SLS 21RS-2578 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 212
BY SENATOR CORTEZ
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Jerry G. Jones upon his retirement from the Louisiana
Senate.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend Jerry G. Jones for his exemplary career of public service with the Legislature
3 of Louisiana and to congratulate him upon the occasion of his well-deserved
4 retirement from the Senate.
5 WHEREAS, it was with mixed joy and sadness that the members and staff of the
6 Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana learned that Jerry G. Jones had fixed a date certain
7 for his retirement; and
8 WHEREAS, Jerry graduated in 1976 from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and was
9 sworn in as a member of the Louisiana State Bar that same year; he was later licensed to
10 practice law in Texas and the District of Columbia and has focused his legal career on
11 legislative, regulatory, and litigation matters in the public and private sectors of Louisiana
12 and Texas; and
13 WHEREAS, from 1983 to 1985, Jerry served as Chairman of the Mock Trial Project
14 for the Young Lawyers Section of the Louisiana State Bar Association, receiving a
15 Certificate of Achievement in 1984 and an Award of Achievement in 1985; and
16 WHEREAS, while twice working for the Louisiana House of Representatives
17 (1981-1989; 1995-2000), he served as committee staff attorney, senior attorney, and director
18 for the Resource and Infrastructure Division, and after a brief stint practicing in Texas, Jerry
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1 returned to Louisiana in 2004 to take a position as Senate Counsel and later Chief
2 Legislative Counsel for the Louisiana Senate; his service involved tours in diverse subject
3 matters, including criminal justice, civil law, commerce, natural resources, and coastal
4 restoration; and
5 WHEREAS, while fulfilling the other responsibilities of a legislative staffer, Jerry
6 created and coordinated materials for the drafting manuals of both houses of the legislature,
7 assisted in representing the legislature in court proceedings, served as a member of the
8 Senate Emergency Response Team, and prepared and presented materials for in-house
9 training and orientation of staff and new members; and
10 WHEREAS, for over two decades, Jerry has kept Louisiana lawyers, particularly
11 those in public service, apprised of the latest legislative enactments and judicial rulings with
12 his materials for, and presentation of, "Recent Developments in Legislative Law &
13 Procedure" for the annual Legislative Legal Seminar held at the Louisiana State Capitol; and
14 WHEREAS, Jerry has shared his knowledge and expertise outside the capitol,
15 addressing audiences around the country and presenting his materials at numerous
16 conferences, seminars, and meetings, including the Louisiana Judicial College and Louisiana
17 State Bar Association Joint Summer School; and
18 WHEREAS, an accomplished writer, Jerry authored numerous articles on legislative
19 law and procedure and other legal matters, published in various legal periodicals and bar
20 journals; although his complete body of work will leave an indelible mark on his readers,
21 it is his quintessential guides to understanding and successfully navigating the lawmaking
22 process, Legislative Law and Procedure and the annual companion handbook, co-authored
23 with Professor P. Raymond Lamonica of the LSU Law Center, that no enthusiast of the
24 Louisiana Legislature should be without; and
25 WHEREAS, as anyone with the good fortune to know him can attest, Jerry's quiet
26 demeanor, steadfast dependability, and rigorous scholarship invite a deep, abiding trust in
27 his counsel; and
28 WHEREAS, treating learning as a lifelong process, Jerry brings a Socratic approach
29 to any discussion of policy matters, sometimes producing short-term frustration and eye
30 rolling, but ultimately giving rise to a broader understanding that can be applied to other
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1 questions and not merely to the narrow issue at hand; and
2 WHEREAS, Jerry led by example during his tenure with the legislature,
3 exemplifying the seasoned, informed, engaged, nonpartisan Senate staff member; many
4 younger colleagues, both past and present, looked to his wisdom and guidance, knowing it
5 would be hard to go astray if they asked themselves, "WWJD? – What Would Jerry Do?";
6 and
7 WHEREAS, a true mentor, always available to assist a colleague with wordsmithing
8 to resolve any drafting or legal conundrum, Jerry's absence is felt by all and his influence
9 will have a lasting impact on the members and staff of the Louisiana Legislature; and
10 WHEREAS, in retirement, Jerry is looking forward to traveling here and abroad with
11 his wife, Lyn, and continuing his work in the legislative law and procedure areas, and he
12 plans to make annual appearances at the capitol to update attendees of the Legislative Legal
13 Seminar; and
14 WHEREAS, Jerry is fond of quoting and demonstrating the words of H.G. Wells,
15 "No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft," therefore this
16 document has not been sent to him for a final "tweak".
17 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
18 does hereby commend Jerry G. Jones for his distinguished career in service to the state of
19 Louisiana.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
21 hereby recognize the significant and enduring contributions he has made to the Senate and
22 House of Representatives of the Louisiana Legislature.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature does hereby extend
24 heartfelt wishes to Jerry G. Jones for success and happiness in all his future endeavors.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
26 Jerry G. Jones.
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Sam Senate.
DIGEST
SR 212 Original 2021 Regular Session Cortez
Commends Jerry G. Jones upon his retirement from the Senate.
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