Jean-Paul Coussan

Jean-Paul Philip Coussan, known as JP Coussan (born August 31, 1978),[1] is an American lawyer, small business owner and Republican politician from Lafayette, Louisiana, who has since 2016 represented District 45 in the Louisiana House of Representatives.[2][3]

Jean-Paul Philip Coussan
Louisiana State Representative for District 45 (Lafayette Parish)
Incumbent
Assumed office January 11, 2016
Preceded by	Joel Robideaux
Personal details
Born	(1978-08-31) August 31, 1978 Lafayette, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Jennifer Joy Coussan
Children	3
Parents	Dr. George and Jo Ellen Becnel Coussan
Alma mater	St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette Louisiana State University Louisiana State University Law Center
Occupation	Lawyer; Businessman

Background

Coussan's paternal grandfather, G. Louis Coussan, was a professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the dean of the college of education there. His grandmother, Mary B. Coussan, taught for the Lafayette Parish School Board. His father, Dr. George Coussan, a radiologist, quarterbacked the ULL Ragin' Cajuns, when the team played in the Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge in 1970. His mother, the former Jo Ellen Becnel, is a real estate broker for Van Eaton & Romero in Lafayette. Coussan and his wife, Jennifer Joy, have three children, and attend Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Lafayette.[4]

Coussan graduated from the Catholic-affiliated St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette and then Louisiana State University and the Louisiana State University Law Center, both in Baton Rouge.[4]

Career

A partner at the Lafayette real estate law firm, Andrus Boudreaux Complete Title, Coussan also co-founded Cougar Constructione. He was formerly affiliated with Ottinger Hebert, LLC, at which his clients came mainly from oil and natural gas. He previously served on the commission overseeing the Lafayette Cajundome. His other affiliations include the Chamber of Commerce, the Acadian Homebuilders Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the Boy Scouts of America.[4]

Coussan won his seat in a runoff election held on November 21, 2015, over fellow Republican Andre' Comeaux.[5] The two had emerged as the top two candidates from the October 24 primary election in which a third contender, Republican Jan Swift, was eliminated from further consideration.[6]

In his freshman term, Coussan has proved to be a competent negotiator in the Legislature, often working behind the scenes to affect change. He was part of the "Gang of Eight" as described by political columnist Jeremy Alford, who led the charge in 2016 to elect Taylor Barras as the first independent Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, bucking the tradition of supporting the governor's chosen leader. Later that same year, Coussan was among the "Gang of No" who voted repeatedly against proposed tax increases and other tax measures pushed by then newly installed Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards,[7] working instead on compromise legislation to put a temporary sales tax increase in place set to expire in 2018, providing time to craft long-term fiscal reform to the state budget.

As a result of these and other voted during a series of special legislative sessions in his first year in office, Coussan was ranked the 12th most conservative member of the legislature by the American Conservative Union in 2016, which ranked legislators who vote "most consistently with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution: limited transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and lasting cultural values."[8]

He was named a "Business Champion" at the Chamber SWLA's annual LegisGator Awards in 2016 and 2017. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry gave him honorable mentions in 2016 and 2017 on its annual legislative scorecard, along with legislators who worked to advance "a platform of positive, pro-growth measures to improve Louisiana's economic climate." [9] Also in both of his two years serving in the House, Coussan maintained a 100% voting record[10] with the NFIB who named him a Guardian of Small Business. He was also named a Family Advocate by the Louisiana Family Forum.

References

1. "Jean Coussan, August 1978". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
2. "Representative Jean-Paul P. Coussan". Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
3. Taylor, Claire (November 22, 2015). "Jean-Paul Coussan wins House District 45 race". Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
4. "About Jean-Paul". Coussan.com. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
5. "Election Returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
6. Claire Taylor (November 22, 2015). "Jean-Paul Coussan wins House District 45 race". Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
7. "State House of Representatives Vote to Increase Sales Tax". KEEL. February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
8. "2016 Ratings of Louisiana" (PDF). Acuratings.conservative.org. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
9. "An Inside Look into the State Capitol: LABI Releases Legislative Scorecard – LABI: Louisiana Association of Business and Industry". Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
10. NFIB - Louisiana. "Voting Record Inside: Are Your Legislators Working for Small Business?" (PDF). Nfib.com. Retrieved 14 July 2018.

Louisiana House of Representatives
Preceded by Joel Robideaux	Louisiana State Representative for District 45 (Lafayette Parish) Jean-Paul Philip Coussan 2016–	Succeeded by Incumbent