2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 116
BY SENATOR JOHN SMITH
A RESOLUTION
To commend Phyllis Perron on her retirement after more than thirty-five-year career as an
effective and well-respected lobbyist at the Louisiana State Capitol.
WHEREAS, Phyllis Perron grew up on a farm in a small rural community in
Evangeline Parish, outside of Ville Platte, Louisiana, the parish seat; and
WHEREAS, on the farm, her family grew cotton, rice, sweet potatoes, and soybeans;
and
WHEREAS, Ms. Perron grew up competing in 4-H competitions and attending
Scared Heart High School, a kindergarten through twelfth grade school, and she graduated
in a class of thirty-two students; and
WHEREAS, Evangeline Parish in south central Louisiana, is an area noted for its
production of political and governmental office holders and its politically active citizenry;
and
WHEREAS, considering this atmosphere, it was not surprising that Phyllis Perron
grew up with a healthy interest in both Evangeline Parish and statewide politics or that her
graduation class produced three state legislators, two current sitting judges, and two others
who were elected to serve on school boards; and
WHEREAS, politics was always both a topic of discussion and an activity in
Evangeline Parish and many fish fries for the assessor, clerk of court, sheriff, and other local
politicians were held at Ms. Perron's daddy's camp; and
WHEREAS, Phyllis Perron's mother clerked at the polls on election days and Phyllis
Perron's uncle was a state legislator; and
WHEREAS, Phyllis Perron admits that the political atmosphere of Evangeline Parish
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was an influence on her growing up, once reflecting that, "I came from an area that was very
political … we were just politically active"; and
WHEREAS, after high school, Ms. Perron did travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but
it was to attend Louisiana State University and the School of Home Economics, where she
studied fashion and interior design; and
WHEREAS, it was her college major, rather than the political influences she grew
up around, that determined Phyllis Perron's first job, which was as a home service
representative for Central Louisiana Electric Company (CLECO) and Dixie Electric
Membership Company (DEMCO), where she was working with home builders and local
chambers of commerce, teaching in high school home economics classes and Girl Scout
troops, and chaperoning beauty queens; and
WHEREAS, eventually Phyllis Perron's upbringing amid political activism led her
to accept the position as executive director of the Louisiana Egg Commission, which led to
an appointment to the newly formed governor's office of consumer protection; and
WHEREAS, in her position in the governor's office, Phyllis Perron learned
invaluable lessons about the legislative process and the rulemaking process; and
WHEREAS, in 1977, the Louisiana Association of Life Underwriters was in search
of an executive director who could lobby on behalf of the association's three thousand
members, and Phyllis Perron was selected and her lobbying career had begun; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Perron became interested in representing more than just one entity,
thus, in 1984, she formed Phyllis Perron and Associates, which over the course of more than
thirty-five years has become a major political and governmental relations and association
management firm; and
WHEREAS, the firm lobbies legislators, performs regulatory duties on behalf of
clients, primarily in the insurance industry, and provides management services to
professional organizations, such as the Louisiana Pharmacists Association; and
WHEREAS, Phyllis Perron sees as one of her proudest moments, as an active
participant in the legislative process, her work to establish the Louisiana Life and Health
Insurance Guaranty Association in 1991, which serves as a safety net for policyholders of
an insurer that becomes insolvent; and
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WHEREAS, over her long career of legislative involvement, Ms. Perron has seen
great improvements, including the new ethics laws that regulate the conduct of legislators,
in large part, in relation to their conduct with lobbyists, making for more transparency for
the public and the technology that has allowed citizens to follow government activities,
including events at the legislature; and
WHEREAS, Phyllis Perron has observed two changes that she considers to be
negative with regard to the legislative process; first, term limits, saying, "We've lost a lot of
knowledge and I don't think its been beneficial" and, second, experiencing "the growing
divide in Louisiana politics … seeing partisanship come about that I never expected"; and
WHEREAS, a commitment to the political process and an inclination to assist in that
process to the betterment of the lives of the people of Louisiana have been hallmarks of
Phyllis Perron's tenure at the capitol and she has her reputation, her accomplishments, and
the building of an effective business to speak to the success of her worthwhile endeavors.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend Phyllis Perron on her retirement after a more than thirty-five-year
career as an effective and well-respected lobbyist at the Louisiana State Capitol.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Phyllis Perron.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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