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In the House, Bagert held leadership positions including the chairmanships of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Commerce, Insurance, and Banking Committee. In 1983, he was elected to the first of two terms to the state Senate. In his last election victory, in the 1987 nonpartisan blanket primary, Bagert defeated his Republican opponent, Harry T. Begg, III, 23,953 votes (89 percent) to 3,043 (11 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>

In the House, Bagert held leadership positions including the chairmanships of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Commerce, Insurance, and Banking Committee. In 1983, he was elected to the first of two terms to the state Senate. In his last election victory, in the 1987 nonpartisan blanket primary, Bagert defeated his Republican opponent, Harry T. Begg, III, 23,953 votes (89 percent) to 3,043 (11 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>

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During his legislative service, Bagert received accolades from a variety of good government, environmental, and conservative organizations. The Alliance for Good Government named him Legislator of the Year in 1973, 1983, and 1985.​ The groups, Friends of the Environment and Citizens for Clean Environment, honored him in 1991 with the Brown Pelican Award because he was the first state official in Louisiana to address the near extinction of the brown pelican, the state bird that appears on the state seal. He authored measures to prevent programs spending  public funds for the aerial application of the pesticide Mirex] a chlorinated hydrocarbon similar to [[DDT]]. He was named "Conservationist of the Year" by the National and Louisiana Wildlife Federation in 1986 for his work to salvage depleted redfish and speckled trout stocks and again in 1988 for his work to abate the erosion of wetlands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawildlifefed.org/userfiles/file/Awd%20by%20Cat-cumulative.pdf|title=Louisiana Wildlife Federation Conservation Award Winners|publisher=lawildlifefed.org|accessdate=January 8, 2015}}</ref>​

During his legislative service, Bagert received accolades from a variety of good government, environmental, and conservative organizations. The Alliance for Good Government named him Legislator of the Year in 1973, 1983, and 1985.​ The groups, Friends of the Environment and Citizens for Clean Environment, honored him in 1991 with the Brown Pelican Award because he was the first state official in Louisiana to address the near extinction of the brown pelican, the state bird that appears on the state seal. He authored measures to prevent programs spending  public funds for the aerial application of the pesticide Mirex] a chlorinated hydrocarbon similar to [[DDT]]. He was named "Conservationist of the Year" by the National and Louisiana Wildlife Federation in 1986 for his work to salvage depleted redfish and speckled trout stocks and again in 1988 for his work to abate the erosion of wetlands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawildlifefed.org/userfiles/file/Awd%20by%20Cat-cumulative.pdf|title=Louisiana Wildlife Federation Conservation Award Winners|publisher=lawildlifefed.org|accessdate=January 8, 201; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

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In 1989, after voters rejected a $700 million tax reform package submitted by then Governor [[Buddy Roemer]], Bagert replied:<blockquote>'''Let's do some major budget cutting before we even think about more taxes. ... People voted for a revolution in state government in 1987 [when Roemer was elected] ... They are still waiting.'''<ref>"'So, Where's the Revolution?,'' Sen. Ben Bagert says people still waiting," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' May 17, 1989, g. 5A.</ref></blockquote>​

In 1989, after voters rejected a $700 million tax reform package submitted by then Governor [[Buddy Roemer]], Bagert replied:<blockquote>'''Let's do some major budget cutting before we even think about more taxes. ... People voted for a revolution in state government in 1987 [when Roemer was elected] ... They are still waiting.'''<ref>"'So, Where's the Revolution?,'' Sen. Ben Bagert says people still waiting," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' May 17, 1989, g. 5A.</ref></blockquote>​