Danny Martiny

Daniel R. "Danny" Martiny
Louisiana State Senator from District 10 (Jefferson Parish)
Incumbent
Assumed office January 14, 2008
Preceded by	Art Lentini
Louisiana Senate Majority Leader
Incumbent
Assumed office 2012
Louisiana State Representative from District 79 (Jefferson Parish)
In office May 1994 – January 14, 2008
Preceded by	Kernan "Skip" Hand
Succeeded by	Tony Ligi
Personal details
Born	June 27, 1951 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Maureen McCarthy "Nina" Martiny
Children	Ryan Daniel Martiny Jeffrey David Martiny Steven Andrews Martiny
Parents	Wilfred E. and Doris R. Martiny
Residence	Kenner, Louisiana
Alma mater	Archbishop Rummel High School Louisiana State University Loyola University New Orleans
Occupation	Attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic

Daniel R. Martiny, known as Danny Martiny (born June 27, 1951), is a politician and attorney from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, who has served since January 14, 2008, as a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 10, based in the New Orleans suburbs.^[1] Since 2012, he has been the Senate Majority Leader.

From 1994 to 2008, Martiny held the District 79 seat, also in Jefferson Parish, in the Louisiana House of Representatives.^[2] Term-limited in the House, Martiny ran for the Senate in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007. Martiny polled 19,414 votes (68.9%) to 8,752 ballots (31.1%) for the "No Party" candidate, Michael Zito. No Democrat filed in the heavily Republican district.^[3]

Martiny was born in New Orleans, the second of five children, to the late Wilfred "Wil" E. Martiny (February 24, 1923 - March 20, 2012) who died of natural causes and Doris Rault (October 5, 1925 – January 27, 2008),^[4] who died of Alzheimer's disease. His maternal grandparents were Eugene J. Rault (1894–1977)^[4] and the former Eva Martin. His older brother, Martin Augustin Martiny, is a Roman Catholic priest and missionary to Kenya. His younger siblings are Brian and Eddie Martiny, and Michelle Martiny Lamb.^[5]

Martiny graduated in 1969 from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie and then received his Bachelor of Arts in history in 1973 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. In 1976, he procured his Juris Doctor from Loyola University. He continues to operate his own law firm in Metairie; prior to his legislative service, he was also an assistant Jefferson Parish attorney from 1978 to 1994. Active in the Catholic Church, Martiny holds the Medallion of the Order of St. Louis from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He has also received the "Distinguished Service Award" from the conservative interest group, Morality in Media. He and his wife, the former Maureen "Nina" McCarthy, reside in Kenner.^[6] They have three sons.^[7]

Martiny was initially elected to the House in a special election held on May 21, 1994, when the Republican incumbent, Kernan "Skip" Hand (born 1945) of Kenner, Louisiana, resigned to become a judge of the 24th Judicial District. With 2,059 votes (60.8%) in a low turnout, Martiny defeated two Republican rivals, Dan Kelly and Vincent Bruno.^[8] In the primary for a full-term held on October 21, 1995, Martiny defeated fellow Republican Brent Abadie, 6,605 (67.5%) to 3,178 (32.5%).^[9] Thereafter, Martiny was unopposed for his second and third terms in the House in 1999 and 2003. He was succeeded in the House by fellow Republican Tony Ligi, who polled 42% in the primary but still prevailed outright when his opponent declined to seek a general election runoff.

In 2003, Martiny introduced a bill to ban sexual activity in public regardless of gender. The fine would range from ten days to a year in jail, with a maximum $1,000 fine. Martiny introduced the measure after having seen what he determined to have been a "very graphic, very offensive" video of public sexual acts taken in 2002 at the homosexual festival, Southern Decadence in New Orleans.^[10] However, he opposed a bill to ban lap dancing at Louisiana strip clubs.^[11]

During the 2010 legislative session Martiny sponsored a bill to make attendance at a cockfight a crime.^[12]

Martiny is a member of the Senate committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs. He is the chairman of Judiciary B. He voted with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry 63% of the time in selected roll calls in 2008. He backed the Louisiana Family Forum 75% of time. However, he sided with LABI and opposed the LFF position when he voted to permit the sale of alcohol and allow cover charges for live entertainment in restaurants.^[13] Martiny is a legislative foe of casino gambling. He has questioned Indian tribes pushing for tribal recognition as a ruse to bring casinos to the reservations. He once told the Atakapas-Ishak: "I do not doubt your Indian identity! It is casino gambling I oppose!"^[14]

See also

• Alfred Clifton Hughes.

References

1. "Louisiana State Senate". legis.state.la.us. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
2. "Richard A. Webster, "Legislative preview — Bill would lighten load for overtaxed public defenders"". New Orleans CityBusiness, April 30, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
3. "Louisiana election returns, October 20, 2007". sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
4. "Social Security Death Index". ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
5. "Obituary of Doris Rault Martiny". boards.ancestry.com. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
6. "House District 79". enlou.com (Encyclopedia Louisiana). Retrieved November 14, 2009.
7. "Danny Martinez for Senator". mdesigns.biz. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
8. "Louisiana election returns, May 21, 1994". sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
9. "Louisiana election returns, October 21, 1995". sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
10. "Ariel Hart, "National Briefing: South: Louisiana: Bill Would Ban Sex in Public", May 20, 2003". The New York Times, May 20, 2003. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
11. "Sex Sells: Religious Nutters Pressure Louisiana to Ban Lap Dancing". melonfarmers.co.uk. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
12. "Ed Anderson, "Watching cockfight a crime under bill: Other proposals protect minors"". New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 17, 2010, p. 3A. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
13. "Senator Daniel R. Martiny". votesmart.org. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
14. "Atakapas-Ishak Indians' Newsletter, Winter Edition, January 2005". lutheransonline.com. Retrieved November 14, 2009.