{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Georgene Louis | state_house = New Mexico | district = 26th | term_start = January 15, 2013 | term_end = January 1, 2023 | predecessor = Al Park | successor = Eleanor Chávez | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1978}} | birth_place = Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = University of New Mexico (BA, JD) | occupation = | spouse = | website = [https://www.nmlegis.gov/members/Legislator?SponCode=HLOUI Government website] }}
'''Georgene Louis''' (born 1978) is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives for the 26th district from 2013 to 2023.<ref>{{cite web|title=Official Website|url=http://georgenelouis.org/|access-date=September 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021113910/http://georgenelouis.org/|archive-date=October 21, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Louis was born and raised in the Acoma Pueblo. She earned a bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico.<ref name="nmaiBlog">[http://blog.nmai.si.edu/main/2015/08/meet-native-america-georgene-louis.html "Georgene Louis, State Representative, House District 26, New Mexico House of Representatives"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814060800/http://blog.nmai.si.edu/main/2015/08/meet-native-america-georgene-louis.html |date=August 14, 2016 }}, ''Meet Native America'' blog, August 21, 2015, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; accessed June 28, 2016</ref>
== Career == Louis has worked in the field of tribal law. She participated in a seven-month candidate training called Emerge New Mexico.<ref name="wave">[http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/10/21/native-women-aim-make-waves-nm-political-arena-157433 Kim Baca, "Native Women Aim to Make Waves in NM Political Arena"], ''Indian Country Today,'' October 21, 2014; accessed June 28, 2016</ref> Five of its alumni were elected to office in New Mexico in 2012.<ref name="wave" /> In 2015, Louis was one of five Native American legislators serving in the New Mexico House of Representatives.<ref name="nmaiBlog" />
Louis represented District 26, which includes part of West Albuquerque and is predominantly Latino. The district has a population of around 30,000 people, of whom 4% are Native American.<ref name="nmaiBlog" />
She was the chair of the House State Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs committees and was also a member of the Judiciary and Rules & Order of Business Committees.<ref>{{cite web|title=Representative Georgene Louis - (D)|url=https://www.nmlegis.gov/members/Legislator?SponCode=HLOUI|access-date=March 9, 2019|website=New Mexico Legislature}}</ref> She was re-elected to a fifth term in 2020.
Louis is the general counsel of the Pueblo of Tesuque. On January 4, 2021, Louis announced her candidacy for the 2021 New Mexico's 1st congressional district special election.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chief|first=Dan Boyd {{!}} Journal Capitol Bureau|title=ABQ lawmaker joins three others in bid for Haaland's seat|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1532725/abq-lawmaker-joins-three-others-in-bid-for-haalands-seat-ex-georgene-louis-of-acoma-pueblo-says-jobs-health-care-among-her-priorities.html|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=www.abqjournal.com|date=January 4, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> At the Democratic committee selection, she lost to fellow representative Melanie Stansbury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nmdemocrats.org/news/dpnm-announces-runoff-in-scc-vote-to-determine-democratic-nominee-in-cd-1/|title=DPNM Announces Runoff in SCC Vote to Determine Democratic Nominee in CD-1|first=New Mexico|last=Democrats|date=March 31, 2021|website=New Mexico Democrats}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Writer|first=Ryan Boetel {{!}} Journal Staff|title=Stansbury chosen as Democratic nominee for special election|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2375616/stansbury-makes-come-from-behind-victory-in-cd1-race.html|access-date=2021-04-02|website=www.abqjournal.com|date=March 31, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>
After completing her existing term as representative for District 26, Louis elected not to run for re-election.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.kob.com/archive/lapel-video-new-mexico-legislator-arrested-for-dwi/ |date=March 24, 2022|accessdate=March 2, 2023|work=KOB|author=Jonathan Fjeld|title=Lapel video: New Mexico legislator arrested for DWI }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New Mexico lawmaker settles ethics complaint over conduct at DWI stop |url=https://eu.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/legislature/2022/04/29/new-mexico-rep-georgene-louis-albuquerque-settles-ethics-complaint-over-dwi-public-office/9585894002/ |agency=Las Cruces Sun News}}</ref>
== Personal life == Louis had her daughter when she was a sophomore in high school.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Meet Native America: Georgene Louis, State Representative for House District 26, New Mexico State Legislature|url=https://blog.nmai.si.edu/main/2015/08/meet-native-america-georgene-louis.html|access-date=January 7, 2021|website=blog.nmai.si.edu|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121024058/https://blog.nmai.si.edu/main/2015/08/meet-native-america-georgene-louis.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of 2021, they lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members|url=https://www.nmhdcc.com/members|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=NMHDCC|language=en-US|archive-date=January 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108150118/https://www.nmhdcc.com/members|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On February 14, 2022, Louis was booked into a Santa Fe County jail on an Aggravated DWI charge, in addition to being charged with "speeding, driving without insurance and failing to show proof of registration."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.kob.com/archive/lapel-video-new-mexico-legislator-arrested-for-dwi/ |date=March 24, 2022|accessdate=March 2, 2023|work=KOB|author=Jonathan Fjeld|title=Lapel video: New Mexico legislator arrested for DWI }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cops & Cons |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swLuJolmEmU |website=Youtube| date=February 17, 2022 }}</ref>
On April 4, 2022, New Mexico's State Ethics Commission ruled that Louis broke the New Mexico's Governmental Conduct Act by informing the arresting officer that she was a Legislator, and showing him her Government vehicle plates and that this was an attempt to obtain preferential treatment from a police officer. She agreed to pay $250, equivalent to a civil fine, in order to prevent answering the charge in court.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Mexico lawmaker settles ethics complaint over conduct at DWI stop |url=https://eu.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/legislature/2022/04/29/new-mexico-rep-georgene-louis-albuquerque-settles-ethics-complaint-over-dwi-public-office/9585894002/ |agency=Las Cruces Sun News}}</ref>
==Honors== *Inaugural Achievement Award, Indian Law Section, State Bar of New Mexico, 2013 (cite for this and following entries<ref name="PVS">[http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/138983/georgene-louis#.V3La96KLCYF Bio: "Georgene Louis"], Project Vote Smart, 2016; accessed June 28, 2016</ref>) *Emerging Democratic Woman of the Year, Emerge New Mexico, 2013 *Toll Fellow, Council of State Governments, 2013 *40 Under Forty Honoree, Albuquerque Business First, 2013 *Award Nominee, American Council of Young Political Leaders, 2013
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.nmlegis.gov/members/Legislator?SponCode=HLOUI Government website] * [https://georgenefornm.com/ Campaign website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128155312/https://georgenefornm.com/ |date=January 28, 2021 }} {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=138983 | fec=H2NM01219 | congress= }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-nm-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Al Park}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the New Mexico House<br />from the 26th district|years=2013–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Eleanor Chavez}} {{s-end}} {{Portal bar|Biography|New Mexico|Politics|United States}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Louis, Georgene}} Category:1978 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Candidates in the 2021 United States elections Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the New Mexico House of Representatives Category:Native American state legislators in New Mexico Category:Native American women in politics Category:University of New Mexico alumni Category:Women state legislators in New Mexico Category:People from Acoma Pueblo Category:21st-century Native American women Category:21st-century Native American politicians Category:21st-century members of the New Mexico Legislature Category:Acoma Pueblo women