Patrick O. Jefferson
Patrick O'Neal Jefferson (born November 1968) is a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for the 11th district, which includes Bienville, Claiborne, and Lincoln parishes. Jefferson is an attorney in private practice in Arcadia, Louisiana. Jefferson graduated in 1990 from the historically black Dillard University in New Orleans, where he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He obtained his Juris Doctor from the Ohio State University College of Law in Columbus, Ohio. He is a former president of the Bienville Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body. He is a supervisor of Southern  University, another historically black institution, in Baton Rouge. Jefferson is affiliated with Lions International in Arcadia. Opposition to Marriage and Conscience Act. On May 19, 2015, Jefferson was among ten legislators on the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee who voted to table the proposed Marriage and Conscience Act, authored by Republican Representative Mike Johnson of Bossier Parish and strongly supported by the Louisiana Family Forum. Only his fellow Republican Ray Garofalo of Chalmette stood with Johnson. Governor Bobby Jindal, who supported the legislation, then issued an executive order to implement the measure. Johnson said that he would in 2016 , if he were reelected, re-introduce the measure because he preferred a statutory law to address the issue. Johnson explained that the measure is 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. Other Democrats who opposed the measure were committee chairman Neil Abramson and Joseph Bouie, Jr., both of New Orleans, and Alfred C. Williams of Baton Rouge. Republicans who voted to table the measure were Mike "Pete" Huval of Breaux Bridge, Gregory A. Miller of Norco, and Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales , and Nancy Landry of Lafayette. Jefferson ran unopposed for reelection to the House in the October 24, 2015, primary election. Jefferson and two Republican legislative colleagues, conservative Mike Johnson and Jim Morris of Caddo Parish, are expected to run in 2016 for the seat in the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 4th congressional district being vacated by U.S. Senate candidate John C. Fleming of Minden.