In special inaugural
ceremonies in the Louisiana State Senate Chamber, members of the
2004-2008 State Senate took the oath of office and were officially
seated as State Senators. Among the 39 members are eight new State
Senators including an additional three women members. The Senators,
after taking the oath of office from former Louisiana Lieutenant
Governor Jimmy Fitzmorris, chose their leadership.
By a unanimous vote, the
members of the Louisiana State Senate chose District 28 State Senator
Don Hines (D- Bunkie) as the new Senate President. Senators Joe
McPherson and Sherri Smith Cheek, who nominated the 70 year old family
physician for the leadership post, noted Senator Hines’ commitment
and compassion for Louisiana’s families and children and his sense
of fairness.
Senator Hines began his
service in the senate in 1993. With wife Jackie by his side and his
family and friends watching on, he took the oath of office from Third
Circuit Court of Appeal Judge John Saunders who preceded Hines as the
District 28 State Senator. The new president then asked his fellow
senators for their help.
"I know that we have
serious challenges ahead of us, but as I have studied our membership
and looked around this body and seen the individual ability and the
individual talent I know that if we can harness that ability and
talent into a collective effort we can overcome seemingly
insurmountable obstacles," Senate President Hines said.
"That is why I ask for your help, I ask for your prayers and your
support. With your support and divine guidance, we can do the job. We
not only can, we must. For Louisiana is on the dawn of a new day and
if we can work together we can make the sun shine all over this
state."
Helping Senate President
Hines direct the work of the 2004-2008 Louisiana State
Senate is
District 5 State Senator Diana Bajoie (D-New Orleans). Also elected by
a unanimous vote, Senator Bajoie becomes the first woman to serve as
Louisiana Senate President Pro-tempore. Nineteenth Judicial District
Judge Janice Clark administered the oath of office to Senator Bajoie,
the first African-American woman elected to the Senate and the only
woman in the Louisiana House of Representatives when she began her
legislative service 27 years ago.
Termed as a vanguard for
the least of these and noted for her tireless compassion by Senators
Charles Jones, Paulette Irons and Cleo Fields who nominated Senator
Bajoie for the President Pro-tempore post, Senator Bajoie described
her selection to the leadership position as a truly emotional moment.
"When I was serving
in the House of Representatives as a young woman in her twenties, I
didn’t think I would ever get elected to the Senate and I definitely
didn’t think I would ever be elected Senate President Pro-tempore.
It was a different time and different legislature," Senator
Bajoie said. "It makes me realize that for all of the young
people coming behind there are new doors open to them and that they
too can accomplish their goal. It is a new Louisiana and I think a
better Louisiana."
For twenty members of the
2004-2008 Louisiana Senate this will be their last term, unable to run
for re-election because of term limits. For eight members, this is
their first term. The new members are State Senators Jody
Amedee, Bob Kostelka, Nick
Gautreaux, Ann Duplessis, Lydia
Jackson, Sherri Smith Cheek, Walter Boasso and
Ben Nevers. District 33 State Senator Robert
Barham was unable to attend the ceremonies because of a death in his
family. Senate Secretary Mike Baer said arrangements were made for
Senator Barham to be sworn into office in Northeast Louisiana.
