2017 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 113
BY SENATOR CARTER
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences upon the death of William J. "Billy" Sanchez.
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the citizens of Louisiana
have learned of the death of William J. "Billy" Sanchez; and
WHEREAS, William Sanchez was born on August 1, 1943, in New Orleans,
Louisiana, where he graduated from the public school system; and
WHEREAS, after serving in the United States Air Force for four years as a Crash
Rescue Fire Fighter, Billy applied for employment with the New Orleans Fire Department
and was accepted on December 13, 1966, and, while serving with the department, he
enrolled and received the necessary credits for an associate science degree in fire technology
from Delgado Community College; and
WHEREAS, Billy was married to the former Norma Mitchell and had two children,
Joseph Junis and William Jared; and
WHEREAS, he joined the New Orleans Fire Fighters' Association Local 632 when
he first joined the fire department and he first began serving the labor movement in
Louisiana in 1974 when he was named to the New Orleans Fire Fighters Local 632
Negotiating Committee; and
WHEREAS, Billy moved from there to the elected office of vice president of the Fire
Fighters Union in 1976 and he served in that capacity until his election to president of the
New Orleans Fire Fighters Association Local 632 in 1983; and
WHEREAS, as president of the New Orleans Fire Fighters Association, president of
the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana, and the International Association
of Fire Fighters state representative for Louisiana, he regularly negotiated collective
bargaining agreements, handled grievances, wrote various constitutions and bylaws,
organized new local unions, lobbied legislators at the Louisiana State Capitol as well as the
United States Congress in Washington, D.C. where he helped write laws as well as serving
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as an instrumental part of their passage; and
WHEREAS, Billy had a long history with the New Orleans Fire Fighters Pension and
Relief Fund; he was first appointed to the fund's board of directors in 1975 to fill an
unexpired term and, in January 1976, he was elected to a full two-year term, and though
Billy was a newcomer to the board, he was elected to serve as its president, a function he
served for six years; and
WHEREAS, Billy also served on the Louisiana Fire Fighters Supplemental Pay
Board as its chairman, Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Advisory Council, Louisiana State Fire
Marshal's Round Table on Arson, Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Commission on Fire
Safety, Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Advisory Council on Fire Sprinklers, Louisiana State
University Fire Training College Advisory Council, Louisiana State University Fire Training
College Round Table on Fire Service Standards, Louisiana State Department of Labor
Worker's Compensation Advisory Commission, Louisiana State Emergency Response
Commission, Louisiana State Advisory Council for Employment Security, Louisiana State
Trade, Industry and Tourism Commission, Louisiana State Economical Development
Advisory Commission, Louisiana State Maritime Development Authority, and the Louisiana
State Very Special Arts Council; and
WHEREAS, as a community activist and civic leader, he served on the Louisiana
Council for Fiscal Reform, Public Affairs Research Council, Louisiana Coalition for Tax
Justice, Louisiana Coalition of Voter Registration Reform, Louisiana Democratic Party,
W.Y.E.S. Educational TV Advisory Council, Association of Louisiana Lobbyists as its
president, Rules Committee and Professional Ethics Committee; and
WHEREAS, Billy had a colorful history as a labor leader as a registered lobbyist for
the Louisiana AFL-CIO, a member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, a member of the
Southern Federation of Professional Firefighters, a member of the International Association
of Fire Fighters serving as an elected member of the I.A.F.F. Committee on Human
Relations, Constitution and By-Laws Committee, Policy Committee, Resolutions Committee
and, as a New Orleans Fire Fighters' Association Local 632 member, Billy was chief
negotiator, vice president and president, and as a member of the Professional Firefighters of
Louisiana, Billy was elected as vice president and then president; and
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WHEREAS, he was extremely active in the Louisiana AFL-CIO as a vice president,
executive board member, Public Employees Commission chairman and Louisiana AFL-CIO
COPE member and he served the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO Central Body as an
Executive Board Member and Coalition of Fire Fighters' Chairman; and
WHEREAS, William J. "Billy" Sanchez had an extensive career in assisting,
directing, and creating better lives and benefits for fire fighters and working men and
women, was a tough fighter who never backed down, and will always be remembered and
surely be missed.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express sincere condolences to the family and friends of William J. "Billy"
Sanchez; does hereby record for posterity his exemplary life of public service; and does
hereby extend best hopes and prayers for peace and comfort to all who mourn his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of William J. "Billy" Sanchez.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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