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