BATON ROUGE - State Representative Ted James is leaving office after being appointed to a federal position by President Joe Biden.

James held a news conference Wednesday to make his exit from the state legislature official. 

The U.S. SBA first made the announcement in late December, saying James will take over as regional  administrator for the administration's South Central region. As Region VI administrator, Ted James will oversee SBA programs, offices, and operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

“With his extraordinary dedication to public service and commitment to advancing communities, Ted’s leadership couldn’t come at a more crucial time for small businesses and innovative startups in our South Central region. Ted is an experienced and knowledgeable leader who will help advance the SBA’s programs – including our disaster portfolio. When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated his home state, he was among those on-the-ground helping Louisianans rebuild and recover,” said SBA Administrator Guzman. “Ted is joining a dynamic team of Regional Administrators as the SBA looks ahead to a year filled with new opportunities and new challenges. Together, we will continue to help our small businesses recover, pivot, and grow to power local economies and solve global problems such as climate change, as we build a better America for all of us.”

James, a Southern University alum, is currently in his third term with the Louisiana House of Representatives. He plans to resign as a state representative in late January.