Hollis Downs
Encyclopedia
Hollis H. Downs is a finance professor at Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
, Louisiana
, and a retiring Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 12 (Lincoln
and Union
parishes).
A native of Farmerville
, the seat of neighboring Union Parish, Downs graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1968. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1974 and the Louisiana National Guard
from 1974 to 1976. He is a financial planner in Ruston, where he resides with his wife, Catherine Downs. He is United Methodist.
Downs won a special election to the state House held in January 2003 created by the resignation of Democratic
Representative Jay McCallum. He won the contest by 36 votes over fellow Republican Chuck Earle, 3,838 to 3,802.
Downs then won four-year terms in the elections of 2003 and 2007 without opposition. However, Downs is not a candidate for a third full term in the October 2011 election cycle.
In 2011, Downs sponsored House Bill 448 which would have charged full college students for fifteen credit hours, up from the current twelve semester hours. According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, the change would raise about $74 million a year. Downs said that previous policy in which students pay only for twelve hours encourages them to enroll in additional courses that they frequently drop by the time of withdrawal day. Therefore, colleges must hire more faculty and staff than they would otherwise need. Downs said the fifteen-hour requirement would encourage students to take more classes and graduate earlier. The additional funds raised would compensate too, he said, for other budget cuts in higher education. However, the full House overwhelmingly rejected Hollis's bill and a similar measure by Republican Representative Frank Hoffmann
of West Monroe
.
In his last legislative session, Downs broke with his party and joined a House minority in supporting an "anti-bullying" bill that would seek to halt phyical abuses in public schools. Critics, including the Louisiana Family Forum
, said that the legislation would be misconstrued and used to promote homosexual life-styles.
Downs will be succeeded in the House by one of two Republicans who will compete for the position in the November 19, 2011, general election. They are Jason Bullock, who polled 45 percent of the ballots in the primary election held on October 21, 2011, and Rob Shadoin, who trailed with nearly 39 percent of the vote. A third Republican candidate, Jacob "Jake" Halley, held the remaining 16 percent of the vote.
Ruston insurance agent R. G. "Skip" Russell, a District 8 Republican member and past president of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body, also announced for the seat but never filed.Russell is a former aide to Democratic former U.S. Representative Jerry Huckaby
.
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and a retiring Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from District 12 (Lincoln
Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
Lincoln Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Ruston. In 2004, its population was estimated to be 42,382...
and Union
Union Parish, Louisiana
Union Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Farmerville....
parishes).
A native of Farmerville
Farmerville, Louisiana
Farmerville is a town in and the parish seat of Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,808 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the seat of neighboring Union Parish, Downs graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1968. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1974 and the Louisiana National Guard
Louisiana National Guard
The Louisiana National Guard consists of the:*Louisiana Army National Guard** includes the U.S. 256th Infantry Brigade*Louisiana Air National Guard-External links:*** compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
from 1974 to 1976. He is a financial planner in Ruston, where he resides with his wife, Catherine Downs. He is United Methodist.
Downs won a special election to the state House held in January 2003 created by the resignation of Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Representative Jay McCallum. He won the contest by 36 votes over fellow Republican Chuck Earle, 3,838 to 3,802.
Downs then won four-year terms in the elections of 2003 and 2007 without opposition. However, Downs is not a candidate for a third full term in the October 2011 election cycle.
In 2011, Downs sponsored House Bill 448 which would have charged full college students for fifteen credit hours, up from the current twelve semester hours. According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, the change would raise about $74 million a year. Downs said that previous policy in which students pay only for twelve hours encourages them to enroll in additional courses that they frequently drop by the time of withdrawal day. Therefore, colleges must hire more faculty and staff than they would otherwise need. Downs said the fifteen-hour requirement would encourage students to take more classes and graduate earlier. The additional funds raised would compensate too, he said, for other budget cuts in higher education. However, the full House overwhelmingly rejected Hollis's bill and a similar measure by Republican Representative Frank Hoffmann
Frank Hoffmann
Frank Albert Hoffmann is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 15 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. He is known as a leading legislative opponent of abortion...
of West Monroe
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
In his last legislative session, Downs broke with his party and joined a House minority in supporting an "anti-bullying" bill that would seek to halt phyical abuses in public schools. Critics, including the Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum is a social conservative non-profit advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization supports Louisiana's covenant marriage law and opposes abortion and same-sex marriage...
, said that the legislation would be misconstrued and used to promote homosexual life-styles.
Downs will be succeeded in the House by one of two Republicans who will compete for the position in the November 19, 2011, general election. They are Jason Bullock, who polled 45 percent of the ballots in the primary election held on October 21, 2011, and Rob Shadoin, who trailed with nearly 39 percent of the vote. A third Republican candidate, Jacob "Jake" Halley, held the remaining 16 percent of the vote.
Ruston insurance agent R. G. "Skip" Russell, a District 8 Republican member and past president of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body, also announced for the seat but never filed.Russell is a former aide to Democratic former U.S. Representative Jerry Huckaby
Jerry Huckaby
Thomas Jerald Huckaby, usually known as Jerry Huckaby , is a retired businessman who served as a Democratic U.S. representative from the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana between 1977 and 1993...
.