Georgene Louis
Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
from the 26th district
In office
January 15, 2013 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byAl Park
Succeeded byEleanor Chavez
Personal details
Born1978 (age 45–46)
Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of New Mexico (BA, JD)
WebsiteGovernment website

Georgene Louis is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives for the 26th district from 2013 to 2023.[1]

Early life and education

Louis was born and raised in the Acoma Pueblo. She earned a bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico.[2]

Career

Louis has worked in the field of tribal law. She participated in a seven-month candidate training called Emerge New Mexico.[3] Five of its alumni were elected to office in New Mexico in 2012.[3] As of 2015, Louis is one of five Native American legislators in the New Mexico House of Representatives.[2]

Louis represented District 26, which includes part of West Albuquerque and is predominantly Latino. The district has a population of around 30,000 people, of whom 4% are Native American.[2]

She was the chair of the House State Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs committees and was also a member of the Judiciary and Rules & Order of Business Committees.[4] She was re-elected to a fifth term in 2020.

Louis is the general counsel of the Pueblo of Tesuque. On January 4, 2021, Louis announced her candidacy for the 2021 New Mexico's 1st congressional district special election.[5] At the Democratic committee selection, she lost to fellow representative Melanie Stansbury.[6][7]

Personal life

Louis had her daughter, Jonisha, when she was a sophomore in high school.[8] Louis and her daughter live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[9]

On February 14, 2022, Louis was booked into a Santa Fe County jail on an Aggravated DWI charge, in addition to being charged with "speeding, driving without insurance and failing to show proof of registration."[10][11]

On April 4th, 2022, New Mexico's State Ethics Commission ruled that Louis broke the New Mexico's Governmental Conduct Act by informing the arresting officer that she was a Legislator, and showing him her Government vehicle plates and that this was an attempt to obtain preferential treatment from a police officer.[12]

Honors

  • Inaugural Achievement Award, Indian Law Section, State Bar of New Mexico, 2013 (cite for this and following entries[13])
  • Emerging Democratic Woman of the Year, Emerge New Mexico, 2013
  • Toll Fellow, Council of State Governments, 2013
  • 40 Under Forty Honoree, Albuquerque Business First, 2013
  • Award Nominee, American Council of Young Political Leaders, 2013

References

  1. ↑ "Official Website". Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Georgene Louis, State Representative, House District 26, New Mexico House of Representatives", Meet Native America blog, August 21, 2015, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; accessed June 28, 2016
  3. 1 2 Kim Baca, "Native Women Aim to Make Waves in NM Political Arena", Indian Country Today, October 21, 2014; accessed June 28, 2016
  4. ↑ "Representative Georgene Louis - (D)". New Mexico Legislature. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  5. ↑ Chief, Dan Boyd | Journal Capitol Bureau (January 4, 2021). "ABQ lawmaker joins three others in bid for Haaland's seat". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  6. ↑ Democrats, New Mexico (March 31, 2021). "DPNM Announces Runoff in SCC Vote to Determine Democratic Nominee in CD-1". New Mexico Democrats.
  7. ↑ Writer, Ryan Boetel | Journal Staff (March 31, 2021). "Stansbury chosen as Democratic nominee for special election". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Meet Native America: Georgene Louis, State Representative for House District 26, New Mexico State Legislature". blog.nmai.si.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Members". NMHDCC. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. ↑ Jonathan Fjeld (March 24, 2022). "Lapel video: New Mexico legislator arrested for DWI". KOB. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Cops & Cons". Youtube.
  12. ↑ "New Mexico lawmaker settles ethics complaint over conduct at DWI stop". Las Cruces Sun News.
  13. ↑ Bio: "Georgene Louis", Project Vote Smart, 2016; accessed June 28, 2016
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