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Harris attended the [[Southern Baptist-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana. He is the former chairman of the England Authority Board of Commissioners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20111023/NEWS01/310230008/Hazel-re-elected-House-District-27-Harris-wins-House-District-25-seat|title=Hazel re-elected in House District 27; Harris wins House District 25|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk''|date=October 23, 2011|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Reared in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], located across the Red River from Alexandria, Harris is a graduate of the leadership program of the "good governmenjt" group, the Council for a Better Louisiana. He is a member of the World Trade Center in [[New Orleans]], the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and the Louisiana Oil Marketers Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electlanceharris.com/meet.php|title=Lance Harris for State Representative|publisher=electlanceharris.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>  

Harris attended the [[Southern Baptist-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana. He is the former chairman of the England Authority Board of Commissioners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20111023/NEWS01/310230008/Hazel-re-elected-House-District-27-Harris-wins-House-District-25-seat|title=Hazel re-elected in House District 27; Harris wins House District 25|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk''|date=October 23, 2011|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Reared in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], located across the Red River from Alexandria, Harris is a graduate of the leadership program of the "good governmenjt" group, the Council for a Better Louisiana. He is a member of the World Trade Center in [[New Orleans]], the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and the Louisiana Oil Marketers Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electlanceharris.com/meet.php|title=Lance Harris for State Representative|publisher=electlanceharris.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>  

   

   

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011, Harris defeated his only opponent, fellow Republican Barett Byrd, a retired colonel in the [[United States Marine Corps]] from Woodworth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110715/NEWS01/107150336/Byrd-seek-Louisiana-House-District-25-seat-held-by-Roy|title=Byrd to seek Louisiana District 25 seat held by Roy|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', July 14, 2011|accessdate=August 5, 2011}}</ref>  

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011, Harris defeated his only opponent, fellow Republican Barett Byrd, a retired colonel in the [[United States Marine Corps]] from Woodworth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110715/NEWS01/107150336/Byrd-seek-Louisiana-House-District-25-seat-held-by-Roy|title=Byrd to seek Louisiana District 25 seat held by Roy|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', July 14, 2011|accessdate=August 5, 2011}}</ref> Harris succeeded [[Democratic]] Representative Christopher Roy, Jr, of Alexandria, effective January 9, 2012. Roy, the older brother of Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, did not seek a second term in 2011. Instead, Roy announced his exit from the legislature so that he could spend more "Little League time" with his youngest son. Roy also said that he had grown weary of partisan divisions, particularly during the 2011 controversies over [[U.S. Congress|congressional]] [[reapportionment]] and legislative [[redistricting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110720/NEWS01/107200335/Rep-Roy-opts-family-time-over-running-re-election?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE|title=Rep. Roy opts for family time over running for reelection|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', July 20, 2011|accessdate=August 3, 2011}}</ref>

Harris succeeded [[Democratic]] Representative Christopher Roy, Jr, of Alexandria, effective January 9, 2012. Roy, the older brother of Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, did not seek a second term in 2011. Instead, Roy announced his exit from the legislature so that he could spend more "Little League time" with his youngest son. Roy also said that he had grown weary of partisan divisions, particularly during the 2011 controversies over [[U.S. Congress|congressional]] [[reapportionment]] and legislative [[redistricting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110720/NEWS01/107200335/Rep-Roy-opts-family-time-over-running-re-election?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE|title=Rep. Roy opts for family time over running for reelection|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', July 20, 2011|accessdate=August 3, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time ever, Democrats in 2011 did not offer a candidate for the District 25 House seat. Harris defeated Byrd, 7,577 votes (55.5 percent) to 6,088 (44.6 percent) to claim the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Neither had previously sought public office.<ref name=adtt/>

For the first time ever, Democrats in 2011 did not offer a candidate for the District 25 House seat. Harris defeated Byrd, 7,577 votes (55.5 percent) to 6,088 (44.6 percent) to claim the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Neither had previously sought public office.<ref name=adtt/> Byrd had been endorsed by the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, established by U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]] with the goal of increasing Republican representation in both houses of the Louisiana legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/a-look-at-the-la-races-targeted-by-vitter-group/040a85707eb64de5a2df981301da0733|title=A look at the La. races targeted by the Vitter group, August 4, 2011|publisher=nola.com|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref> Byrd also carried the backing of the Louisiana Republican Party, the Rapides Parish Republican Executive Committee, and the website LouisianaConservative.com.<ref name=adtt/> Neither Harris nor Byrd was endorsed by [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], who was himself handily elected to a second term in office in the 2011 primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/news/9023-jindal-weighs-in-on-oct-22-election|title=Jindal weighs in on Oct. 22 election|publisher=theind.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

 

Byrd had been endorsed by the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, established by U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]] with the goal of increasing Republican representation in both houses of the Louisiana legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/a-look-at-the-la-races-targeted-by-vitter-group/040a85707eb64de5a2df981301da0733|title=A look at the La. races targeted by the Vitter group, August 4, 2011|publisher=nola.com|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref> Byrd also carried the backing of the Louisiana Republican Party, the Rapides Parish Republican Executive Committee, and the website LouisianaConservative.com.<ref name=adtt/> Neither Harris nor Byrd was endorsed by Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], who was himself handily elected to a second term in office in the 2011 primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/news/9023-jindal-weighs-in-on-oct-22-election|title=Jindal weighs in on Oct. 22 election|publisher=theind.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

In a special legislative session on Memorial Day 2018, Republican Majority Leader Harris obtained House passage of his legislation to keep one-third of a one-cent [[sales tax]] scheduled for expiration. The one-third part of the tax is projected to raise $369 million annually, less than the $648 million of additional revenue sought by Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. A supermajority was required for passage of a tax, 76-26, as it developed with passage on the second attempt. Harris said that his bill would reduce government spending by 1.3 percent next year because it would still require some cuts, "but not catastrophic" ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/05/28/breaking-house-passes-sales-tax-second-try/649217002/|title=Breaking: House passes sales tax on second try|date=May 28, 2018|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref>

    

    

==References==

==References==