Patricia Haynes Smith

Patricia Haynes Smith, often known as Pat Smith (born April 1946),^[1] is an African-American Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 67 in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. She is completing her second term in office and is eligible to run again in the 2015 state elections.^[2][3]

Background

Smith graduated c. 1964 from Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio, by which time the formerly Jewish-majority school had become largely African-American in the makeup of the student body. She subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She is affiliated with the Nu Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an African-American sorority. Smith did graduate work at both Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.^[2][4]

Smith taught public school in both Ashtabula, Ohio, and Baton Rouge. She is retired from Exxon-Mobil, where she was employed in the public relations department. Smith and her husband, Freddie Smith, Jr. (born December 1945), have six children and reside in Baton Rouge. She is a member of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church and parish council. She is affiliated with both the YMCA and the YWCA and the National Advisory Committee for Black Achievers.^[4]

Political life

Smith ran unsuccessfully in 2003 for the District 18 seat in the Louisiana State Senate.^[4]In 2007, she finished second in the nonpartisan blanket primary for House District 67 with 2,415 votes (36 percent). The leading candidate, Democrat Lorri Ann Burgess (born January 1963) of Baton Rouge, received 2,598 votes (38.7 percent). The third-place finisher, Democrat David Brown, polled 1,705 votes (25.4), enough to prevent either Burgess or Smith from winning.^[5] Smith defeated Burgess in the runoff election, called the general election in Louisiana though both candidates may be of the same party. Smith polled 2,793 votes (55.2 percent) to Burgess's 2,271 (44.9 percent).^[6]

Smith faced a re-match with Burgess in 2011. Again with a low turnout, Smith prevailed, 2,916 votes (61.1 percent) to 1,854 (38.9 percent).^[7]Burgess had also run unsuccessfully for the House in 2003, when she lost to Yvonne Dorsey Welch, Smith's precedessor in the seat.^[8]

Representative Smith is a member of the Women's Caucus, the Black Caucus, and the Democratic Caucus. She serves on these committees: (1) Appropriations, (2) Education, (3) Labor and Industrial Relations, (4) House Executive Committee, and (5) Joint Legislative Budget.^[2]

Smith's legislative ratings have ranged from 17 to 67 from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. In 2012. the National Federation of Independent Business rated her 0 percent; in 2010, 38 percent. In 2013 and 2014, the conservative Louisiana Family Forum scored her 25 and 22 percent, respectively. In 2013 and 2014, she was rated 25 and 50 percent, respectively, by Louisiana Right to Life; she had a 100 percent Right to Life rating when she came to the House in 2008. She was rated 100 percent in both 2013 and 2014 by the Louisiana Association of Educators.^[9]

In 2014, Smith did not vote on the requirement that abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges near their clinics; only five House members opposed the measure. That same year, she voted to extend the time for implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. She did not vote on the issue of forbidding the transportation of dogs in open truck beds on interstate highways. She co-sponsored the repeal of state anti-sodomy laws; the measure failed in the House, 27-67.^[10]

In 2013, Smith voted to reduce penalties for the possession of marijuana. She did not vote on the issue of permanent concealed carry gun permits but in 2014 opposed the use of such permits in restaurants that serve alcohol. She opposed keeping information on concealed carry permits confidential and out of the public record. She voted to increase judicial pay and to end the mandatory retirement age for judges. She co-sponsored an "equal pay" plan for state employees. In 2012, she sponsored legislation to provide for parole eligibility for non-violent inmates. She voted to prohibit the use of telephones while driving and in 2011 opposed the holding of hand-held devices while driving. She opposed state tax incentives to recruit a National Basketball Association team to Louisiana and also opposed state income tax deductions for taxpayers donating to scholarship funds. She opposed reducing the number of hours that polling locations remain open; Louisiana has traditionally had 14-hour polling days.^[10]

In 2011, Smith voted for a permanent tax on cigarettes. That year she sponsored the bill for parole eligibility for elderly inmates. She supported a failed bill which proposed to halt bullying in public schools. She opposed the requirement for drug testing of welfare recipients. She voted against the establishment of a commission to develop a plan to abolish the state income tax. She opposed the redistricting bill for both the Louisiana State Senate and the congressional delegation.^[10]

References