Orleans Rep. elected to lead state’s Black Caucus

By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer

Louisiana’s Legislative Black Caucus is usually chaired by a veteran legislator who has occupied his seat in the House or Senate (often in both) for many years. To elect a sophomore House member who first entered the State House in a special election less than two years ago is almost unprecedented.

District 97 Representative Dr. Joseph Bouie, though, enjoyed such a stature amongst his colleagues, that they propelled him to the Chairmanship of the Black Caucus over legislators who had served years longer on January 13. Of course, Bouie has long built a reputation for his principled political stands, prior to entering politics. As Chancellor of SUNO, he undertook a difficult reformist agenda, including the politically explosive termination of the wife of Cong. Bill Jefferson.

BOUIE

Standing up against powerful interests has never daunted Bouie. Almost immediately upon his election to the State House on February 1, 2014, he led the fight to restore Recovery School District schools to the Orleans School Board.

His impassioned defense that Crescent City neighborhoods could only recover to their full potential if their “neighborhood school was restored” swung few votes, but drew the admiration of anti-RSD campaigners across the racial divide.

This was not the only time that Bouie opposed both the Jindal Administration and members of his own Black Caucus. Last May, he was one of 10 legislators serving on the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee who voted to table the proposed Marriage and Conscience Act.

Designed to block the state government from pulling licenses or tax benefits from a company because of the owner’s counter view of same-sex marriage, Bouie built a coalition of Republicans and Democrats to kill the proposed bill. (Gov. Jindal ended up implementing the policy by Executive Order.)

Bouie’s ability to work across party lines and carry the fight convinced his African-American colleagues to make the new legislator the “face” of their efforts.

Other newly elected officers of the Caucus include the new Vice-Chairman Rep. Randal Gaines of LaPlace, First Vice-Chair Rep. Jimmy Harris of New Orleans, Senate Whip Sen. Yvonne Dorsey Colomb of Baton Rouge, Secretary Rep. Edward “Ted” James of Baton Rouge, Treasurer Rep. Patricia Haynes Smith of Baton Rouge, Parliamentarian Rep. Vincent Pierre of Lafayette, Sergeant-At-Arms Rep. Kenny Cox of Mansfield.

The terms of office for the new La. Legislative Black Caucus officers last until January 2017.

This article originally published in the January 18, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.