HLS 18RS-1560 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 42
BY REPRESENTATIVE BARRAS
COMMENDATIONS: Recognizes the forty-fourth anniversary of the ratification of the
Constitution of Louisiana of 1974 and commends the delegates for their
extraordinary public service to the state
1 A RESOLUTION
2To recognize the forty-fourth anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution of Louisiana
3 of 1974 and to commend the delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1973 for
4 their extraordinary public service to the state of Louisiana.
5 WHEREAS, it is appropriate to recognize the forty-fourth anniversary of the
6ratification of the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974 and to commend the delegates of the
7Constitutional Convention of 1973 upon the successful confection of a new constitution, a
8collaborative effort of representative democracy considered to be one of the most significant
9achievements in Louisiana's history during the twentieth century; and
10 WHEREAS, the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974 lies at the epicenter of the
11infrastructure of state government as a definitive legal instrument that clearly delineates the
12rights of individuals, describes the distribution of powers among state officials and local
13governments, and establishes both state and local civil service systems; and
14 WHEREAS, the delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1973 drafted the
15eleventh version of the state's constitution since statehood in 1812; it had previously been
16reworked in 1845, 1852, 1861, 1864, 1868, 1879, 1898, 1913, and 1921; and
17 WHEREAS, the predecessor to the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974, the
18Constitution of Louisiana of 1921, had been amended more than five hundred times to
19become a conflicted legal quagmire, the second most lengthy of all state constitutions,
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HR NO. 42
1containing more than two hundred fifty-five thousand words, a large number of outside
2references, and an excessive amount of detail; and
3 WHEREAS, lawmakers and government watch-dog organizations such as the Public
4Affairs Research Council raised objections to the antiquated 1921 Constitution as a
5hindrance to economic growth and flexibility within state and local governments; and
6 WHEREAS, in 1971, gubernatorial candidate, Congressman Edwin W. Edwards, ran
7on a campaign plank to implement a modern constitution and to streamline government;
8when elected, he was stymied in his efforts to reorganize the executive branch due to the
9inflexibility of the 1921 Constitution; and
10 WHEREAS, Act No. 2 of the 1972 Regular Session (House Bill No. 181 by
11Representative McLeod and others) was the legislative instrument used to bring about
12change through the creation of the Constitutional Convention of 1973, known as CC73, a
13collective of one hundred five delegates elected by popular vote from existing districts of
14the Louisiana House of Representatives and twenty-seven delegates appointed by the
15governor; and
16 WHEREAS, the CC73 delegates came from all corners of the state; they represented
17a cross-section of state demographics, as the greatest generation whose strength of character
18was forged by the global conflict of World War II, as activists of the "New South" who were
19the emerging national voice for minorities and women, and as a new generation of political
20novices taking their first steps in public service; Philip Bergeron was the youngest elected
21delegate at eighteen years of age; and
22 WHEREAS, the convention convened on January 5, 1973; the roll call of elected
23delegates in order beginning with District One was: Jasper K. Smith, Alphonse Jackson, Jr.,
24Wellborn Jack, V.C. Shannon, Tom Stagg, Frank Fulco, Dr. Emmett Asseff, Ford E. Stinson,
25Charles "Buddy" Roemer, R. Harmon Drew, Bill P. Grier, Kenneth Dale Kilpatrick, E.L.
26"Bubba" Henry, Paul David Ginn, Shady Wall, Judge James L. "Jim" Dennis, Thomas W.
27Leigh, R.M. Elkins, J.A. "Jim" McDaniel, Lantz Womack, Jim Brown, Terry R. Reeves,
28Donald G. Kelly, H.M. "Mutt" Fowler, Richard S. Thompson, Chris J. Roy, Charles Slay,
29Lynn Perkins, Cecil R. Blair, F.E. "Pete" Hernandez, Dr. J.E. Stephenson, Errol D.
30Deshotels, A.J. Planchard, Dr. Gerald N. Weiss, Mack Abraham, Conway LeBleu, Greg
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HR NO. 42
1Arnette, Jr., Clyde Fontenot, Walter J. Champagne, Jr., Lawrence B. Sandoz, Jr., I. Jackson
2Burson, Jr., Ralph L. Cowen, Pat Juneau, Heloise C. Corne, E.J. Chatelain, J. Burton Willis,
3G. Hardee, Jr., Minos H. Armentor, Perry Segura, F.D. "Dan" Winchester, Anthony J.
4Guarisco, Jr., Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., Charles A. Badeaux, Donald T. Bollinger, Walter I.
5Lanier, Jr., Eual J. Landry, Sr., Gordon J. Martin, N.E. Carmouche, Louis J. Lambert, Jr.,
6Jessel M. Ourso, Sr., Herman J. "Monday" Lowe, Richard H. Kilbourne, George Dewey
7Hayes, Gary O'Neill, Harvey W. Cannon, Jr., Louis "Woody" Jenkins, Mary E. Wisham,
8J.D. De Blieux, Robert J. Aertker, R. Gordon Kean, Jr., Calvin C. Fayard, Jr., Joseph "Joe"
9E. Anzalone, Jr., Autley B. Newton, James T. "Jim" Burns, B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn, Alvin D.
10Singletary, Edward J. "Eddie" D'Gerolamo, Wendell H. Gauthier, the Reverend James L.
11Stovall, Joseph A. Conino, David Conroy, Harold J. Toca, John A. Alario, Jr., Dr. Frank J.
12Ullo, Joseph F. Toomy, Matthew R. Sutherland, Earl J. Schmitt, Jr., Novyse E. Soniat, Moise
13W. Dennery, Thomas A. Casey, Louis Landrum, Sr., Edward F. LeBreton, Jr., the Reverend
14Avery C. Alexander, Anthony J. Vesich, Jr., Claude Mauberret, Jr., James G. Derbes,
15Thomas A. Velazquez, Joseph I. Giarrusso, Sr., Louis G. Riecke, Sr., Philip O. Bergeron,
16Johnny Jackson, Jr., George Ethel Warren, Elmer R. Tapper, Samuel B. Nunez, Jr., and
17Chalin Perez; and
18 WHEREAS, delegates appointed by the governor to represent particular interests
19included Edward N. Lennox, industry; Gordon Flory, labor; Horace C. Robinson, education;
20Anthony M. Rachal, Jr., civil service; John L. "Jack" Avant, wildlife and conservation; Frank
21M. Edwards, Jr., law enforcement; Albert Tate, Jr., judiciary; Ruth Miller, professions; Hilda
22Brien, consumers; Robert J. Munson, agriculture; Max N. Tobias, Jr., youth; and Dorothy
23Mae Taylor, racial minorities; and
24 WHEREAS, at-large delegates appointed by the governor for extraordinary expertise
25in law and local governmental affairs included Tom Colten, Ambroise H. Landry, Pegram
26J. Mire, Clyde F. Bel, Sr., Mary Zervigon, Joe N. Silverberg, John R. Thistlethwaite,
27Lawrence A. Chehardy, Kendall Vick, Judy Dunlap, J. K. Haynes, Richard P. Guidry,
28J. Kenneth Leithman, Risley C. Triche, and Camille F. Gravel, Jr.; and
29 WHEREAS, delegates appointed to fulfill unexpired terms were Dean Louis Berry,
30Emile Comar, Jr., Paul H. Goldman, R.W. "Buzzy" Graham, Norman "Pete" Heine, Louis
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HR NO. 42
1M. Jones, Corrine Maybruce, James W. Morris, Robert G. Pugh, Charles Wattigny, Carolyn
2Guedry Badeaux, and Paula Sue Kilpatrick; and
3 WHEREAS, CC73 was a unicameral body comprised of one hundred thirty-two
4delegates from all walks of life, including some of the best legal minds of the time; it was
5a self-governing body that employed rules of procedure adopted by the convention, a
6committee system, compromise and good humor, transparency of process with open debate,
7news media access, and community involvement with public meetings held across the state
8to gather public opinion and a sense of popular needs and wants, all of which advanced the
9acceptance of a new constitution; and
10 WHEREAS, CC73 was reflective of the changing face of Louisiana's political scene;
11among those involved were future leaders that included a governor, house clerk, senate
12secretary, judges, mayors, outstanding attorneys-at-law, and future legislators, such as the
13African American delegates who were the predecessors of an alliance that would become
14the Legislative Black Caucus; there were young movers and shakers who were the vanguard
15of the Young Turks of the 1970s in the Louisiana House of Representatives, and future state
16officials who would contribute immeasurably to the executive, legislative, and judicial
17branches of state and local government; and
18 WHEREAS, CC73 was a learning process that created a familiarity between
19delegates and constituents who were often separated by distance and biased by cultural
20stereotypes; and
21 WHEREAS, at times, the atmosphere of CC73 was highly contested, but mostly
22congenial, and strong friendships were forged that have lasted over four decades; and
23 WHEREAS, the convention adjourned on January 19, 1974, having adopted a
24proposed draft constitution; and
25 WHEREAS, the document was attested to with the signatures of its framers,
26including chairman of the convention, E.L. "Bubba" Henry; vice chairmen, Ruth L. Miller,
27Thomas A. Casey, the Reverend Avery C. Alexander, and Chris J. Roy; treasurer, Herman
28J. "Monday" Lowe; and the remaining convention delegates, which included among its
29number, Senate President John A. Alario, Jr., then a member of the House of
30Representatives; and
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HR NO. 42
1 WHEREAS, CC73 was a great success; the delegation drafted a constitutional
2blueprint for a basic form of state government that was laden with protections for the
3individual; championed the tenets of equal opportunity, fair labor relations, and small
4business interests; and expanded voter participation; and
5 WHEREAS, the draft constitution was submitted to and ratified by the people at a
6special election held on April 20, 1974; by its own terms, the new constitution became
7effective at midnight on December 31, 1974; and
8 WHEREAS, with their approach of change through positive deliberation, the
9delegates of CC73 left a remarkable legacy of genuine public service to the citizenry of
10Louisiana who in turn owe a great debt to these framers of the new constitution as their
11contributions have made Louisiana a better and more prosperous state in which to live.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
13Legislature of Louisiana does hereby recognize the forty-fourth anniversary of the
14ratification of the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974 and commend the delegates of the
15Constitutional Convention of 1973 for their extraordinary public service to the state of
16Louisiana.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 42 Original 2018 Regular Session Barras
Recognizes the 44th anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974
and commends the delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1973 for their extraordinary
public service to the state of Louisiana.
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