Changes

Pugh is an advocate for the elderly and the deaf and hard-of-hearing. He was the legislative point man of the free captioned telephone and telecommunications relay services provided by Hamilton Relay in District 73 and later throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/louisiana-state-representative-steve-pugh-to-drive-awareness-for-hamilton-relay-captioned-telephone-and-telecommunications-relay-services-115552539.html|title=Louisiana State Representative Steve Pugh to Drive Awareness for Hamilton Relay Captioned Telephone and Telecommunications Relay Services: Pugh to speak throughout Louisiana to educate the public on available services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking|publisher=prnewswire.com|date=February 8, 2011|accessdate=April 2, 2020}}</ref>​

Pugh is an advocate for the elderly and the deaf and hard-of-hearing. He was the legislative point man of the free captioned telephone and telecommunications relay services provided by Hamilton Relay in District 73 and later throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/louisiana-state-representative-steve-pugh-to-drive-awareness-for-hamilton-relay-captioned-telephone-and-telecommunications-relay-services-115552539.html|title=Louisiana State Representative Steve Pugh to Drive Awareness for Hamilton Relay Captioned Telephone and Telecommunications Relay Services: Pugh to speak throughout Louisiana to educate the public on available services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking|publisher=prnewswire.com|date=February 8, 2011|accessdate=April 2, 2020}}</ref>​

In the face of a large state budget shortfall in 2011, Pugh addressed the Southeastern faculty senate and opposed cuts in higher education and health. Instead, he urged his colleagues and then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], a fellow Republican, to work with then state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who had submitted a 16-point plan for trimming the budget and identifying more efficient methods of operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2011/06/16/top_stories/education/5704.txt|title=​

In the face of a large state budget shortfall in 2011, Pugh addressed the Southeastern faculty senate and opposed cuts in higher education and health. Instead, he urged his colleagues and then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], a fellow Republican, to work with then state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who had submitted a 16-point plan for trimming the budget and identifying more efficient methods of operations.<ref>"Pugh says time to take stand against cuts," ''The Hammond Star,'' December 2, 2010.</ref> ​In 2017, Kennedy became the state's junior member of the [[United States Senate]].

Pugh says time to take stand against cuts|date=December 2, 2010|publisher=''The Hammond Star''|accessdate=August 26, 2011}}</ref> ​In 2017, Kennedy became the state's junior member of the [[United States Senate]].

In his first term, Pugh served on the committees of (1) Commerce, (2) House and Governmental Affairs, and (3) Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs.<ref name=vsmart/> In the 2011 legislative session, Pugh supported a successful House measure to provide for random drug screening of welfare recipients, but the measure died in the state senate. Pugh, meanwhile, opposed the establishment of a commission to determine how the state might gradually abolish its state [[income tax]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amitetoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-How+Louisiana+State+Legislators+voted+on+the+issues%20&id=14684121&instance=secondary_news_left_column|title=How Louisiana State Legislators voted on the issues|publisher=amitetoday.com|accessdate=August 26, 2011}}</ref>

In his first term, Pugh served on the committees of (1) Commerce, (2) House and Governmental Affairs, and (3) Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs.<ref name=vsmart/> In the 2011 legislative session, Pugh supported a successful House measure to provide for random drug screening of welfare recipients, but the measure died in the state senate. Pugh, meanwhile, opposed the establishment of a commission to determine how the state might gradually abolish its state [[income tax]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amitetoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-How+Louisiana+State+Legislators+voted+on+the+issues%20&id=14684121&instance=secondary_news_left_column|title=How Louisiana State Legislators voted on the issues|publisher=amitetoday.com|accessdate=August 26, 2011}}</ref>