The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on April 30 conducted confirmation hearings for multiple gubernatorial nominees, including candidates for the State Board of Ethics and senior posts at the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Board of Ethics nominees introduced themselves early in the panel. Jason Amato described 36 years in industry and prior service as a St. James Parish councilman; Ricky Nowen (Nowlan in the hearing) described elected experience as Natchitoches Parish president and a professional background as a licensed electrical engineer; and Judge Vanessa Guidry Whipple summarized three decades on the appellate bench and prior service on the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana. Each described public‑sector experience and pledged to be accessible and to treat matters impartially.

The committee then heard nominees for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Derek Ellis, who returned from retirement to rejoin corrections leadership, outlined 30 years of corrections experience including senior operational roles in probation and parole and prison operations. Gary Westcott, serving as secretary, described a lengthy corrections career that includes National Guard service, regional administration and later work as a jail warden; he told senators that staffing retention, facility vacancies and program alignment were top priorities.

Other nominees included Renee Deluche, a career probation and parole professional detailed to the assistant secretary role, and Dale “Ed” Branch, who described a career at the State Fire Marshal’s Office and promised accountability and availability if confirmed. Nominees generally said they had consulted their home senators and provided brief biographical summaries when asked.

Committee members thanked the nominees for their service and asked procedural and policy questions on staffing, overdetention, transfers and departmental management. Several senators emphasized the importance of responsiveness to legislators’ requests and to managing vacancies and inmate records; nominees described staffing pressures, vacancy counts in prisons, and steps to improve calculations and data sharing.

No formal confirmation votes are recorded in the transcript for these nominees during the hearing; the committee indicated it would follow up and be in touch with the nominees.

Ending: The committee completed the hearings and will notify nominees of next steps; senators and nominees emphasized open lines of communication on transfers, staffing and operational issues.