View source for Ken Hollis

==Legislative activities==

In his last Senate term, Hollis was chairman of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and a member of the Judiciary "B" and Retirement committees

Hollis was unopposed in his bids for re-election in 1983, 1987, 1991, and 1999. In 1995, he defeated fellow Republican Greg Reinhard in the primary, 29,240 (80 percent) to 7,361 (20 percent). In 2003, Hollis defeated fellow Republican [[Polly Thomas]] in the primary, 19,570 (61 percent) to 12,504 (39 percent). Thomas was later elected to the state House of Representatives.

In the Senate, Hollis supported a third of time both [[Planned Parenthood]] and one of its opposing [[interest group]]s, the Louisiana Family Forum, each approximately 33 percent of the time. Two other rival interest groups, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the [[AFL-CIO]] each graded Hollis between 70 and 80 percent in his last legislative years. The [[Christian Coalition]] rated him 55 percent. The Louisiana Electorate of Gays And Lesbians gave him a 40 percent grade for the 1993-1995 period. The Louisiana Association of Educators rated him from 40 to 90 percent, depending on the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/4494/ken-hollis|title=Ken Hollis|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=September 3, 2021}}</ref>

The Jefferson Beautification Council award him the "Frederick Law Olmsted Award," named for [[Frederick Law Olmsted]], the landscape architect who designed [[Central Park]] in [[New York City]]. In 1985, 1987, and 1993, he was named "Senator of the Year for Jefferson Parish" by the Alliance for Good Government.<ref name=obit/> He was designated as "Man of the Year" in 1984 by the New Orleans chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors. He was a past president of the Louisiana State Employees' Group Benefits Program.

In 1993, Hollis, along with fellow lawmakers [[Kernan "Skip" Hand]], [[Jim Donelon]], and [[Steven Theriot]], all of the New Orleans suburbs, admitted to having given [[Tulane University]] scholarships to their children. Legislators are allowed under an 1884 law to designate one Tulane scholarship recipient per year, but the practice of giving such awards, totaling $17,000 in 1993 dollars, to family members had been previously unknown.<ref>Scott Dyer, "Scholarship Controversy Grows," ''The Baton Rouge Advocate," June 17, 1993, p. 1-A.</ref>

As a senator, Hollis championed the removal of tolls on the south shore of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. He was an advocate for the Jefferson Performing Arts Society. As commerce committee chairman, he worked for economic development. He was involved in the negotiations to retain the [[New Orleans Saints]] in the state, the completion of Harrah's Casino, and legislation establishing the current Louisiana lottery. He successfully fought an earnings tax on non-residents working in the city of New Orleans.<ref name=obit/>