2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 121
BY SENATORS CORTEZ, ABRAHAM, ALLAIN, BARROW, BERNARD,
BOUDREAUX, BOUIE, CARTER, CATHEY, CLOUD, CONNICK,
DUPLESSIS, FESI, FIELDS, FOIL, HARRIS, HENRY, HENSGENS,
HEWITT, JACKSON, KLEINPETER, LAMBERT, LUNEAU,
MCMATH, MILLIGAN, FRED MILLS, ROBERT MILLS, MIZELL,
MORRIS, PEACOCK, POPE, PRICE, REESE, STINE, TALBOT,
TARVER, WHITE AND WOMACK
A RESOLUTION
To commend the Honorable Gary L. Smith Jr. on his twenty-four years of distinguished
public service in the Legislature of Louisiana and to express enduring gratitude for
his outstanding contributions made on behalf of his constituents of Jefferson,
Lafourche, St. Charles, and St. John the Baptist parishes, and the state of Louisiana,
particularly during his tenure as a regarded member of the Louisiana Senate
representing District No. 19 and the Louisiana House of Representatives representing
District No. 56.
WHEREAS, Senator Smith is the epitome of a public servant and has served with
distinction during his six terms in the legislature since taking office in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith is a lifelong resident of the River Parish Region and
earned a bachelor of science degree from Louisiana State University, a juris doctor degree
from Loyola Law School, and a master of maritime law degree from Tulane Law School;
and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith did not go into politics with an agenda, but instead with
the goal of making Louisiana a better place to live and work, a mentality ingrained in him
by his mentor and grandfather Henry A. Smith, who served as treasurer of the State
Democratic Party for over twenty years; and
WHEREAS, his grandfather impressed upon him that loyalty and trustworthiness are
of the utmost importance and that "No matter how thin you slice the cheese, there are always
two sides"; and
WHEREAS, his grandfather encouraged him to enter into politics in 1989, and he
was selected by Congressman Billy Tauzin to serve as a capitol page during the 101st
Congress and later served as an intern for Senator John Breaux; and
WHEREAS, a few months after law school graduation, he answered his call to public
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service by entering a crowded field for the House District 56 seat, winning a plurality in the
primary and being elected in the run-off with an impressive fifty-six percent of the vote; and
WHEREAS, he was sworn in as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
at the young age of twenty-seven in 2000; and
WHEREAS, during his service in the House of Representatives, then-Representative
Smith's committee service included serving as a member of the House Committee on
Administration of Criminal Justice, the House Committee on Appropriations, the House
Committee on Insurance, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and as
vice-chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and chairman of the Appropriations
Subcommittee on Economic Development; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure in the Senate, Senator Smith has served with great
diligence, dedication, and empathy as chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary B for
two terms, in addition to serving as a member of the Senate Committee on Insurance, the
Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, the Senate Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works, the Senate Executive Committee, and the Joint Legislative
Committee on Capital Outlay; and
WHEREAS, he has served as a member of the Acadiana Delegation, the Democratic
Caucus, the Jefferson Parish Delegation, the River Parishes Caucus, the Louisiana Rural
Caucus, the Louisiana Rural Caucus Executive Committee, and as co-chairman of the
Louisiana Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus for the last four years; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith is well-known in the legislature for his cool and collected
demeanor and his trademark wit and dry sense of humor have diffused many contentious
debates; and
WHEREAS, his measured and deliberate approach to each issue has earned the deep
respect of his colleagues and enabled him to work across party lines to benefit the people of
his district and the state; and
WHEREAS, as a committee chairman, his composed leadership style and command
of the legislative process are evidenced by his level-headed thinking, keen understanding of
the importance of timing, and ability to see the big picture; and
WHEREAS, he takes particular pride in his ability to utilize his practical, legal, and
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business expertise throughout the committee process; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith developed a passion for business-related issues,
correctional reform, improving transportation infrastructure, and flood protection during his
time in the legislature; and
WHEREAS, he was instrumental in securing funding necessary for essential
infrastructure projects that affect the people of Senate District No. 19 and House District No.
56, including water, sewerage, drainage, energy, healthcare, and road projects; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith balances his professional life with a commendable record
of community involvement and philanthropic endeavors, including serving on the Board of
Governors for the Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner and donating his time for Thanksgiving
food basket giveaways and Christmas toy drives; and
WHEREAS, he has been the deserving recipient of numerous honors and awards
throughout the course of his tenure including the Coastal Conservation Association
Louisiana Conservation Champion Award, the Fifth Circuit Judges Association Legislator
of the Year Award, the Who's Who in American Politics Award, and the Louisiana
Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's Gold Standard Recipient Award; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith is guided by his faith and is an active member of First
Baptist Church of Norco, where he serves as an elder; and
WHEREAS, he credits his time at the legislature with meeting the love of his life,
Katherine Mosely Smith; and
WHEREAS, with much in common, including a love for politics, they began a
relationship in 2007, were engaged in 2008 on the observation deck of the Louisiana State
Capitol, and were married in March 2009; and
WHEREAS, the couple are the proud parents of their son Henry Wilson Smith,
named after Senator Smith's grandfather; and daughter Anna-Pierce Katherine Smith, named
after Katherine's great-grandfather, Governor Huey Pierce Long; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith has consistently fought for couples struggling with
infertility after he and Katherine's personal journey and became well-known as a fierce
advocate for making gestational carrier contracts enforceable in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith leaves the legislature having made his mark, known as
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a consummate statesman, who treated others with respect and handled himself with dignity
and class while negotiating tough compromises; and
WHEREAS, Senator Smith is grateful for the support of his beloved family, close
friends, and cherished colleagues and as he prepares to begin the next exciting and
productive chapter of his life, he merits a sincere measure of commendation for twenty-four
years of distinguished public service in the Legislature of Louisiana.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
hereby commends the Honorable Gary L. Smith Jr. and hereby extends honor and
recognition to him for his outstanding contributions, particularly during his tenure as a
member of the Louisiana Senate, which has been marked by his allegiance to his constituents
in Jefferson, Lafourche, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
hereby expresses enduring gratitude to Senator Smith for his service to the citizens of
Louisiana and extends to him the best wishes from all of his colleagues for continued
prosperity and success in his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Honorable Gary L. Smith Jr.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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