James R. Fannin
Encyclopedia
James Roy Fannin known as Jim Fannin, is the Democratic
chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Louisiana House of Representatives
. He is a former educator and active businessman in Jonesboro
, the seat of Jackson Parish
in north Louisiana
, In 2003, Fannin was elected to represent House District 13 (Jackson, Bienville
, Ouachita
, and Winn
parishes). He succeeded Rodney Alexander
of Quitman
, who resigned to become the United States Representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district
. Fannin is chairman of the Louisiana Rural Caucus and a member of the Democratic Caucus.
. Fannin is married to the former Kitty Davis (born September 15, 1951). Their son is James Matthew Fannin (born April 30, 1974).
Fannin graduated in 1967 from Winnfield Senior High School. One of his classmates was a future legislative colleague, State Senator
Mike Smith
, a Winnfield automobile dealer. After high school, Fannin first studied agricultural education at Northwestern State University
in Natchitoches, Louisiana
, but the program was abolished before he could complete his studies. He therefore transferred to Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
, where he met his future wife. While in college, Fannin was elected to the Winn Parish Democratic Executive Committee. He also was a member for seven years of the Louisiana National Guard
. He first taught agriculture at Sikes High School in Sikes
in Winn Parish before relocating to Jackson Parish, where he owns and operates Fannin Feeds.
The special election was for a term of less than one calendar year. Therefore, Fannin ran again in the regular primary election on October 4. Again in a multi-candidate field, he was forced into a second round of balloting, called the general election
in Louisiana, with Todd Culpepper. Fannin led with 6,445 votes (42.8 percent) to Culpepper’s 3,997 (26.5 percent). In the November 15 general election, Fannin again prevailed over Culpepper, 8,061 (55.6 percent) to 6,447 (44.4 percent). In 2007, Fannin won resoundingly over another Democrat, Jason E. Cook, 10,551 (78.6 percent) to 2,879 (21.4 percent).
, a Republican
. While Fannin was seeking to be named the representative from the 5th congressional district on the House Appropriations Committee, he was contacted by Jindal as well as incoming House Speaker
Jim Tucker
of Terrytown
in Jefferson Parish
, who offered him the committee chairmanship.
Fannin described the post as "a huge responsibility. . . . [In] many ways the Appropriations chairmanship is on a footing equal to Speaker, because it originates and passes all bills relating to spending. And it is important for North Louisiana, which often feels overlooked in dealings in the legislature."
Appropriations committee membership totals nineteen, of which seven are elected, one each from the seven congressional districts, by fellow House members within the congressional district. Others are appointed by the House Speaker. Appropriations is the only House committee which elects a portion of its own membership, with others being appointed by the Speaker.
In the 2004-2008 session, Fannin served on the Transportation Committee, having ended his service as chairman. He tackled numerous measures involving forestry
and logging. He also served on the Agriculture Committee, where he planned to continue sitting as an ad hoc non-voting member. If reelected in 2011, Fannin will be term-limited for the 2015 primaries.
Reflecting his background in education, Fannin was the author in the House of the "career diploma" law that was signed in 2009 by Governor Jindal. The legislation permits high school students to receive a lower-tier diploma by taking less rigorous courses if they do not intend to continue their studies after graduation. Fannin predicts that his plan will reduce the state's high school dropout rate, which was the highest in the nation at 8.4 percent for the 2005–2006 school year. The measure drew opposition from the Campaign for High School Equity, a Rockefeller Foundation
program in Washington, D.C.
More than one third of high school students in Louisiana leave before receiving diplomas. CHSE said that the new measure "allows students fifteen and older to opt out of the standard curriculum with parental consent" and permits eighth graders to advance to the ninth grade without passing the state standardized tests. The CHSE claims that this will mean lowered academic standards that will disproportionately affect low-income and minority students.
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...
chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
. He is a former educator and active businessman in Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the seat of Jackson Parish
Jackson Parish, Louisiana
Jackson Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish was formed in 1845 from parts of Claiborne, Ouachita, and Union Parishes. In 2010, its population was 16,274. The parish seat is Jonesboro...
in north 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...
, In 2003, Fannin was elected to represent House District 13 (Jackson, Bienville
Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Arcadia and as of the 2000 census, the population is 15,752....
, Ouachita
Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
-National protected areas:* Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge* D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 147,250 people, 55,216 households, and 38,319 families residing in the parish. The population density was 241 people per square mile...
, and Winn
Winn Parish, Louisiana
Winn Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Winnfield. In 2000, its population was 16,894.The parish has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
parishes). He succeeded Rodney Alexander
Rodney Alexander
Rodney McKinnie Alexander is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district covers twenty-two parishes in roughly the northeast quadrant of the state...
of Quitman
Quitman, Louisiana
Quitman is a village in Jackson Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 168. Quitman is south of Ruston on U.S. Highway 167, and north of Jonesboro, the parish seat of Jackson Parish...
, who resigned to become the United States Representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district
Louisiana's 5th congressional district
Louisiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district covers most of the northeastern and central portions of the state and contains the cities of Monroe and Alexandria and stretches as far south as Iberville Parish in southern Louisiana.The...
. Fannin is chairman of the Louisiana Rural Caucus and a member of the Democratic Caucus.
Early years, education, family
Fannin is one of four children born in Winn Parish to John Thomas Fannin (1914–2003) and the former Mollie Jean Ray (born ca. 1924). The senior Fannin worked for a time for Brown and Root Construction Company and later farmed and engaged in carpentryCarpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. Fannin is married to the former Kitty Davis (born September 15, 1951). Their son is James Matthew Fannin (born April 30, 1974).
Fannin graduated in 1967 from Winnfield Senior High School. One of his classmates was a future legislative colleague, State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Mike Smith
Mike Smith (Louisiana politician)
Kenneth Michael Smith, Sr., known as Mike Smith , is a businessman in Winnfield, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1996 to 2008....
, a Winnfield automobile dealer. After high school, Fannin first studied agricultural education at Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
in Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, but the program was abolished before he could complete his studies. He therefore transferred to Louisiana Tech University
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...
, where he met his future wife. While in college, Fannin was elected to the Winn Parish Democratic Executive Committee. He also was a member for seven years of 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...
. He first taught agriculture at Sikes High School in Sikes
Sikes, Louisiana
Sikes is a village in Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 121 at the 2000 census.The village was named after James Warren Sikes, Sr. , a leader in the Winn Parish Baptist church and the first postmaster in the local area....
in Winn Parish before relocating to Jackson Parish, where he owns and operates Fannin Feeds.
Election contests
Prior to his legislative service, Fannin served at least one term on the Jackson Parish Police Jury, the parish governing council. He won the Ward 2 seat in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995. In the legislative special election held on February 15, 2003, Fannin, with 2,092 votes (30.8 percent) led by 44 votes over fellow Democrat William Todd Culpepper, who received 2,048 votes (30.2 percent). Three other candidates held the remaining, but critical, 39 percent of the ballots. In the runoff election on March 15, Fannin prevailed, 3,596 (56.1 percent) to Culpepper's 2,815 votes (43.9 percent).The special election was for a term of less than one calendar year. Therefore, Fannin ran again in the regular primary election on October 4. Again in a multi-candidate field, he was forced into a second round of balloting, called the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
in Louisiana, with Todd Culpepper. Fannin led with 6,445 votes (42.8 percent) to Culpepper’s 3,997 (26.5 percent). In the November 15 general election, Fannin again prevailed over Culpepper, 8,061 (55.6 percent) to 6,447 (44.4 percent). In 2007, Fannin won resoundingly over another Democrat, Jason E. Cook, 10,551 (78.6 percent) to 2,879 (21.4 percent).
Legislative leadership
Fannin was appointed chairman of the Appropriations Committee by Governor Bobby JindalBobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, a 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...
. While Fannin was seeking to be named the representative from the 5th congressional district on the House Appropriations Committee, he was contacted by Jindal as well as incoming House Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
Jim Tucker
Jim Tucker (Louisiana politician)
James Wayne Tucker, known as Jim Tucker , is the departing Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and an ally of Governor Bobby Jindal. An investment banker from the Terrytown section of the New Orleans metropolitan area, Tucker's District 86 includes precincts from both Jefferson and...
of Terrytown
Terrytown, Louisiana
Terrytown is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. It is a suburb within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 25,430 at the 2000 census...
in Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
, who offered him the committee chairmanship.
Fannin described the post as "a huge responsibility. . . . [In] many ways the Appropriations chairmanship is on a footing equal to Speaker, because it originates and passes all bills relating to spending. And it is important for North Louisiana, which often feels overlooked in dealings in the legislature."
Appropriations committee membership totals nineteen, of which seven are elected, one each from the seven congressional districts, by fellow House members within the congressional district. Others are appointed by the House Speaker. Appropriations is the only House committee which elects a portion of its own membership, with others being appointed by the Speaker.
In the 2004-2008 session, Fannin served on the Transportation Committee, having ended his service as chairman. He tackled numerous measures involving forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and logging. He also served on the Agriculture Committee, where he planned to continue sitting as an ad hoc non-voting member. If reelected in 2011, Fannin will be term-limited for the 2015 primaries.
Reflecting his background in education, Fannin was the author in the House of the "career diploma" law that was signed in 2009 by Governor Jindal. The legislation permits high school students to receive a lower-tier diploma by taking less rigorous courses if they do not intend to continue their studies after graduation. Fannin predicts that his plan will reduce the state's high school dropout rate, which was the highest in the nation at 8.4 percent for the 2005–2006 school year. The measure drew opposition from the Campaign for High School Equity, a Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
program in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
More than one third of high school students in Louisiana leave before receiving diplomas. CHSE said that the new measure "allows students fifteen and older to opt out of the standard curriculum with parental consent" and permits eighth graders to advance to the ninth grade without passing the state standardized tests. The CHSE claims that this will mean lowered academic standards that will disproportionately affect low-income and minority students.