ENROLLED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 47
BY REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON AND SENATORS ABRAHAM, BARROW, BASS,
BOUDREAUX, CARTER, CONNICK, DUPLESSIS, EDMONDS, FESI, FIELDS,
FOIL, HENRY, HENSGENS, HODGES, JACKSON-ANDREW S, JENKINS,
KLEINPETER, LAMBERT, LUNEAU, MILLER, MIZELL, MORRIS, OWEN,
PRESSLY, PRICE, SEABAUGH, TALBOT, AND WOMACK
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend Joe R. Salter, former speaker of the House, on the occasion of his retirement
from public service.
WHEREAS, Joe is a native of the village of Florien in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, and
he graduated from Florien High School; he received both a bachelor's and master's degree
from Northwestern State University in addition to completing thirty additional hours of
graduate studies; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Salter is an incredibly civic-minded individual who has served the
state of Louisiana in various capacities; he is a former alderman of the village of Florien, a
former teacher in Sabine Parish and Vernon Parish, a former auditor for the Caddo Parish
School System, a former principal of Florien High School, and a former assistant
superintendent of Sabine Parish schools; and
WHEREAS, Joe represented District 24 in the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1986 until 2008; he also served with great distinction as the sixty-second speaker of
the House; during his time in the legislature, he served as chair of the House Legislative
Bureau and the Rural Legislative Task Force, as vice chair of the House Committee on
Education, and as a member of numerous committees including the House Committee on
Appropriations, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and the Joint Committee on
Capital Outlay; and
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WHEREAS, as speaker, Joe demonstrated his outstanding leadership skills by
expertly guiding the House and Louisiana's citizens during the aftermaths of Hurricane
Katrina and Hurricane Rita; he provided strength, dignity, and determination throughout the
unprecedented recovery process and helped the citizens of Louisiana to endeavor to rebuild
the state; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Salter has been the deserving recipient of numerous honors and
awards including the Champion of Senior Citizen Issues in Louisiana Special Award from
the Louisiana Council on Aging, the Fleur de Lis Health Care Leadership Award, the
Guardian of Small Business Award, and the Louisiana Public Broadcasting President's
Award; he is a three-time Legislative Golden Apple Award winner, and he has been twice
honored by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers with the Representative of the Year Award;
and
WHEREAS, Mr. Salter is affiliated with a number of professional, civic, and
business organizations including the National Conference of State Legislatures and its
education committee; the advisory council of the Southern Regional Education Board; the
Education Commission of the States; the board of directors of the Louisiana School for
Math, Science, and the Arts; the advisory board of Northwestern State University at Fort
Polk in Leesville; the Coushatta-Red River and Sabine Parish Chambers of Commerce; the
Florien Lions Club; the Many Rotary Club; Phi Kappa Phi; the Blue Key Honor Fraternity;
Phi Delta Kappa; the Toledo Bend Citizens Advisory Committee; and the Toledo Bend Lake
Association; and
WHEREAS, after the end of his House service, Mr. Salter continued his state public
service as the director of governmental relations for the state Department of Education; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Salter's wife, Bettye, and their children and grandchildren celebrate
with him as he enters the next chapter of their lives together; and
WHEREAS, Representative Francis Thompson paid tribute to Mr. Salter on his
election as Speaker: "I don't believe I have met anyone with more integrity, honesty, loyalty,
and ability to get along with people than Joe Salter"; and
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WHEREAS, Joe most recently served as the first assistant to the Louisiana Secretary
of State; for nearly four decades, he has committed his unique blend of intelligence,
compassion, and dauntless courage to the service of the state, and he is most deserving of
the highest recognition for his work.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
commend Joe R. Salter on the occasion of his retirement from public service and does
hereby extend sincerest wishes that he continue to prosper in all of his endeavors as he
begins a new journey in retirement.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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