Frank A. Howard

Frank A. Howard, also known as Frankie Howard (born December 1, 1938), is a former sheriff of Vernon Parish in western Louisiana, who has been since 2008 a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 24, which includes De Soto, Red River, Sabine, and Vernon parishes.

Howard studied in the continuing education program at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is also a graduate of the National Sheriff's Institute. Howard resides in Hornbeck in Sabine Parish. His wife, the former Betty Cavanaugh, died on July 2, 2015.

As a Democrat, Howard was unopposed for sheriff of Vernon Parish in 1983. In 1987, he won again as sheriff with 79 percent of the vote over another Vernon Parish Democrat, Scott McCloud. He won his last term as sheriff of Vernon Parish in 1995, with 77 percent of the vote against another Democrat, Teresa Rushing-Miller. In 2003, he sought a comeback in the race for sheriff but lost to the Democratic incumbent Sam Craft, who polled 67 percent of the vote that year.

In the 2007 election for the House, Howard succeeded the former Speaker Joe Salter, who was term-limited that year. In the November 17, 2007 general election, Howard defeated the Democrat Mary Ann Wiggins, 4,333 (52.6 percent) to 3,898 (47.4 percent). In the primary on October 20, Howard led three Democrats with 31 percent of the vote. Wiggins trailed with 28 percent and as the second-highest vote-getter entered the second round of balloting with Howard.

Howard is a member of the House committees on (1) Administration of Criminal Justice, (2) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development and (3) Transportation, Highways, and Public Works. He is also a member of the Louisiana Rural Caucus. He was unopposed for reelection in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011.

Howard was rated in 2013 and 2014 as 80 and 90 percent favorable, respectively, by the conservative Louisiana Family Forum; the organization scored him 70 percent in 2011. Louisiana Right to Life scored him 100 percent for each year that he has been a legislator. The Louisiana Association of Educators rates him 67 percent. He is ranked from 64 to 88 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry; in 2012, the National Federation of Independent Business scored him 83 percent.

In 2014, Howard co-sponsored the requirement that abortion providers have hospital admitting privileges near their clinics; the bill was approved by the full House, 88-5. In 2014, he voted to extend the time allowed for implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. He voted to prohibit the transportation of dogs in the beds of pick-up trucks while traveling on interstate highways; the measure passed the House, 53-34. He voted against requiring that companies must give notice when they engage in hydraulic fracking.; the measure failed, 19-73. He voted against the repeal of the anti-sodomy laws; the repeal failed, 22-67. He voted to authorize surrogacy contracts. He voted to reduce the penalties for the possession of marijuana. He voted to establish lifetime concealed carry gun permits and co-sponsored the establishment of concealed-carry privileges in restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages. He voted against making information about permit holders a matter of public record. He voted in 2013 for an increase in judicial pay and supported the removal of the mandatory retirement age for judges.

In 2012, Howard voted to ban the use of telephones while driving; the measure passed the House, 68-29. In 2011, he voted to ban the use of hand-held cellular devices while driving. Howard voted in 2012 for tax incentives to recruit a National Basketball Association team to Louisiana and supported state income tax deductions for individuals who contribute to scholarship funds. He voted to reduce the number of hours that polling locations remain open; Louisiana has traditionally had 14-hour polling days. He co-sponsored the requirement for drug testing of certain welfare recipients, which passed the House, 65 to 26. He co-sponsored parole eligibility for non-violent offenders. He supported changes in the teacher tenure law in 2012, but in 2011 he opposed amending teacher retirement.

In 2011, Howard rejected a permanent tax on cigarettes but did not vote on the matter of establishing a commission to consider ways to remove the state income tax. He voted against the anti-bullying measure which proponents claimed would address the problem in public schools; the measure failed 43-54. He supported parole eligibility for elderly citizens. Howard supported the redistricting bill for the Louisiana State Senate and co-sponsored the redistricting measure for Louisiana's six seats in the United States House of Representatives.

Howard won reelection to the state House in the primary election held on October 24, 2015. He defeated a fellow Republican, Rodney Schamerhorn, 7,274 (58.7 percent) to 5,109 (41.3 percent).