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For more information on Louisiana lobbying and government relations issues, contact Mapes and Mapes.

During that time, we have had many political circumstances that we have bills that we fought, bills that we presented and Mapes and Mapes has represented us for the entire 33 years that I have served on that committee.

Joe Mapes’ father preceded him and was one of the finest men I ever knew. In my life he taught me the world about the business and Joe and Sandy [Mapes] have continued for the last several years since Bud [Mapes] passed away representing us and doing a very very good job for us in the Louisiana Legislature.

Joe has also assisted us on trips to Washington DC and has worked with our national congressman and our senators in the telling the story that we need to make sure that our industry stays alive and is healthy and he has been a great assistance to us in that business.

— Mr. Lester Dees, Legislative Committee Member
Louisiana Finance Association

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We work on different issues that affect farmers and ranchers all across Louisiana. Those issues have to do with a lot of different things, some that you would imagine are directly related to agriculture and some are not. It has to do with transportation issues, water issues a lot of tax issues. And so we cover the water front as far as the issues that we deal with. And in more than decades the representation we have received from Mapes & Mapes has been outstanding.

The really, I think that the thing is most important in having a lobbying firm to work for you and to represent you at the state capital is that they have credibility. That people believe them when they tell you something and that’s really important and that’s what Mapes & Mapes brings to the table.

— Jim Monroe, Assistant to the President and Legislative Director
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation

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Mapes & Mapes are trusted by Louisiana legislators

A lobbyist is essentially a consultant that has been hired by a corporation or an association and represents a profession or an industry. We are the professional advocates to the governmental process and to the legislative process on behalf of clients we represent.

This means that we go and speak to legislators on behalf of our clients. First we get educated by our clients about their issues, and then we try to articulate what we’ve learned to decision makers and other influential persons, within the legislative process, that affect their business or industry.

Lobbying is becoming more and more identifiable in the particular process of government and politics. And it is trying to gain access to the process that affects you.

As an example, let us say that there is a commerce committee is going to hear legislation that may affect the industry you work in, one way or another. In other words, this committee regulates your issues. So you would hope to get your voice heard on the committee panel, to the chairman, to the members of the committee. One way to do that is you can actually show up as a witness and sit at the table and fill out a card and say that you’d like to speak for or against a piece of legislation.

Another way to do it is to actually hire a lobbying firm. The lobbying firm is attached to that process 365 days a year and has relationships with the people on those commerce committees.

Those legislators trust the lobbyists, and to be effective at all a lobbyist must be trusted. In our case we are fortunate that we are. And as lobbyists we go and speak for our clients and try to get legislators to understand how various issues affect their constituents back home where they vote, work, live and go to school in their district.

Mapes & Mapes Louisiana lobbyists spend much of their time at the Louisiana State Legislature

Lobbyists are in a unique position where they are paid to spend all of their time trying to influence how lawmakers vote. The government has recognized the importance of watching and regulating lobbyists. Both state and federal governments require that you register as a lobbyist if you meet certain criteria.

Register as a Lobbyist

1. Tally up the total amount of time that you’ve spent lobbying legislators. You’ll also need to figure out the total amount of money you’ve been paid to lobby. If you’ve spent more than 50 hours lobbying or been paid more than $6,000 from a single client to lobby in the last 6 months, you’ll need to register.
2. Contact the office of the Secretary of the United States Senate for the appropriate lobbying paperwork. During certain periods of the year, you can also register as a lobbyist online through the Secretary’s website
   Contact the Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States for registration instructions as well as guidelines and restrictions for lobbying members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
3. Remind your clients that they must also report their lobbying expenses if they meet certain criteria. It’s not your responsibility to remind your clients to register, although if you help them avoid fines, you might be provided with future work with them.
4. Remember that you must re-register every calendar year. Lobbyists are also required to file both mid-year and year-end reports with the Secretary of the Senate.
5. Register with other political groups if you lobby in different areas. The Clerk of the House of Representatives deals with the registration of lobbyists who speak to members of the House. The secretary of each individual state usually oversees state lobbying, although it varies by state; although check with each state as some states differ in their registration requirements. For example, in Louisiana registration is required with the State Ethics Commission.

Additional Tips:

• Be aware of the different registration prerequisites for the state and federal level. For example, in Massachusetts, you must register as a lobbyist if you are paid more than $5,000 for your services
• Registering as a lobbyist also requires a fee. In many states, the registration fee is $1,000 annually
• You should stay up to date with the laws that apply to lobbyists. For example, lobbyists cannot make give gifts to legislators that exceed $50 in value and can only give $100 worth of gifts to an individual each year.
• If you are a former member of the government, you cannot lobby the groups or departments you were a member of for 1 year. You must report prior government positions on your annual lobbying forms for the 2 years after you leave office.
• Failing to properly register with the Senate or House as a lobbyist can require you to pay a civil fine of no more than $50,000.

Representative James R. “Jim” Fannin
District 13

Joseph Mapes, President of Mapes & Mapes, Inc., Louisiana's First Registered Lobbyists

WHO WE ARE

Mapes & Mapes, Inc. was founded in 1950 by M.L.”Bud” Mapes, Louisiana’s first registered lobbyist. With Bud Mapes’ passing in 2005, his son, Joseph A. Mapes assumed the role as lead of the firm. The goal of the firm is to continue a legacy of experience, integrity, and ethics to create business and political opportunities for all its clients. The firm accomplishes these goals with their vast knowledge of the political, governmental, and legislative processes. Within that framework, the individual partners of the firm build and maintain strong relationships with key people attached to these processes.

MAPES & MAPES TEAM

Joseph A. Mapes, President

Joe Mapes is serving his 38th year as a Louisiana lobbyist having been elected President of Mapes & Mapes, Inc. in January of 1995 to succeed M.L. “Bud” Mapes. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mapes is a Louisiana State University graduate. For the greater part of his life, Mapes has worked, in some capacity, in every Louisiana session since 1974 totaling over 100 legislative sessions in which Mapes has worked to draft legislation, lobby legislators and administrators, partner with other governmental relations firms, as well as work with Governors and their staff.

Mapes is married to the former Sandy Altazan of Port Allen, Louisiana, and has two beautiful step-daughters, Bilee Yelverton and Brittany Morvant, and six grandchildren Lennon, Grant, Luke, Andrew, William, and Crawford. Mapes and his wife are members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Brusly, Louisiana.

Sandy Mapes, Partner

Sandy Mapes founded the Louisiana Salon Owners Association in 1980. Her passion for the industry ultimately led to her becoming its President and lobbyist. Soon after, her interest for the Louisiana legislative process led to her career as a lobbyist. With her lobbying career spanning over 32 years, her experience as a business owner and entrepreneur has made Mrs. Mapes Louisiana’s most effective female lobbyist. This diverse background led to Mrs. Mapes’ participation in Louisiana’s political process and her affiliation with Mapes & Mapes where she remains as an integral part of the company.

George Sutton, Partner

George Sutton is the third partner of Mapes & Mapes, Inc. Sutton came to Louisiana from Tylertown, Mississippi in 1957 after a four year stint in the US Navy. He was quickly noticed by BellSouth who promoted him to Executive Director of Governmental Affairs in Louisiana. In 1995, after 30 years helping to shape the Louisiana telecommunications industry, George retired to pursue an independent consulting career. He is a principle in his own firm, G E Sutton & Associates, Inc. as well as an associate in the Mapes & Mapes firm.

Bilee Yelverton, Director of Communications

Bilee Yelverton is a recent addition to the Mapes & Mapes firm. Ms. Yelverton graduated from Louisiana State University in 2009. She has since been working with a Mapes & Mapes client, the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians, as the Membership Coordinator and Legislative Affairs liaison. Bilee is committed to the clients represented by Mapes & Mapes as well as the firm; she will prove to be a great asset to the team.

There are several principles that anchor Mapes & Mapes and provide for the firm’s effectiveness and great success. Honesty is the cornerstone principle on top of which all else is built. Diversity in its team approach is another key principle. Mapes & Mapes has had this diversity since its inception and will always maintain such diversity. Legislators and administrators trust the firm of Mapes & Mapes. Combined with the knowledge and integrity of the firm’s client base, a formula emerges. Here Mapes personnel organize political and governmental chaos. This allows Mapes clients’ voices to be heard to ultimately help shape policy that regulates their industry.

WHO WE SERVE

We strive to be a strategic partner with our clients by leveraging our expertise and experience to provide innovative, responsive solutions:

 Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, Inc.

 The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

 AT&T

 Entergy

 Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians

 Louisiana Ophthalmology Association

 Luxottica Group

 Louisiana Finance Association

 ACA International, The Association of Credit & Collection Professionals

 Louisiana Assessor’s Association

 Louisiana Life Safety & Security Association

 Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance Companies

 Louisiana Academy of Physicians Assistants

 This Week in Louisiana Agriculture

 NOBRA River Pilots

 Morrison Surveying, Inc.

 Catalyst Rx

 Citizens Commission on Human Rights Texas

 Louisiana Medical Clinic

 Friendly Builders

 YOUR NAME HERE 

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What we do at Mapes & Mapes

M.L. "Bud" Mapes: The "Dean of Louisiana Lobbyists"

M.L. “Bud” Mapes was the father of Joe Mapes, the current owner and principal consultant for Mapes & Mapes, Inc. Born July 8, 1930 in Ozark, Missouri, Bud served his country in the Korean War from January 1951 until March 1955, then moved to Baton Rouge and began a distinguished 50-year career as the first registered lobbyist of Louisiana. Often referred to as the “Dean of Louisiana Lobbyists,” Bud Mapes worked with eight Louisiana governors during his career, beginning with Earl Long and ending with Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. Some of the clients he was proud to have represented included the Louisiana Farm Bureau, Southwestern Lumberman’s Association, Louisiana Finance Association, 3M Company, Entergy, Cole-National Corp., Louisiana Retailers Association, Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association and Louisiana Building Material Dealers Association.

Mr. Mapes founded Mapes & Associates which later became Mapes & Mapes, Inc. under the guidance of his son, Joe Mapes. Bud, who never retired, worked diligently for the people of Louisiana until his passing on December 1, 2005 and always practiced the motto, “What is the right thing to do?” It is this legacy which Joe Mapes and the professionals at Mapes and Mapes are proud to continue in their lobbying efforts today.

So valuable were Bud Mapes’ contributions to the state of Louisiana as a lobbyist and businessman, that the Louisiana Legislature drafted and passed two resolutions recognizing him: one to commend and congratulate his 50 years of work and the other to honor him on his passing.