Hollis recruits 18-year-old daughter to liven up state Legislature reports
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Louisiana Rep. Paul Hollis is hoping the younger generation will help him rev up the interest in what occurs during the coming state legislative session.
And rather than trying to be the older guy who decides to act like an 18-year-old on Social Media, he has found a better way to make it happen.
Hollis, representing District 104 in the House of Representatives from St. Tammany, is teaming up with his daughter Bree to liven up the online Social Media reports from the Louisiana Legislature.
Bree, an 18-year-old who is still in high school, is like many girls in the younger generation who know how to get some response on Social Media.
“I post something about the Legislature and get 10 hits,” Hollis said. “She puts something up and has 10,000.”
So Hollis decided to utilize his daughter’s talent on Social Media to benefit his constituents, so they can see what is going on in the newest legislative session that will begin March 14. And who knows, it might get some of the younger generation interested enough in state issues that he accomplishes two goals in one.
Bree is heading to college next fall to major in journalism and theater, currently considering over a dozen scholarship offers. But she has already shown her talent in taking first place in musical solo for a thespian festival performance at Northwestern State University.
“She is naturally funny, and has done a number of videos I have seen that were really entertaining,” her dad said, noting a post she had that got nearly 10,000 views. “Now I hope she can be informative about state issues, but keep it lighthearted and fun.”
Bree already posted her first report with a short introduction to the session, which can be found on Hollis’ Facebook site, or on the weekly Capitol Updates on Facebook.
“I plan to let her take the lead with this,” Hollis said. “We will both be on here or there, but with school she will do some remotely. I think she will make the work at the Legislature more interesting, and not as stale as something I might have put up.
“It should be fun,” he added.
Hollis, a rare coin collector and dealer by trade, is 49 years of age and not afraid to acknowledge that his young daughter has a better handle on how to post Social Media reports from Baton Rouge.
“In social media, my daughter always gets a ton of traction. My boring political posts go nowhere,” he admits with a laugh.
“My daughter was just a little kiddo when I was elected 10 years ago,” Hollis said. “She used to knock on doors with me, sing at nursing homes, etc., and now she can help update the people in our district and around the state.”
The Legislature started a special session on reapportionment last week, but there won’t be any father-daughter videos posted this session. “It’s hard to find humor in drawing election district boundaries,” he said.