, the Legislative Information and Communications Staff
Section (LINCS), which was created in 1999 and in which she has held a number of
leadership positions; and
WHEREAS, Ms. McCant has also shared her time and talents as a member of the
Louisiana Bicentennial Commission, created to mark the two hundredth anniversary of
Louisiana's attainment of statehood as the eighteenth state in the Union, and she has played
an important role in helping the commission to achieve its goal of commemorating the
Bicentennial in every corner of the state through both education and celebration; and
WHEREAS, upon her retirement, Ms. McCant will be greatly missed by the
members and staff of the Louisiana House of Representatives, who will continue to respect
and admire her and value her friendship; and
WHEREAS, Sheila McCant will remain an inspiration to her fellow citizens for the
vital contributions she has made in her career of very effective public service, and she merits
the highest commendation and sincere congratulations for her exemplary term of service and ENROLLEDHR NO. 135
Page 3 of 3
for her singular contributions to the state, whose citizens will long reap the benefits of her
legacy of excellence and professionalism.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Sheila McCant upon her retirement after a
long career of dedicated public service, culminating in her longtime service as the first
Public Information Officer for the Louisiana House of Representatives, does hereby record
for posterity her noble accomplishments and the exemplary strides she has taken during
more than three decades of highly productive public service, does hereby express gratitude
for her many years of distinguished service and for the able assistance she has given to the
House, its members, and staff, does hereby pay tribute to her for the generous way in which
she has dedicated her intelligence and her energy to the service of her state, does hereby
express to her enduring appreciation for the deep sense of pride and honor she brings to the
House, to the legislature, and to the state of Louisiana, and does hereby extend to her every
good wish for success and happiness in all of her future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Sheila McCant.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES