In 2000, Rep. Pinkie Wilkerson of House District 11 died in office and Rep. Richard "Rick" Gallot of Ruston, Louisiana was elected to complete her unexpired term. Also, in 2000 Rep. Cynthia Willard of House District 100 was elected to the New Orleans City Council and former Saints player, Patrick “Pat” Swilling was elected in 2001 to complete the remainder of the term. In addition, Rep. Arthur Morrell was elected as the LLBC’s tenth chairman.

 

In the fall of 2001 Sen. Wilson Fields was elected as Judge to the Nineteenth JDC in Baton Rouge thereby creating a vacancy in Senate District 15. Rep. Melvin “Kip” Holden was elected to fill the remaining term of Sen. W. Fields. In a special election, Avon R. Honey was elected to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Holden in House District 63.

 

In 2002, Rep. Renee Gill Pratt of House District 91 was elected to the New Orleans, City Council thereby creating a vacancy in House District 91. In a special election Rosalind Peychaud was elected to fill the remaining term of Rep. Pratt. 

 

In 2003, Sen. Jon D. Johnson, Reps. Leonard Lucas, Rosalind Peychaud and Patrick “Pat” Swilling all of New Orleans, lost their bids for re-election and Sen. Gregory “Greg” Tarver and Rep. Kyle Green did not seek re-elections During the 2003 elections, Ann Duplessis, Austin Jalila Jefferson-Bullock and Austin Badon replaced Leonard Lucas, Rosalind Peychaud and Patrick Swilling respectively; Rep. Lydia Jackson was elected in Shreveport to replace Sen. Gregory Tarver and Derrick Shepherd of Marrero, replaced Rep. Kyle Green and  Roy Burrell of Shreveport was elected to House District 2 (replacing  Rep. Lydia Jackson).  Also, the Caucus gained an additional member, Cheryl Gray of New Orleans in House District 98. Rep. Willie Hunter was elected as the LLBC’s eleventh chairman.  In 2003 Sen. Diana Bajoie and Rep. Sharon Weston Broome were both elected as the first African American women to serve as President Pro-Tempore (Senate) and Speaker Pro-Tempore (House) respectively.

 

In 2004 the caucus also saw the passing of dearly beloved State Representative Dr. Charles I. Hudson of Opelousas district 40. Donald Cravins, Jr., son of Senator Donald Cravins, Sr. was elected to complete his unexpired term. Furthermore, State Senator Paulette Irons from Senate District 4 was elected as a Civil District Court Judge in New Orleans and State Senator Melvin "Kip" Holden of House District 15 was elected as the first African American Major-President of East Baton Rouge Parish. After his inauguration in early 2005, Representative Sharon Weston Broome made a successful bid to replace him in the Senate in District 15. She resigned her post as Speaker Pro-Tempore of the House of Representatives, and filled his unexpired term in the Louisiana Senate. Additionally, to fill the new vacancy in House District 29 Rep. Regina Ashford Barrow ran and won. Furthermore, in 2005, Representative Yvonne Dorsey of House District 67 was elected as the Speaker Pro-Tempore of the House of Representatives.

 

2005 continued to see changes in the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. Representative Murray was elected State Senator to replace Irons, and Senator Lambert Boissiere of New Orleans ran successfully for the Constable Seat in Orleans Parish, thereby creating a vacancy in Senate District 4. Representative Juan LaFonta of New Orleans successfully campaigned and filled the unexpired term left by Murray’s recent Senate election. Rep. Cedric Richmond was elected the Caucus’ 12th LLBC Chairman and Representative Derrick Shepherd ran successfully for Senator Boissiere’s unexpired term and was elected to the Louisiana Senate. Sen. Shepherd’s election created another vacancy in the House of Representatives. In June of 2005, Terrell Harris, of Marrero was elected to fill the vacancy in House District 87 created by Sen. Shepherd.

Representative Cravins Jr., and Senator Cravins are the only father and son to serve in the legislature at the same time.

 

2006 brought new changes to the caucus as well. Rep. Arthur Morrell ran for and won election as the Clerk of Criminal Court in the Parish of Orleans thereby creating a vacancy in House District 97. A special election was called, and his son Jean-Paul “J.P.” Morrell was elected to fill his father’s unexpired term.

 

Also in 2006 Senator Donald Cravins, Sr. ran for Mayor of Opelousas, which he won thereby creating a vacancy in the Senate. His son, Rep. Donald Cravins, Jr. ran to fill his father’s unexpired term. He won that election, and in 2006 was sworn into the office of State Senator representing the 24th Senate District.

When Senator Donald Cravins, Jr. won the Senate race, it created a vacancy in House District 40. That seat was then filled by Elbert Guillory who took office in 2007.

 

Rep. Glover ran for Mayor of Shreveport and in 2006 won the election and became the first African American Mayor of the City of Shreveport. His election as mayor created another vacancy in the House, and in March 2007, Patrick Williams ran and won the seat as State Representative for House District 4 thereby filling the unexpired term left by Cedric Glover.