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Regular Session, 2012 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 18
BY SENATORS ALARIO, ADLEY, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAI TOR, 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 WHITE AND
REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
passing of renowned politician, beloved gentleman, tireless public servant, and
former Louisiana State Senator, the Honorable Samuel Bernard "Sammy" Nunez Jr.
and to celebrate a life well spent in service to the betterment of the state of Louisiana
and the nation.
WHEREAS, it was with deep remorse that the Legislature of Louisiana has learned
of the passing of Sammy Nunez, a longtime state legislator from the parish of St. Bernard,
on Sunday, January 15, 2012, twelve days shy of his eighty-second birthday; and
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez was a dynamic personality, a leader who was both
animated and engaging with strong ties to the Democratic Party, who was keenly attuned to
the wants and needs of his constituents from the parishes of Jefferson, St. Bernard, and
Plaquemines, who served with distinction for a total of thirty-two years in the Legislature
of Louisiana, beginning in 1964, with a four-year term in the House of Representatives and
then with election to the Senate in 1969, continued with twenty-eight more years of stellar
service to the electorate; and
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez won his Senate seat handily and had continued success
with little opposition at the polls; he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
of 1973; he served as President Pro-tempore from 1980-82 and again from 1988-1990; he
ascended to the office of Senate President in 1982 and continued to serve in that position
from 1983-1988, and served in that capacity a second time from 1990-1996; and
WHEREAS, during his lengthy tenure, he served on numerous legislative
committees, such as Judiciary A, Finance, Transportation, Highways and Public Works,
Senate and Governmental Affairs, and with chairmanships on Local and Municipal Affairs SCR NO. 18 ENROLLED
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and Natural Resources committees; and
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez was a man of vision and foresight who was instrumental
in reformation of cumbersome legislative procedures involved in the analysis of the state's
budget and bonded indebtedness, in creation of the Revenue Estimating Conference, and in
the modernization of technical operations within the Senate; he was also credited as the
architect of the SECURE Commission, an efficiency and performance study, whose
recommendations are still viable and applicable in today's governmental climate; and
WHEREAS, on the national political scene, Sammy Nunez served as president of the
National Council of State Legislatures, a bi-partisan organization that serves as an exchange
hub for research and policy-making activities among all the state legislatures; and
WHEREAS, his influence contributed to the completion of immense public works
and important capital outlay projects that bolstered the economic growth of south Louisiana,
such as the construction of the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Arena, the Ernest
Morial Convention Center, the Crescent City Connection, the Interstate 510 spur route, and
the West Bank Expressway; and
WHEREAS, Sammy championed causes very close to his heart, in particular, the
plight of commercial fishermen in his district, who struggled to eke out a living fishing in
the waters and marshes along the Gulf of Mexico; and
WHEREAS, he was also a steward of the land that he loved and worked diligently
to preserve Louisiana's fragile coastline; he put forth measures to curtail erosion of valuable
coastal regions and to curb saltwater intrusion into pristine wetlands; and
WHEREAS, after his stint in the legislature, Nunez continued to serve the public as
a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the Board of
Commissioners of the St. Bernard Port, Harbor, and Terminal District, as an honorary
member of the Nunez Community College Foundation, an organization supporting the
institution named in honor of his late wife, Elaine P. Nunez, and as a presidential appointee
to assist with continued negotiations to bolster international trade through the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and
WHEREAS, he was a gracious servant of the community who expressed gratitude
for his good fortune by participation in all manner of civic, social, and religious interests; SCR NO. 18 ENROLLED
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and
WHEREAS, he was born on January 27, 1930, to parents, Samuel and Leonia Nunez;
and
WHEREAS, Senator Nunez graduated from Joseph Maumus High School in Arabi,
Louisiana, and later graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science
degree; and
WHEREAS, he served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1951
and served with distinction in the Korean Conflict; and
WHEREAS, Sammy was very proud of his cultural heritage as a direct descendent
of the Isleños, a Spanish-speaking people who immigrated from the Canary Islands in the
1800s and settled in southern Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his many accomplishments in the political arena,
Sammy was honored with induction into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame on January 30,
2010; and
WHEREAS, Sammy Nunez is survived by his wife, Cynthia Wall Nunez, and a host
of extended family and close friends; and
WHEREAS, in death, Sammy Nunez leaves a tremendous void in his community and
state; however, he also leaves a rich and unique legacy in the annals of Louisiana's political
history, and he shall remain as a fond remembrance in the hearts of all who knew him.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express its sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the passing of the Honorable Samuel B.
"Sammy" Nunez Jr., longtime friend, gentleman, businessman, civic leader, and legislator.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that his was a life well spent in the service to his
community, his state, his country, and his God.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
widow, Cynthia W. Nunez.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES