[4] Smith received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Roman Catholic Loyola University in New Orleans.
[2] Smith chairs the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs Committee.
He is a member of on the Incentive Program Review Subcommittee of the Joint Budget Committee.
[6] In his bid for a second term in the general election held on November 19, 2011, Smith defeated his predecessor in the office, James David Cain.
Democrat Terry Fowler held the remaining but critical 5,370 votes (25 percent).