Pro-Business Louisiana Legislators Lauded at
Legis-Gator Luncheon
The 7th
Annual Chamber SWLA Legis-Gator Luncheon once again bestowed this year’s
Legis-Gator of the Year award to a state legislator who took on a tough,
thankless challenge for the benefit of Louisiana – Senator Elbert Guillory (D -
Opelousas).
"Our 2012 Legis-Gator of the
Year has taken on the most inglorious, unglamorous, and downright nightmare of
an issue: Retirement Reform,” said Marie Centanni, Chamber SWLA’s Vice
President of Governmental Affairs. "The Chamber SWLA endorsed Gov.
Jindal’s Retirement Reform package to manage the state’s unfunded accrued
liability, but only one of the key bills became law. We applaud
Representative Kevin Pearson on that win, but the more controversial bills
failed to clear the final hurdles of the legislative process. We feel
it’s imperative that the effort continue. Our state employees are our
backbone, and deserve quality retirement benefits, but our state government
must manage and fund that system in a way that works responsibly.”
As a lawyer, Senator Guillory
was unexpectedly called into court today and unable to attend today’s luncheon.
This year’s other major award winners were Rep. Bob Hensgens (R –
Abbeville), who won the Governmental 
Affairs Award for being the Southwest
Louisiana delegation member having the highest voting record with the Chamber
SWLA’s agenda (pictured –right- with Governmental Affairs 
Chair Courtney Fenet)
; House Speaker Chuck Kleckley (R –Lake Charles), who won the Chair’s Award for
his leadership during an especially contentious session (pictured – left- with
2012 Chair Bill Monk); and Rep. Stuart Bishop (R –Lafayette) was Fusion Five’s
choice for the Up & Coming Legislator Award (pictured –right- with Fusion
Five’s Governmental Affairs Chair April Altazan).
This year’s keynote address
was given by former Gov. Buddy Roemer, 
with updates from Louisiana’s
Congressional Delegation including U.S. Reps. Charles Boustany (R –Lafayette),
John Fleming (R – Shreveport), Bill Cassidy (R – Baton Rouge), Jeff Landry (R –
New Iberia) and Cedric Richmond (D – New Orleans). More than 750
attendees helped the Chamber SWLA honor these legislators, recapping
legislative efforts undertaken in 2012. This year’s Business Champion
honorees voted a majority of the time with the Chamber’s legislative platform,
supporting pro-business legislation, education reform, pension reform, and the reform
of legacy lawsuits.
"While we know that a
few tweaks are yet to come, these changes are a critical foundation for the
change our state needs. We recognize that there will be disagreements in
the legislative process, and we respect all positions as we work towards common
goals. We have much at stake in our corner of Louisiana,” Centanni
said.
This year’s Business
Champions receiving awards include:
Senators
- Sen. President John Alario (R
– Westwego)
- Sen. President Pro Temp
Sharon Weston Broome (D - Baton Rouge)
- Sen. Norby Chabert (R –
Houma)
- Sen. Ronnie Johns (R - Lake
Charles)
- Sen. Blade Morrish (R –
Jennings)
- Senator A.G. Crowe (R –
Slidell)
- Sen. Bret Allain, II (R –
Franklin)
- Sen. Mike Walsworth (R - West
Monroe)
- Sen. Gerald Long, (R - Winnfield)
- Sen. John Smith (R -
Leesville)
- Sen. Jonathan Perry (R -
Kaplan)
