Two of the year’s most highly-publicized issues were considered by House committees this week. The first concerned SB 2648, already passed by the full Senate, which would broadly restrict smoking in most enclosed places, regardless of whether publicly or privately owned. The Senate proposal has drawn considerable opposition from citizens who contend it would drastically interfere with private rights, including the privilege of using one’s own property as one sees fit. Passionate advocates of a radical smoking ban, on the other hand, maintain that drastic legal measures are necessary in order to curtail the harm to public health they believe is caused by unregulated "second-hand" smoke.  The original Senate bill, proposed by Sen. Deborah Dawkins (D--Pass Christian) would ban all smoking in most places except casinos, bars, and homes.

The anti-smoking bill will not reach the House floor in the broad version passed by the Senate. SB 2648 already has been amended by the House Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Rep. Bobby Moody (D–Louisville), to require owners of private facilities to which the public has access -- including, but not limited to, restaurants, retail stores, office buildings, hotels, educational facilities, banks, sports arenas, and elevators -- to post a sign saying whether smoking will or will not be allowed in that establishment. Although under the House version a private owner could freely choose which of the two policies to implement (i.e., whether smoking would be permitted or not), he or she could be subject to a $100 fine for not enforcing the designated policy, and would be empowered to file misdemeanor charges against any patron who refuses to adhere to a no-smoking rule. Smoking in publicly-owned and government buildings (including the Capitol) would be banned outright under the House committee’s version. Anyone caught smoking in a government building could be forced to leave the premises. No local government would be allowed to enact any ordinance less stringent than the proposed state law, which if passed by both bodies and signed by the governor, would go into effect on July 1, 2003. Since the smoking bill is double-referred in the House, it now goes before the House Appropriations committee, chaired by the venerable Rep. Charlie Capps (D–Cleveland), where the bill may be amended further before it is sent to the full House, or simply allowed to die altogether.

Another high-profile bill before the House is SB 2605, which would create a state-wide drug court system. A few counties already have drug courts in place, with one of the most successful being located in Pike County. The goals of a drug court include reducing alcohol and drug dependency among adult and juvenile offenders, recidivism, and child abuse and neglect, and the drug-related court workload. No state money initially would be put into the program, which would be funded through assessments, fees, and grants. To be eligible for adjudication in a drug court, an accused person could not have any felony convictions for crimes of violence, be charged with burglary, or have a DUI citation that resulted in a death. This bill is also double-referred, and must head to the Appropriations Committee after passing the House Judiciary A Committee chaired by Rep. Percy Watson (D–Hattiesburg).

Governor Musgrove signed into law this week SB 2327 to allow the Department of Human Services to hire more social workers in areas where the per-worker caseload is extremely high, mainly in counties along the Gulf Coast where the current shortage has become very critical. The House Judiciary B Committee approved an amended version of SB 2597, which would make it illegal to point a laser pointer at a law enforcement officer. Several such incidents have almost resulted in tragedy, as officers rightly feel threatened by such devices that now commonly are used to aim firearms. SB 2597 now must be voted upon by the full House.

The Ways and Means Committee and the full House approved HB 1562 which would create a new venture capital program to allow insurance companies that invest in start-up companies to receive an insurance premium tax credit. The program is aimed at helping small firms that cannot otherwise get financial backing to develop new products. If this program becomes law, Mississippi will join the nine other states which have already developed similar programs.

Representative Greg Snowden (R-Meridian) maintains a legislative web site to aid constituents and other interested persons in obtaining information about state government. The web site address is  www.gregsnowden.com.  Rep. Snowden may be reached by e-mail at any time greg@gregsnowden.com, or by telephone at 601-693-5700 (Meridian office) or 601-527-5350 (cell phone - a local call from anywhere within Mississippi).

EDITORIAL NOTE: Most of the facts and much of the organization of the above summary is due to the fine work of Mac Gordon, of the House Information Office. However, although Mr. Gordon provides this information weekly to all House members, each member has the privilege of using it however he or she sees fit. Rep. Snowden has taken the liberty to re-write much of the standard summary, and to include his own comments and expressions of opinion. Accordingly, while Rep. Snowden gratefully acknowledges the work of the House Information Office in organizing and supplying reliable and timely information as to the workings of the House, all comment and all opinion contained in this summary is that of Rep. Snowden alone, and not that of Mr. Gordon or any other staff employee of the House of Representatives.