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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 18
BY SENATORS ALARIO, ADLEY, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CL AITOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH, MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK,
PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHI TE
CONDOLENCES. Expresses condolences upon the death of former Senate President,
Samuel B. "Sammy" Nunez, Jr.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the2
passing of renown politician, beloved gentleman, tireless public servant, and former3
Louisiana State Senator, the Honorable Samuel Bernard "Sammy" Nunez, Jr. and to4
celebrate a life well spent in service to the betterment of the state of Louisiana and5
the nation.6
WHEREAS, it was with deep remorse that the Legislature of Louisiana has learned7
of the passing of Sammy Nunez, a longtime state legislator from the parish of St. Bernard,8
on Sunday, January 15, 2012, twelve days shy of his eighty-second birthday; and9
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez was a dynamic personality, a leader who was both10
animated and engaging with strong ties to the Democratic Party, who was keenly attuned to11
the wants and needs of his constituents from the parishes of Jefferson, St. Bernard, and12
Plaquemines, who served with distinction for a total of thirty-two years in the Legislature13
of Louisiana, beginning in 1964, with a four-year term in the House of Representatives and14
then with election to the Senate in 1969, continued with twenty-eight more years of stellar15
service to the electorate; and16
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez won his Senate seat handily and had continued success17
with little opposition at the polls; he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention18 SCR NO. 18
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of 1973; he served as President Pro-tempore from 1980-82 and again from 1988-1990; he1
ascended to the office of Senate President in 1982 and continued to serve in that position2
from 1983-1988, and served in that capacity a second time from 1990-1996; and3
WHEREAS, during his lengthy tenure, he served on numerous legislative4
committees, such as Judiciary A, Finance, Transportation, Highways and Public Works,5
Senate and Governmental Affairs, and with chairmanships on Local and Municipal Affairs6
and Natural Resources committees; and7
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez was a man of vision and foresight who was instrumental8
in reformation of cumbersome legislative procedures involved in the analysis of the state's9
budget and bonded indebtedness, in creation of the Revenue Estimating Conference, and in10
the modernization of technical operations within the Senate; he was also credited as the11
architect of the SECURE Commission, an efficiency and performance study, whose12
recommendations are still viable and applicable in today's governmental climate; and13
WHEREAS, on the national political scene, Sammy Nunez served as president of the14
National Council of State Legislatures, a bi-partisan organization that serves as an exchange15
hub for research and policy-making activities among all the state legislatures; and16
WHEREAS, his influence contributed to the completion of immense public works17
and important capital outlay projects that bolstered the economic growth of south Louisiana,18
such as the construction of the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Arena, the Ernest19
Morial Convention Center, the Crescent City Connection, the Interstate 510 spur route, and20
the West Bank Expressway; and21
WHEREAS, Sammy championed causes very close to his heart, in particular, the22
plight of commercial fishermen in his district, who struggled to eke out a living fishing in23
the waters and marshes along the Gulf of Mexico; and24
WHEREAS, he was also a steward of the land that he loved and worked diligently25
to preserve Louisiana's fragile coastline; he put forth measures to curtail erosion of valuable26
coastal regions and to curb saltwater intrusion into pristine wetlands; and27
WHEREAS, after his stint in the legislature, Nunez continued to serve the public as28
a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the Board of29
Commissioners of the St. Bernard Port, Harbor, and Terminal District, as an honorary30 SCR NO. 18
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member of the Nunez Community College Foundation, an organization supporting the1
institution named in honor of his late wife, Elaine P. Nunez, and as a presidential appointee2
to assist with continued negotiations to bolster international trade through the General3
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and4
WHEREAS, he was a gracious servant of the community who expressed gratitude5
for his good fortune by participation in all manner of civic, social, and religious interests;6
and7
WHEREAS, he was born on January 27, 1930, to parents, Samuel and Leonia Nunez;8
and9
WHEREAS, Senator Nunez graduated from Joseph Maumus High School in Arabi,10
Louisiana, and later graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science11
degree; and12
WHEREAS, he served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force in 195113
and served with distinction in the Korean Conflict; and14
WHEREAS, Sammy was very proud of his cultural heritage as a direct descendent15
of the Isleños, a Spanish-speaking people who immigrated from the Canary Islands in the16
1800s and settled in southern Louisiana; and17
WHEREAS, in recognition of his many accomplishments in the political arena,18
Sammy was honored with induction into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame on January 30,19
2010; and20
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez is survived by his wife, Cynthia Wall Nunez, and a host21
of extended family and close friends; and22
WHEREAS, in death, Sammy Nunez leaves a tremendous void in his community and23
state; however, he also leaves a rich and unique legacy in the annals of Louisiana's political24
history, and he shall remain as a fond remembrance in the hearts of all who knew him.25
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby26
express its sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the passing of the Honorable Samuel B.27
"Sammy" Nunez, Jr., longtime friend, gentleman, businessman, civic leader, and legislator.28
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that his was a life well spent in the service to his29
community, his state, his country, and his God.30 SCR NO. 18
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his1
widow, Cynthia W. Nunez.2
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Susan P. Montague.
DIGEST
Alario SCR No.
Expresses condolences upon the death of former Louisiana Senate President, Sammy Nunez.