HLS 19RS-129 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 64
BY REPRESENTATIVE BARRAS
COMMENDATIONS: Commends Alfred W. "Butch" Speer upon his retirement and more
than thirty-five years of dedicated service to the Louisiana House of Representatives
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To commend Alfred W. "Butch" Speer on the momentous occasion of his retirement after
3 thirty-five years of service as Clerk of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
4 WHEREAS, thirty-five years ago, when the House of Representatives convened for
5the 1984 legislative session, the members of that body elected a thirty-one-year-old attorney
6as Clerk of the House, Alfred William Speer, II; and
7 WHEREAS, at the time of this election, Mr. Speer was no stranger to the Louisiana
8Legislature; he had served as assistant head page while a student at the Louisiana State
9University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, thereafter serving as head page of the Constitutional
10Convention of 1973, a Louisiana Legislative Council law clerk, an assistant to the House
11front desk, assistant clerk to David R. Poynter, and acting clerk from April 25, 1983, to
12March 12, 1984; and
13 WHEREAS, over the years, his knowledge of the rules and procedures of the House
14of Representatives and his impartial and enthusiastic advice and counsel demonstrated his
15unwavering dedication to the legislative branch of state government; he was elected a total
16of seven times to a staff position of utmost importance to the legislative process; and
17 WHEREAS, Mr. Speer has been repeatedly recognized by his peers and has served
18in a number of leadership roles; in 2011, he was elected to chair the Mason's Manual
19Commission, which is charged with editing the 2020 edition of the handbook that is used by
20most state legislatures as the basis of their procedures; he has served as the National
21Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) staff chair, president of the American Society of
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HCR NO. 64
1Legislative Clerks and Secretaries (ASLCS), and chair and vice chair of numerous NCSL
2committees, including staff chair of the NCSL Redistricting and Elections Committee; and
3 WHEREAS, in 2002, ASLCS awarded Butch the Joseph A. Beek Award, the
4society's highest award, presented for exemplary and extraordinary service to the society,
5and in 2009, he received the society's annual Legislative Staff Achievement Award in
6recognition of his excellence in supporting the work of the legislature and strengthening the
7legislative institution; and
8 WHEREAS, since 1976, Butch has served under ten Speakers of the House and has
9earned the highest respect of the members of both houses of the legislature, impressed his
10colleagues as a model and ideal parliamentarian, and conducted himself as a true gentleman
11with decency and patience; and
12 WHEREAS, Butch has been at the forefront of numerous improvements in
13Louisiana's legislative procedures that have facilitated citizen awareness of and involvement
14in the business of state government; and
15 WHEREAS, Butch is supported by his loving wife, Carol, is the proud father of
16Morgan and Kent, and is the grandfather of Davis; and
17 WHEREAS, Mr. Speer will be greatly missed by the members and staff of the
18Louisiana Legislature who have come to respect and admire him and value his advice and
19friendship; and
20 WHEREAS, if democracy is going to work, someone must do the work of
21democracy, and for his entire professional career Butch Speer has been one of those
22someones, standing strong and fighting the great fight for the principles of representative
23democracy in the face of pressures that tend to subvert those principles; and
24 WHEREAS, Mr. Speer is an inspiration to anyone committed to public service, and
25he merits the highest commendation for his contributions to the state, whose citizens will
26long reap the benefits of his legacy of excellence and professionalism.
27 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
28commend Alfred W. "Butch" Speer on his retirement after thirty-five years of service as
29Clerk of the Louisiana House of Representatives; does hereby record and recognize his
30manifold contributions to the Legislature of Louisiana and the people of this state; and does
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HCR NO. 64
1hereby extend the tribute and appreciation of the members of the legislature to this
2extraordinary gentleman for his achievements.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
4Alfred W. "Butch" Speer.
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)]
HCR 64 Original 2019 Regular Session Barras
Commends Alfred W. "Butch" Speer on his retirement as Clerk of the La. House of
Representatives.
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