SR 180 — CONDOLENCES: Expresses sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the passing of Sharon Courtney.

SLS 26RS-4431 ORIGINAL Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

180 BY SENATOR DUPLESSIS CONDOLENCES.A RESOLUTION To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the passing of Sharon Courtney and to honor her life, legacy, and contributionstothepoliticalfabricofthecityofNewOrleansandstateofLouisiana.

Expressessincereand heartfeltcondolences upon the passingofSharon Courtney.

A RESOLUTION To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the passing of Sharon Courtney and to honor her life, legacy, and contributionstothepoliticalfabricofthecityofNewOrleansandstateofLouisiana.

and WHEREAS, after graduating, Sharon moved to Washington, D.C., and began her careerof thirty-eight yearsin government relations asaas a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill, first,intheofficeofCongressmanLarkinSmithfirst,in andthenintheofficeofCongressmanJohntheofficeofCongressmanLarkinSmithandthenintheofficeofCongressmanJohn Murthawhereshespentfiveandone-halfyearsfocusingonhealthcareandeducationissues;

and WHEREAS, in 1994, Sharon moved to New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana, wherewhich she called home for the next thirty-two yearsyears, andultimately whichbecoming became one of the loves of her life;

and WHEREAS, Sharon brought her valuable experience onfrom Capitol Hill to Tulane Universitywhere she spent over thirty years leading community and government relations;

Pageand 1WHEREAS, ofSharon 3was SLSa 26RS-4431key ORIGINALadvisor SRto NO.Tulane's president, Scott Cowen, and played a vital role in reopening the university after Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters devastated the city and scattered students to other campuses;

180 and WHEREAS,SharonwasakeyadvisortoTulane'spresidentScottCowenandplayedWHEREAS,Sharonwasachampionfortherebuildingofpost-KatrinaNewOrleans, aand vitalher roleefforts inled reopeningto the universityaftersecuring Hurricaneof Katrina'stwo floodwatershundred devastatedseventy-five themillion citydollars andin scatteredcrucial studentsfunding tofor otherall campuses;the city's public and private universities;

and WHEREAS, Sharon was a champion for the rebuilding of the city post-Katrina whoseeffortsledtosecuringtwohundredseventy-fivemilliondollarsincrucialfundingfor all the city's public and private universities;

and WHEREAS,Page during1 herof tenure3 atSR TulaneNO. University, she successfully managed community relations to secure the city's approval for a new on-campus football stadium which helped to energize the football program;

and180 ENROLLED WHEREAS, sheduring washer instrumentaltenure inat kickstartingTulane theUniversity, Newshe Orleanssuccessfully BioDistrictmanaged communityrelations and creatingsecured athe strategiccity's planapproval for thea twelvenew hundredon-campus acrefootball economicstadium, developmentwhich districthelped aimedto atenliven growing the biosciencesschool's sector;football program;

and WHEREAS, inshe Februarywas ofinstrumental 2025,in Sharonkickstarting struck out on her own, founding Neutral Ground Strategies, and continuing her higher education work by helping the University of New Orleans shoreBioDistrict; up its funding, all while in the hospital during her final days;

creating a strategic plan for the twelve-hundred acre economic development district aimed at growing the biosciences sector;

and WHEREAS, in February of 2025, Sharon struck out on her own, founding Neutral Ground Strategies and continuing her higher education work by helping the University of New Orleans shore up its funding, all while in the hospital during her final days;

and WHEREAS,WHEREAS,Sharonwasoftenreferredtoasoneofthefewhonestbrokersleftinthe Sharonpolicyworld,andgainedareputationasasteadfastadvocateofthetruth,constantlystriving often referred to as one of the few honest brokers left in the policy world, gained a reputation as a steadfast advocate of the truth, and she constantly strived to make the world a better place;

and WHEREAS, Sharon had a deep love of New Orleans and its cultural traditionstraditions; attended Jazz Fest every year she lived in the city, becoming a member of the Krewe of Muses and the Krewe of Dolly, and purchasing Saints season tickets in 2006, and was rewarded with a string of playoff games and a Super Bowl trip to Miami, Florida;

attending Jazz Fest every year she lived in the city, becoming a member of the Krewe of Muses and Pagethe 2Krewe of 3Dolly, SLSand 26RS-4431purchasing ORIGINALSaints SRseason NO.tickets in 2006;

180later WHEREAS,being aboverewarded allwith else, Sharon was a connectorstring of people,playoff agames generous and loyala friend,Super andtheconsummatehost,shewashappiestwithacrowdedtableoffamilyandfriendsinherBowl hometrip whereto sheMiami, oftenFlorida; hosted dinners large and small;

and WHEREAS,hergenerositywasnotmerelyhospitality,butagenerosityofthespirit;WHEREAS,aboveallelse,Sharonwasarelationshipcultivator,agenerousandloyalfriend, and a consummate host, and she was happiest with a crowded table of familyand friends in her home where she often hosted dinners large and small;

and WHEREAS, her generosity was not merelyhospitality, but generosity of the spirit;

her parents:parents, Jim and Diane Morgan;

Jimher siblings, Mark Courtney and DianeCourtney Morgan;Gregory (Clay), her beloved nephews,Eli, Fen,Jax, andClay,andaplethoraoffriendsandcolleagueswhowill miss her deeply and remember her always.

herPage siblings:2 of 3 SR NO.

Mark180 CourtneyENROLLED THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby extend sincere and Courtneyheartfelt Gregorycondolences (Clay),to herthe belovedfamily nephews:Eli,Fen,Jax,andClay,andaridiculousnumberoffriendsandcolleagueswhowilland missfriends of Sharon Courtneyanddoesherebyhonorandrecognizeherremarkablelifeofserviceandlegacyand her deeplymany contributions to the city of New Orleans and rememberthe herstate always.of Louisiana.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby extend sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sharon Courtney and does hereby honor and recognize her remarkable life, of service, legacy and many contributions to the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.

ThePRESIDENT originalOF instrumentTHE andSENATE thePage following3 digest, which constitutes no part of the3 legislative instrument, were prepared bySenate Legislative Services.

The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SR 180 Original 2026 Regular Session Duplessis Expresses condolences upon the passing of Sharon Courtney.

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