In this May 3, 2012, photo, first-year House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, prepares to drop the gavel to end the four-month 2012 session at the state Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as Speaker Pro-Tempore Greg Snowden, R-Meridian watches. Republicans, after years of fighting against Democrats who controlled the state House of Representatives, took complete control of Mississippi's government in January for the first time in 140 years. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The 2012 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature brought many historic changes to the Magnolia State.  For the first time since 1976, there would be a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House, all taking office for the first time.  And, for the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans would control not only the Governor’s Mansion, but also both chambers of the Legislature as a result of the November, 2011 general elections.

In the House, the Session began on January 3, 2012, with the historic election of three-term Rep. Philip Gunn (R-Clinton) as the first Republican Speaker of the House in 140 years, and the election of four-term Rep. Greg Snowden (R-Meridian) as the very first ever Republican Speaker Pro Tempore.  Additionally, former Rep. Andrew Ketchings, of Natchez, was elected Clerk of the House.  Speaker Gunn noted in his acceptance speech that Mississippians too long have been separated by opinion, age, race, region, and party, and he pledged to do his best to promote a new spirit of unity.  “Let us work together to make Mississippi better than it has ever been before,” Gunn said.

Although Republicans undeniably enjoyed a narrow 64-58 majority in the House, Democrats were not shy in advancing their own ideas and programs.  Under the leadership of Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto), as joined by such stalwart veterans as Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Jackson), Rep. Johnny Stringer (D-Montrose), and Rep. Omeria Scott (D-Laurel), the Democratic Party’s perspective was generally well-represented in full and fair floor debate of many issues of importance to all Mississippians.  By Session’s end, Democrats had eschewed open warfare because, as Rep. Moak aptly put it, “[J]ust because you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it.”  Speaker Gunn agreed: “I believe we worked very well together,” he said of the partisan give-and-take in the House.  “I think as the Session progressed, there was a good spirit, a very good atmosphere.”

The Session brought many new faces to the Legislature. The House welcomed 32 freshman legislators (out of 122 members total), while the Senate welcomed 14 new members (of 52 members total). The new lawmakers jumped right in by authoring bills, presenting them in committee and on the floor, serving on committees and actively stepping into various important leadership roles.  With a committed focus to transparency and accountability, the new House leadership featured a bipartisan makeup, including both Democratic as well as Republican committee chairs and vice-chairs.  Although from time to time there were some partisan disagreements, as is natural and to be expected, much major legislation addressed during the Session received solid support from both sides of the aisle.

Attorney General Sunshine

Both chambers were focused on enhanced transparency this Session, and to making all areas of state government more accountable for their actions. The Attorney General Sunshine Act, House Bill (HB) 211, allows state agency heads to retain counsel other than the Attorney General and to hire their own outside attorneys and/or law firms to represent them in lawsuits under certain defined circumstances.  The bill, ably handled in the House by Judiciary A Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Baker (R-Brandon), requires the disclosure of attorney retention contracts, and includes protections insuring that the attorney fees paid for representing the state in major litigation are both transparent and appropriate.

Family Protection

Several measures were enacted to help make Mississippi a safer place to raise a family. Legislators passed HB 16, the Mississippi Child Protection Act of 2012, which requires health care workers, members of the clergy, educators, law enforcement agents, and child care providers to report alleged or suspected sexual abuse against children.  Significantly, the bill requires retention of DNA evidence for use in potential criminal prosecution of sexual predators.  Judiciary B Committee Chairman Rep. Andy Gipson (R-Braxton), shepherded the bill through the House to ultimate passage.

A new law also passed modifying our state’s adoption laws, making it easier for Mississippians to adopt children, a high priority of lawmakers of both parties.

Another family-friendly measure headed to the Governor’s desk is Senate Bill (SB) 2494, an act to create the Broderick Rashad Danti Dixon Act. This bill revises the penalties for falsely reporting a crime and provides that the crime victim has the right to receive a copy of the initial incident report.

Abortion rights were addressed this session in a variety of bills. HB 1390 requires all physicians performing abortions in clinics to be certified OBGYNs and to have admitting privileges at local hospitals.  Supporters of the bill argued that any person performing an abortion should be a certified OBGYN and should have access to a local hospital in case a medical problem arises. Currently, there is only one abortion clinic in Mississippi, and that clinic is located in Jackson. Opponents countered that HB 1390 wrongly singles out the one clinic in Mississippi and, in turn, potentially forces it to shut down if the clinic is unable to comply with the new law.  Opponents worry there will be fewer options for women seeking abortions who cannot afford to go to other states to have the procedure, while proponents insist that the new law insures that any legal procedures actually performed in the Magnolia State would be subject to appropriate medical safeguards. The bill was signed into law by Governor Bryant on April 16, 2012.

Education

As always, improving Education remains the number one priority of the Mississippi Legislature, with more than 60% of the state’s general fund budget devoted to educational pursuits (including 50% of the $5.5 Billion budget earmarked for K-12 Education alone).  Positive strides were taken during the 2012 Session to improve Mississippi’s educational standing, which unfortunately has hovered near the bottom of most state rankings for decades.

The charter school debate garnered the most publicity for the 2012 House Education Committee this Session. Going into the year, many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle seemed to agree that the chronically under-performing public education system in Mississippi needs a major face lift.  However, not everyone agreed on the best method to use in revamping the system.  As perhaps could have been predicted, party lines did not necessarily dictate opinions on this issue as serious discussions commenced at the Capitol. Ultimately, through the mutual agreement of both the respective House and Senate Education Committee Chairmen, Rep. John Moore (R-Brandon) and Sen. Gray Tollison (R-Oxford), a decision was made to postpone any further action on charter schools during the 2012 Regular session.  The enactment of strong charter school legislation remains a top priority of Governor Bryant, as well of the leadership of both the House and the Senate.  Undoubtedly, there will be significant work this summer and fall, and a consensus charter school bill is expected to be introduced in the upcoming 2013 Session.

In other education items, the School Start Date Act of 2012 (HB 707) was signed into law on May 1, 2012.  This new law requires schools to push back their start date to no later than the third Monday in August, beginning in 2014. Hopes of working in cooler temperatures and allowing families extended time to vacation helped prompt this new law, which received broad support in both chambers.

In an effort to establish a clearer and more understandable rating system for Mississippi schools and school districts, the Legislature changed the grading system to A, B, C, D, and F.  The simplified grading terminology will clarify district performance for parents.  For example, a school district or school currently rated as merely “successful” will be accorded a “C” grade.  Previously rated “Star” districts will receive an “A” and “High Performing” districts and schools will rate a “B”.

After years of talking about school consolidation, the Legislature finally took real action by combining the administrative operations of the three struggling school districts in Sunflower County and authorizing the appointment (as opposed to the election) of a school superintendent. The measure will save more than $1 million by combining the administrations of the under-performing Drew, Sunflower and Indianola school districts.  Under a separate measure, Bolivar County’s school districts will be reduced from six to three.  No schools will be consolidated under either measure; rather, the administrative functions of school districts will be combined.

Several other bills passed that focused on educational reform for dyslexic and vision-impaired students and students with Diabetic Alert Dogs.

Voter ID

After Amendment 27 passed (by 62 percent of Mississippi’s electorate) in the November, 2011 general election requiring photo voter identification at the polls, legislative leaders presented House Bill (HB) 921, or the Voter ID Law, in order to comply with the expressed wishes of the overwhelming majority of Magnolia State voters.  HB 921 was a contentious issue which predictably sparked passion among both Republicans and Democrats.  Under the new law, persons appearing to vote must present valid identification (ID) in any of the following forms: Mississippi Drivers’ License, a photo ID card issued by an agency of the State; U.S. Passport; an employee ID card bearing a photo; an accredited college, university or community college student ID bearing a photo; Mississippi license to carry a concealed weapon; travel ID card bearing a photo; military ID card; or Mississippi Voter ID card with a photo. Should any person wishing to vote not possess one of the required forms of ID, they nevertheless may apply to receive a free Voter ID card (provided free to them by the State). To apply for such a Voter ID card, a person will be required to show their Social Security card, Medicare card, Medicaid card or a verification of residence in the county of their residence.  Voters may vote by affidavit if they present a valid ID within five days of voting. As Mississippi is a “covered jurisdiction” under the Federal Voting Rights Act, the Voter ID provisions will not become law unless ultimately approved by the U.S. Justice Department or by the Federal Courts.

Redistricting

Lauderdale County under the 2012 House redistricting plan adopted by both houses of the Mississippi Legislature

During the 2012 Legislative session, as is the case every ten years following the Census, the Legislature is tasked with tackling the politically thorny issue of reapportionment and redistricting. Rep. Bill Denny (R-Jackson) handled the 2012 redistricting for the House, and by most accounts did a masterful job in a very difficult situation. With population shifts occurring throughout the state, five new House districts were drawn in the redistricting plan passed by the Legislature: two in Desoto County and one each in Madison, Oktibbeha and Forrest Counties.  All districts drawn are contiguous, compact, with a minimum of split precincts, and with no retrogression in minority voting strength. Under the newly adopted legislative plan, there are 42 majority/minority districts, with two new “performing” districts in Districts 16 and 45.  A “performing” area refers to a district having a sufficiently high majority of black voting age population (BVAP) to actually give a good chance of electing a minority candidate. Additionally, this new plan reduces the split precincts statewide from 537 to 172.  Split precincts have been the cause in the past for many problems at the polls, with their multiplicity of ballots and the resulting higher likelihood of voter confusion and decreased voter participation. The adopted legislative plan for the House makes more counties whole and takes the number from only five whole counties under the benchmark plan (2002) to 13 whole counties under the new 2012 plan.  As is the case with any proposed electoral change, the redistricting plan enacted by the Mississippi Legislature must be approved by the U.S. Justice Department or the Federal courts before it will become effective.  Proponents believe that the legislatively adopted plans for both the House and Senate are fair, legal, and Constitutionally sound, that the plans comport with Sections 2 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act, as well as all applicable state laws, and that the plans at length will be approved for use in the next legislative elections.

State Budget

The proposed FY 2013 General Fund budget demanded a lot of attention and nurturing as it carefully was developed throughout the 2012 Session.  The respective House and Senate Appropriations Chairmen, Rep. Herb Frierson (R-Poplarville) and Sen. Buck Clarke (R-Hollandale), rightly earned the respect and admiration of members of both bodies and both parties by virtue of their hard work and cooperative spirit.  As a result of such solid leadership, House and Senate members were able to reach an accord on a General Fund budget of approximately $5.5 billion, and this agreement was reached “on time” for the first time in at least eight years.

After hard work by the chairman and committee members of both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees, the new budget for FY ‘13, which takes effect July 1, 2012, will reflect a variety of changes. Committed to living within the State’s means, without enacting new taxes, the Legislature has increased state spending by a total of only less than one half of one percent. Significantly, the Legislature also has set aside nearly $200 million to use as reserves in next year’s budget, thereby providing some future flexibility and the ability to avoid potentially crippling cuts next year. Some adjustments to the FY ‘13 budget include:

• Medicaid: will receive an additional $58.7 million in appropriations for FY ‘13. This is a 7.6 percent increase over FY ‘12.

• K-12 Education:  will receive nearly $30 million in additional appropriations funds. This represents a 1.3 percent overall increase over FY ‘12.

• Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP): will receive an additional $19 million – a nearly one percent increase over FY ‘12.

• Community Colleges: will receive nearly $4.2 million extra in appropriations for FY ‘13. This is a 1.8 percent increase over FY ‘12.

Pro-Business, Pro-Economic Growth

Several bills were brought forward this session which supported Mississippi businesses and the pro-economic growth agenda of the House and Senate legislative leadership.  Workers’ Compensation revisions, the “Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act,” Inventory Tax Reform, and the Mississippi Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act, all passed both chambers.

Workers’ Compensation reform was addressed several times during the Session and ultimately passed both chambers in the form of a conference report on SB 2576. Provisions include restoration of “fair and impartial interpretation;” stronger measures related to drug and alcohol usage; clarification of an employee’s choice of physician; and significant increases in benefits for surviving spouses and funeral costs.  Proponents contend that the bill will “level the playing field” between employers and employees, although opponents argue that the bill will make it more difficult for employees injured on the job to recover benefits.

“Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act” provides certain tax incentives for qualified businesses located within certain hospitals or medical zones.  The Mississippi Development Authority can designate areas in counties as a Health Care Industry Zone if they meet certain criteria.  Special incentives encourage health-related businesses to relocate to these areas. In order to qualify for the incentives, a Health Care Industry Facility must create at least 25 full-time, permanent jobs.

The Inventory Tax Reform bill (SB 2934) increases the income tax credit authorized for the ad valorem tax paid on inventory starting in 2014.  “Raw materials” and “works-in-process” are now qualified to be eligible for the inventory tax credit. The existing $5,000 credit increases to $10,000 in 2014, then $15,000 in 2015.  For the 2016 taxable year and each taxable year thereafter, the tax credit of the taxpayer shall be the lesser of the amount of the ad valorem taxes paid on inventory or the amount of the income tax liability.  The Inventory Tax Reform measure is considered especially significant for those areas on the periphery of the state, because our sister states heretofore have enjoyed a significant tax advantage over Mississippi businesses.

Senate Bill 2398 (SB 2398) creates the Mississippi Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act. This bill establishes a volunteer committee comprised of 12 people from associations of various businesses throughout the state. This committee is charged with reviewing regulations put out by various state agencies that affect small businesses. SB 2398 requires each agency to determine whether any proposed rules by the agency affect small business and prepare an economic impact statement.  Enactment of this bill allows the committee to file a written petition with an agency to oppose all or part of a regulation that has a negative impact on small business.

Immigration reform sparked lengthy debate among House members in committee meetings and on the House floor. HB 488, “The Mississippi Immigration Reform Law,” originally passed the House floor by a bipartisan vote of 70-47.  The bill aimed to strengthen enforcement provisions to discourage illegal immigration and to encourage legalization of immigrants. However, once the bill left the House to go to the Senate for discussion, it died in the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

This year, the House and Senate agreed to permit the amount of alcohol in beer to be raised from five percent to eight percent by weight. Senate Bill 2878 passed both chambers and was signed into law by Governor Bryant. The enactment of this bill will allow specialty/craft beers to be bought and sold in Mississippi, starting July 1, 2012. Of all the states, Mississippi currently permits the lowest alcohol by weight for beer.

The House ended the 2012 Legislative session on Thursday, May 3 – a full three days ahead of the scheduled May 6 deadline.  Mississippi legislators can be proud to have completed their business ahead of schedule, and especially proud of the good legislation adopted in the 2012 Regular Session.

The above article was adapted from the official session-end summary prepared by House Information Officer Meghan F. Annison, who has performed yeoman duty in service to all House members throughout the 2012 Regular Session.

Sen. Merle Flowers (R-DeSoto) chairs the committee which handles Senate redistricting.

The Mississippi Senate has released its proposed plan for redistricting the 52-member body. The full Senate will vote on the plan Wednesday, May 2.  On Thursday, the Senate plans to vote on the House redistricting plan approved in the House last week, and the House, in turn, plans to vote on the Senate plan expected to be approved Wednesday.

See the proposed statewide Senate redistricting map here.

Here is the detailed district data for all 52 Senate districts under the proposed plan.

After the Legislature (both chambers) approves the respective redistricting plans, the plans will be submitted to the Department of Justice for review and approval.

The 2012 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature will end this week.

UPDATE: The Senate passed both it’s own redistricting plan, and the House plan, on Wednesday. The House will consider the Senate plan (the House plan already has cleared both chambers) on Wednesday or Thursday.
 

East Mississippi districts are compact with few precinct splits under the proposed House redistricting plan

A new plan for redistricting the 122-member Mississippi House of Representatives was unveiled Wednesday at the Capitol.  Senators are expected to reveal their own plan for redistricting the 52-member Senate within the next few days.  Both House and Senate will adopt a redistricting plan for both chambers before the current Legislative session ends on May 6.

UPDATE: The full House of Representatives approved the proposed redistricting plan (Joint Resolution 1) on Thursday by a vote of 70 to 50. The Senate will consider adoption of the House plan within the next few days.

Click here to see the statewide House redistricting map.

Click here to see the detailed statistical data for all of the House districts under the new plan.

Click here to see individual district maps for each of the 122 House districts.

Legislative redistricting and preparing the state’s FY ‘13 Budget were items never far from most legislators’ minds during the past week at the Capitol.  Expect both topics to dominate the Legislature’s actions during the final two weeks remaining in the 2012 Regular Session.

Former House Ways and Means Chairman Percy Watson (D-Hattiesburg) was honored Thursday when his portrait was unveiled in the committee room at the Capitol

The House passed a variety of bills in advance of various deadlines. Most of the bills were before the House for concurrence or nonconcurrence. If the House voted to concur with Senate amendments to a particular House bill, that bill was sent directly to Governor Bryant to sign into law or to veto, as the case may be. However if the decision was not to concur but instead to invite conference, the bill was sent to a conference committee composed of three members each from the House and Senate.  Meanwhile, at the other end of the building, the Senate was making similar judgments with respect to earlier House amendments to their own bills.  No bill becomes law without passing both chambers with identical language, so if disagreements remain, a conference committee is charged with negotiating a compromise (in the form of a conference report) to which both houses ultimately can agree.

Some of the bills to which the House concurred include House Bill 696 (HB696), which prohibits school administrators and district employees from intimidating classroom teachers into changing student grades in the absence of a written directive or written district grading policy to do so. The Senate version of the bill removed the $250 fine and possibility of termination that House members originally had included, but leaves intact the strict language of the bill, which is consistent with the existing policy of the State Board of Education. HB 696 enjoyed strong bipartisan support, with both current Education Committee Chair John Moore (R-Brandon) and former Chair Cecil Brown (D-Jackson) forcefully advocating passage. The motion to concur passed by a vote of 86-34, and the bill is on the way to the governor.

House Bill 1091 (HB1091) corrects a situation involving the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport. Although for years the Port Authority has operated as a “governing authority”, a recent legal interpretation was given to the effect that the Port Authority in fact is a “state agency.”  HB1091 makes clear that the Port Authority is not a state agency, but in fact is a governing authority and may continue to operate as such. As a governing authority, the Port Authority at Gulfport will still be required to follow state bid laws during its post-Katrina expansion and restoration, but will be free from the extra layer of DFA oversight mandated for state agencies. Chairman Alex Monsour’s (R-Vicksburg) motion to concur passed by a vote of 86-33.

For bills going to conference, the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor each will assign conferees from their respective Chambers who will work together to reach an agreement on the language of the bills. Once conference committee members agree on identical language, the bills are taken back to each chamber in the form of a conference report, and then either are passed in both chambers without amendment or recommitted for further conference.

Some bills House members sent to conference this week include:

–Senate Bill 2934 (SB2934): the Inventory Tax Bill

–House Bill 1134 (HB1134): requires the appointment of superintendents by governing authority in those school districts abolished by the Governor.

–House Bill 1019 (HB1019): allows breweries to provide beer samples as a tourism measure, subject to certain conditions.

–House Bill 211 (HB211): the Attorney General Sunshine Act

Also during the week, the House passed House Concurrent Resolution 116, jointly sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden (R-Meridian), Rep. Steve Horne (R-Meridian), and Rep. William Shirley (R-Quitman).  HCR 116 honors “Lex,” the military service dog partner of U.S. Marine Corporal Dustin Lee, of Clarke County, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2007.  Lex, who was gravely injured himself during the mortar attack which claimed the life of Corporal Lee, nevertheless remained by his master’s side and had to be dragged away by medics attending the fallen Marine.  Lex was adopted by Corporal Lee’s Clarke County family and lived a life of honored respect until he died last month.  Lex’s story, and that of Corporal Lee, has made worldwide news.

The deadline to file conference reports on Appropriations and Revenue bills falls next weekend, April 28-29. House members voted to invite conference on all 51 House Appropriations bills addressed this week. Once conferees are named, the respective conference committees will then meet.  Next week, conferees will come to an agreement and file reports before 8 p.m. Saturday night, April 28.  House members will then take up Appropriations conference reports starting Sunday afternoon, April 29.  Monday, April 30 is the deadline for members to adopt all conference reports filed, as the Constitution requires Appropriations measures to be finalized not later than five (5) days prior to the end of the Regular Session.

This week in the Ways and Means Committee Room, long time veteran Rep. Percy W. Watson (D-Hattiesburg)  was honored during a ceremony for his exceptional service in the Legislature, specifically the eight years (2004-2011) he spent as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.  Rep. Watson has served in the Legislature since 1980, and was the first African-American since Reconstruction to serve as Chair of one of the two “money committees” in the House.  An immensely respected legislator, Chairman Watson was recognized Friday by former and current colleagues, friends and family for his mark on history at the Capitol. Consistent with tradition, Rep. Watson’s portrait was revealed and hung directly behind the seat of the current chairman, Rep. Jeff Smith (R-Columbus).

This week, House members reviewed a variety of bills, including their own bills returned from the Senate. If changes were made, chairmen proposed to concur with the Senate amendments or invite conference to further discuss the changes. The bills members concurred or agreed with will be sent to Governor Bryant after they are enrolled. For the bills members wanted to discuss further, they invited conference. Conference committees consist of three members from each chamber who meet to discuss the bill, while attempting to reach a compromise.

Several Senate Education bills were addressed on the House floor. Senate Bill 2330 (SB2330) requires school district consolidation in Sunflower County. Currently, Sunflower County has three school districts, which are all under conservatorship. To be under “conservatorship,” a school district no longer has decision making power of its own due to an emergency situation. This control is placed into the hands of a conservator appointed by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). Two of the three school districts are failing, and one is low-performing.  Should this measure be enacted, the three school districts of Indianola, Sunflower and Drew will consolidate into one county-wide district, with a newly elected school board and an appointed superintendent. In Mississippi, there are 152 school districts. This bill would lower that number to 150. The bill passed 85-34.

Senate Bill 2737 (SB2737) allows the State Board of Education (SBE) to consolidate low-performing schools and school districts in emergency situations. If a school district violates accreditation standards, their accreditation may be pulled. If pulled, privileges like extracurricular activities will also be withdrawn until the school regains accreditation. This bill also allows parents of students in districts where accreditation has been lost to transfer their child to an accredited school district. The receiving district then has the authority to approve the transfer. All money would follow a child during his/her transfer. An amendment passed that addresses the adoption of policies and procedures for local school districts having one of the three lowest accreditation ratings. It creates standards regarding the daily curriculum in schools, weekly homework assignments, parental involvement, dress codes, parent-teacher conferences, school holidays, and a school syllabus. The amended bill passed 113-7.

Two study group-based education bills were addressed and passed this week, as well. Senate Bill 2760 (SB2760) will study Bolivar county to assess the effectiveness of consolidation. Currently, Bolivar County has six school districts, and only one is considered successful. This study group will determine if three consolidated districts would better benefit the county. Senate Bill 2313 (SB2313) also creates a study group to assess the effectiveness of elected superintendents and appointed superintendents. Out of the 152 school districts in the state, 64 districts elect their superintendents.

In other issues, Senate Bill 2398 (SB2398) creates the Mississippi Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act. This bill establishes a volunteer committee comprised of 12 people from associations of various businesses throughout the state. The committee includes four members appointed by the Governor; four members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and four members appointed by the Speaker of the House. This committee is charged with reviewing regulations put out by various state agencies that affect small businesses. SB2398 requires each agency to determine whether any proposed rules by the agency affect small business and prepare an economic impact statement.  Enactment of this bill will allow the committee to file a written petition with an agency to oppose all or part of a regulation that has a negative impact on small business. The bill passed 114-7.

Senate Bill 2771 (SB2771), referred to as “Karen’s Law,” revises punishment for manslaughter of certain child victims.  Once enacted, this bill would establish a new crime of “child homicide.”  If a child is killed by a person over the age of 21, that person would face an increased prison sentence of up to 30 years. An amendment passed that defines “child” to include an “unborn child” as defined in the current Mississippi criminal code.  Punishment for this crime would apply to any killing of any child under this provision, except for legal abortions where there is no heartbeat, a medical necessity to protect the mother, or in instances of rape or incest. The amended bill passed 83-34.

The Armed Forces Absentee Voting Law (Senate Bill 2552) passed this week, as well. It clarifies who an absentee voter is regarding military affairs. Applications may be signed by electronic signature. A member of the military who is out of the state may vote by electronic signature using fax or e-mail. Their ballot must be in by 7 p.m. on day of election.

Visitors to the House this week included Miss University Kayla Snow from the University of Mississippi; the family members of MS National Sergeant First Class Billy Albert Sutton of Mooreville. House Resolution 80 was read in his memory commending his life, legacy and service; and Robin David, executive director of the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum, and Kim Ross Bush, a museum board member. They were presented with House Concurrent Resolution 89, which recognized the Glenn L. Swetman and Mike Sekul Schooners.

WEEK OF APRIL 2, 2012

During the first part of the week, House members addressed Senate bills in committee in anticipation of Tuesday’s 8 p.m. deadline to move all general bills received from the Senate out of committee and onto the House Calendar.  Senate bills not reported out favorably prior to Tuesday’s deadline died in the House committee to which they had been assigned

April 4 was Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Day at the Mississippi Capitol. Reps. Kimberly Buck, Alyce Clarke and Sonya Williams Barnes join with Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden in welcoming representatives of the AKA Sorority.

In the Judiciary A Committee, members passed Senate Bill 2283 (SB2283), which allows sirens to be used on Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) vehicles at the discretion of the executive director. The MEMA vehicles are currently equipped with emergency lights. In addition to this bill, Senate Bill 2543 (SB2543) also passed out of committee. SB2543, the “Move Over Law,” states that when utility or service vehicles are on the side of the road, general traffic is required to move into the far left lane when passing.  These bills will be considered by the full House in the coming week.

The Appropriations Committee passed out Senate Bill 2631 (SB2631) which addresses the subject of uninsured motorists. If ultimately enacted, this bill will allow the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Revenue to establish an electronic system that would determine if a person who has been pulled over has the required and active automobile insurance coverage under state law. Vendors of the electronic software will incur the $1 million upfront cost. A fiscal note estimates that approximately $6 million will be made in revenue from this system each year based on fines paid by drivers who do not have insurance.

Among the bills considered by the Education Committee, Senate Bill 2401 (SB2401) prompted the most discussion. SB2401 is the companion bill to House Bill 888 (HB888), the “Mississippi Public Charter Schools Act of 2012.” HB888 passed through the Education committee several weeks ago, but died on the House calendar when the decision then was made to wait on the Senate Bill.  But, after weeks of anticipation, SB2401 failed to make it out of the committee on a razor-thin vote of 15-16.  The Charter School debate is far from over, however, and it remains entirely possible, if not likely, that some form of Charter School legislation will be enacted by the Legislature before the current session ends.  If not, Governor Bryant has said that he will consider calling a “special session within a session” to consider a new Charter School bill.  With Charter Schools being a top priority of the Governor, the Lt. Governor, and the Speaker of the House, eventual enactment of good Charter School legislation appears all but inevitable.

On the House floor Wednesday and Thursday, members covered a lot of ground as they took up more than 100 bills, many mirroring earlier-considered House bills.  Many of the Senate bills that passed in the House were adopted containing a “Strike-All Amendment” usually identical to original language contained in a previously-passed House bill. When a “Strike-All Amendment” is adopted, the House language is inserted into the Senate version of the bill.  When this is done, the usual process is for the bill to go to a conference committee (three Representatives and three Senators) which meets in an attempt to reach a compromise on the final wording of a conference report, and, if successful, an agreed conference report then is presented to both chambers which both must pass it in identical form in order for the bill to go to the governor for his signature.

Senate Bill 2380 (SB2380) addresses proposed revisions to the State Personnel Board’s Reduction-In-Force (RIF) policy.  House members voted to adopt Strike-All language which differs substantially from the version the Senate originally passed. The House-amended SB2380 would place less focus on seniority and more focus on employee performance. Passage of the bill would allow RIF to be implemented in three instances: if there is a shortage of funds or work, if there are changes in an employee’s duties, or if there is a merger between two agencies. Opponents argued the bill could result in excessive numbers of state employees losing their jobs, and that altering the Personnel Board’s policies could lead to cronyism. Supporters believe enactment of the legislation would make state agencies stronger and more effective by encouraging and promoting employees who perform while allowing agency managers appropriate leeway in making personnel decisions. After lengthy discussion of the floor, the bill was Laid on the Table Subject to Call, and will be addressed again by the full House at a later date.

Senate Bill 2572 (SB2572) authorizes the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) to borrow funds to establish and operate a certified registered nurse anesthetist program. Currently, no nurse anesthetist program exists in our state, and Mississippi students who are interested in pursuing this specialized degree are forced to go out of state. Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg has offered to provide USM an interest-free loan to establish this new program. These start-up funds will go toward a variety of needs, including equipment, educational materials and the hiring of employees. Once students enroll, the tuition they pay will support the continuance of the program. The bill passed the House 109-12.

A Workers’ Compensation Law reform bill (SB2576), which was held on a Motion to Reconsider last week, ultimately cleared the House floor Thursday on a vote of 59-58. The bill, which no longer may be held on a motion to reconsider, now has gone to the Senate, where the bill may be accepted in its current form and sent to the governor, or instead sent to a Senate/House conference committee for further work.

Other bills passed in the House this week include:

–SB2772 establishes an election law task force that would study Mississippi’s election process and consider all matters related to elections. The task force is designed to only make recommendations of possible changes to the Legislature. The bill passed 75-43.

–SB2451 clarifies requirements for dual enrollment programs for high school students taking community college courses. For every three hours of credit earned in a community college, the high school student will be rewarded one high school Carnegie unit.

–SB2851 eliminates the three-day waiting period and blood test requirements to marry in Mississippi.

–SB2494 revises the penalties for false reporting of a crime. Enactment of this bill would increase jail time up to one year and/or a fine up to $5,000. An amendment passed allowing the victim to receive a free copy of the incident report.

–SB2376 creates a felony offense for voyeurism when a victim is under 16 years of age. The Strike-All Amendment adopted by the House will punish those who videotape or spy on children under 16 years of age in secret, without the subject’s knowledge.

–SB2549 makes it a crime to sell “knock-off” or counterfeit goods. People who violate this law will face criminal charges.

–SB2289 refers to traffic citations. If a driver receives a camera citation from another state, the charge will not be placed on their driving record in Mississippi.

Visitors to the Capitol this week included representatives of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority for AKA Day at the Capitol on April 4. AKA was founded at Howard University in Washington D.C., January 15, 1908.

With the House of Representatives well ahead of its work load and with more than ample time to meet next week’s upcoming deadlines, the House adjourned Thursday until Monday afternoon, giving members a well-earned break to enjoy Good Friday and the Easter weekend with their families.

MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEEKLY SUMMARY, WEEK OF MARCH 26, 2012

This week, House members raced the clock to meet Wednesday’s deadline for original floor action on Appropriations and Revenue bills originating in the House, and Thursday’s deadline for any reconsideration of such Appropriations and Revenue measures. House members also began addressing Senate general bills this week, both in committee and on the floor.

Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden (R-Meridian) presides over the House during the Inventory Tax bill debate, Tuesday, March 27, 2012

On the House floor Monday, members discussed and passed House Bill 1547 (HB1547) by a vote of 120-1. The “Mississippi Critical Physician Shortage Incentive Act of 2012” incentivizes physicians to locate in impoverished areas of Mississippi through a state income tax exemption for up to ten years on any income greater than $100,000 earned by a physician practicing in the rural area.  An amendment passed requiring the Department of Revenue to provide an annual report of what this exemption costs the General Fund and whether it is significant to improving healthcare access in Mississippi. This bill incentivizes physicians to live and work in rural areas of Mississippi where there is a shortage of physicians.

The Corrections Committee passed several bills on the floor Monday, including Senate Bill 2195 (SB2195), which extends the repeal date for the State Parole Board. The bill passed 119-1 after the defeat of amendments offered to address the issue of gubernatorial pardons.

House members also voted on and passed Senate Bill 2878 (SB2878) by a vote of 69-49. Enactment of this measure permits an increase in the amount of alcohol in beer from five percent to eight percent by weight. This measure would allow specialty/craft beers to be bought and sold in Mississippi. This is the companion bill to House Bill 1422 (HB1422) which passed the House in February.

On Tuesday, House members passed the “Inventory Tax Bill” by a vote of 85-33. House Bill 536 (HB536) increases the income tax credit authorized for the ad valorem tax paid on inventory starting in 2014. The existing $5,000 credit increases to $10,000 in 2014, then $15,000 in 2015. For the 2016 taxable year and each taxable year thereafter, the tax credit of the taxpayer shall be the lesser of the amount of the ad valorem taxes paid on the inventory or the amount of the income tax liability. The tax credit mechanism employed by the bill means that there will be no adverse impact whatsoever on local municipalities or counties, which will continue to collect the tax as always; rather, the revenue “loss” will be borne solely by the state General Fund.

House Bill 1631 (HB1631) authorizes bonds for various economic development programs and other purposes. Enactment of this bill would provide $280 million to be used toward Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), community and junior colleges, state agencies, Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Fund, and updating jails affected during Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. The bill passed by a vote of 104-16.

Governor Phil Bryant’s “Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act” (House Bill 1537) unanimously passed the House floor Wednesday. Adoption of this bill would provide certain tax incentives for qualified businesses located within certain hospitals or medical zones. MDA can designate areas in counties as a Health Care Industry Zone if they meet certain criteria. Special incentives encourage health-related businesses to relocate to these areas. In order to qualify for the incentives, a Health Care Industry Facility must create at least 25 full-time, permanent jobs.

Parents and teachers receive another perk to the tax-free weekend at the end of July. With the passage of House Bill 1620 (HB1620), school supplies now fall into the category of tax-free items. A few years ago, legislation passed providing the tax break to clothes purchases during the special “tax free” weekend. Now, parents can add supplies like pencils, backpacks, paper, etc, to their list of tax exempt items to shop for during the last weekend in July.

Thursday, House members narrowly passed Senate Bill 2576 (SB2576) by a vote of 60-56. The bill’s proposed revisions to the existing Workers’ Compensation law sparked intense debate among House members. Several weeks ago, the original House version of the bill, House Bill 555, died on the House calendar.  Proponents of changing the law argued that the primary purpose of SB2576 is to pay the temporary and permanent disability benefits to every worker who legitimately suffers a work-related injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment, to pay reasonable and necessary medical expenses resulting from the work-related injury, and to encourage the return to work of the worker. Provisions include restoration of “fair and impartial interpretation;” requirement of workers to provide medical proof of injury that occurs on the job; stronger measures related to drug and alcohol usage; clarification of an employee’s choice of physician; and significant increases in benefits for surviving spouses and funeral costs. Opponents, however, vigorously contended that the bill would unnecessarily restrict the opportunity of injured employees to collect benefits owed to them and that it would represent a negative change to current law. The bill was held on a Motion to Reconsider, which will be taken up at a later date.

Governor Phil Bryant and members of the Mississippi Legislature welcome Rear Admiral Mike Jabaley to the Capitol on Thursday, March 29, 2012

Visitors to the Capitol this week included Mississippi’s new Poet Laureate, Natasha Tretheway; Paul LaCoste with Fit for Change; Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers, President of Jackson State University, presented with House Concurrent Resolution 81 commending and recognizing her for her accomplishments; Taiwan visitors, presented with House Resolution 78; the families of Samuel Clayton Kelly, Jr., Charles Walker Kelly and Bryant Mason Wilbanks, presented with House Resolution 78 mourning the loss of the lives of the three boys who died on their way back to the University of Mississippi after a surprise visit home to their families; and Rear Admiral Michael Jabaley, originally of Jackson, who spoke about the upcoming commissioning of the U.S. Navy’s most modern Virginia class attack submarine, the USS Mississippi. The USS Mississippi, the fifth U.S. Navy vessel in history to bear the name of The Magnolia State, will be commissioned on June 2 in Pascagoula. Persons interested in obtaining tickets to attend this historic occasion may apply online at www.ussmississippi.org.

Mississippi House of Representatives
Weekly Summary

Week of March 19, 2012

This week, members of the House turned their focus toward the Appropriations process, which is crucial in designing the FY 2013 State Budget, which begins July 1. Early projections suggest the budget for FY2013 will be close to $5.6 billion, which is approximately $47 million more than for FY2012.

Speaker Philip Gunn, Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden, and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann confer with T. Boone Pickens at the Capitol

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) revised upward the General Fund Revenue estimate by $99.9 million. This caused projected available revenue for fiscal year 2013 to increase by $126 million. Normally, the revenue estimate is revisited during the last two weeks of the session. But with doing it earlier than normal, Appropriations committee members dove in to allocate the increase.

Of the $126 million, $94 million will go toward Critical Needs not addressed in the original JLBC Legislative Budget Recommendation (LBR). About 60 percent of the $94 million will go toward Medicaid, with the remaining 40 percent going toward other needs like Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; State Health Department; and Department of Human Services.

In addition to the newly-available $126 million, an additional $16 million from the Educational Enhancement Fund (EEF) will be used to cover educational needs in K12 through Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). The EEF was established in 1992 when the state legislature voted on a sales tax increase of one percent. The legislation earmarks that the one percent (of the seven percent Mississippi State Sales Tax) goes to fund the EEF.

On the House floor Wednesday, House members first addressed Special Funds Appropriations bills and then moved to tackle General Funds Appropriations bills. The amounts appropriated to each agency were determined based on agency needs, not what the agency already had in its coffers. Members approved 53 of the bills brought forward by the Appropriations Committee. By the end of the week, House members successfully had cleared their calendar well before the deadline for doing so.

In Wednesday’s Ways and Means committee meeting, the accounting firm Ernst and Young delivered a presentation explaining the pros and cons of pending Inventory Tax Reduction Legislation. Enactment of the measure would create 3,000 new jobs and increase personal income of Mississippians by about $248 million. A conservative estimate suggests that $10.8 million of that would flow back into the General Fund. When fully implemented, the Inventory Tax Reduction Legislation would require a $119 million commitment from the General Fund.

On the floor, members passed House Bill 582 (HB582), reported out of Ways and Means, which exempts churches from paying sales tax on utilities. This will cost the General Fund approximately $1 million. There are 5,000 registered churches in Mississippi. To quality for this exemption, a “church” must be a registered 501c3 organization with the Internal Revenue Service.

Pictured from left to right: Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn, Sen. Giles Ward, Rep. Scott Bounds. Rep. Bennett Malone, Rick Anderson, Chief Phyliss J. Anderson, Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden and Rep. Omeria Scott. (Courtesy WTOK-TV)

Visitors to the Capitol this week included the 2011 ATT State Games of Mississippi Female (Kristi Voss) and Male (Easton Curry) Athletes of the Year; Carrie Jones, recognized for her successful golfing accomplishments; T. Boone Pickens, who spoke with the Speaker, the Speaker Pro Tempore and Energy Chairwoman Angela Cockerham about opportunities in the energy and natural gas fields; Chief Phyllis Anderson, who was commended on being the first female Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; and the Long Beach High School Concert Choir, let by Joel Dunlap. The group closed the week on the floor with a moving rendition of “Ava Maria” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Mississippi House of Representatives​, Post Office Box 1018​, Jackson, Mississippi 39215-1018

Two big deadlines faced House members this week as they made their way through the Calendar. Thursday, March 15, was the deadline for Original Floor Action on general bills and Constitutional amendments. If a bill reported out of a committee was not addressed before this deadline, it died.

Friday, March 16, was the deadline for the reconsideration and passage of general bills and Constitutional amendments. Monday, March 19, will be the deadline to table any remaining motions to reconsider.

Numerous measures were considered by the House this week. On Monday, House Bill 1222 (HB1222) was brought up to increase the fee charged by the Department of Safety to benefit the Mississippi Highway Patrol retirement system from $2 to $4. This bill will save the General Fund $500,000. The bill passed 109-6.

House Bill 1248 (HB1248) establishes a bailsman fee for the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) warehouse. This would include a handling fee of 25 cents on manufacturers or wholesalers of liquor placed in the ABC warehouse. This fee will be placed in the ABC Capital Expenditure Fund and will be used to maintain the warehouse. This bill benefits the General Fund as it removes the expense of maintaining the ABC warehouse. This measure will raise approximately $700,000. The bill passed 105-12.  

With the movie “The Help” having recently boosted Mississippi’s local economies, especially Greenwood’s, House Bill 1252 (HB1252) increases the amount of rebates authorized under the Mississippi Motion Picture Act. There would be no additional costs to the state unless a large motion picture is interested in filming in Mississippi. The bill passed 118-1.

House Bill 126 (HB126), referred to as “Caylee’s Law,” creates a felony offense for the failure and/or neglect of a person to report the disappearance of a child that results in the death of the child. An amendment was passed that inserts language to clarify certain instances in divorce situations. The bill passed 119-0.

Many significant bills were debated Tuesday in the House Chamber; emotions were high, and members were passionate in their argument. Several of the bills proposed were read aloud at the request of various members pursuant to a provision included in the 1890 Constitution.

House Bill 815 (HB815), the “Toll Road Bill,” passed 113-5. HB815 allows there to be alternate, but not necessarily parallel, routes in addition to the toll road.

Two abortion related bills, House Bill 1390 (HB1390) and House Bill 1196 (HB1196), prompted prolonged discussions. HB1390 requires all physicians performing abortions in clinics to be certified OBGYNs and to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Supporters of the bill argued that any person performing an abortion needs to be a certified OBGYN and have access to a local hospital should a problem arise. Currently, there is only one abortion clinic in Mississippi, and that clinic is located in Jackson. Opponents countered that HB1390 wrongly singles out the one clinic in Mississippi and in turn, forces it to shut down. Opponents worry there will be no options for women who cannot afford to go to other states to have abortions should the bill become law. The bill passed 80-37.

House Bill 1196 (HB1196) has been referred to as the “Heartbeat Bill.” HB1196 requires the determination of whether there is a fetal heartbeat prior to an abortion being performed and would prohibit a procedure unless and until this is done. Exceptions would apply in the case of the “life of the mother.” A heartbeat is detectable at five to six weeks utilizing a transvaginal ultrasound method. Current law gives women the voluntary option to hear the heartbeat. The bill passed 77-37.

House Bill 1281 (HB1281), referred to as the “William Lee Montjoy Pool Safety Act,” authorizes regulation of swimming pool enclosures. William Lee Montjoy drowned two years ago at a Gulf Coast yacht club. There is no current state law that mandates anything related to pool enclosures. HB1281 provides, specifies and mandates certain types and sizes of enclosures, distances between a gate opening and a post, and clearance underneath a gate. The bill’s provision would apply to private club pools in subdivisions, yacht clubs and country clubs. The bill passed 111-6. The parents of Montjoy observed the debate from the House gallery.

House Bill 1396 (HB1396), Consumer Installment Loan Act, provides a new vehicle for the lending process for the Mississippi Consumer Finance Association (MCFA). This bill would not compete with pay day loans. It would allow the MCFA to loan up to $4,000 with no collateral.  HB1396 permits clients to pay in monthly installments. This process would be regulated by the Mississippi Banking Commission. The annual percentage rate (APR) for loans between $1 and $1,500 is lower than that allowed by current law for pay day loans. The APR for loans in amounts greater than $1,500 is comparable to current loan structures when including optional insurance products. The bill passed 68-51.

Wednesday, members gaveled in at 9 am and worked until 12:30 am Thursday morning. They addressed many complex and important bills during this time.

The revisions to the Workers’ Compensation law in House Bill 555 (HB555) sparked debate among the members. HB555 proposes many changes to the existing law, including the requirement of medical proof of injury that occurs on the job and the exclusion of preexisting conditions being covered. Additionally, the bill would place an implied consent element into the workplace. The bill failed 52-62, and the House voted Friday morning not to reconsider Wednesday’s vote.

The Voter ID Law passed the House Wednesday 78-40. In November, Mississippi voters went to the polls and passed a Constitutional amendment to require voter identification at elections. House Bill 921 (HB921) was adopted to fulfill the Constitutional mandate. Persons appearing to vote must present valid ID in any of the following forms: MS Driver’s License; ID card issued by a branch department of Mississippi; US Passport; employee ID card with a photo; an accredited college, university, or community college student ID with a photo; MS license to carry a pistol; travel ID card with a photo; military ID; MS Voter ID card with photo. Should a person not have one of the required forms of ID, they may apply to receive a free Voter ID card (funded by the General Fund). To apply for the Voter ID card, a person will be required to show their Social Security card, Medicare card, Medicaid card or a verification of residence in the county. Voters may vote by affidavit if they present a valid ID within five days of voting. As Mississippi is a “covered jurisdiction” under the Federal Voting Rights Act, the Voter ID provisions will not become law unless approved by the U.S. Justice Department or the Federal Court.

House Bill 488 (HB488), “The Mississippi Immigration Reform Law,” was brought forward Wednesday evening at 9:44 pm and debated until 12:25 am Thursday morning, at which time the bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 70-47. HB488 aims to strengthen enforcement provisions to prevent illegal immigration and to encourage legalization of immigrants. Upon any lawful arrest for a violation of state law, a law enforcement agent may request immigrant documentation when a “reasonable suspicion exists” that the person may be in Mississippi unlawfully. Additionally, the bill targets employers such that if they knowingly hire an illegal alien, they will lose their business license. It does, however, protect non-profit organizations (churches, etc.) from serving illegal aliens’ basic humanitarian needs (serving them a meal, providing clothes). An amendment was proposed and passed which deleted a section of the bill requiring schools to keep a count of students whose parents are illegal aliens. Although based on Alabama’s existing illegal immigration enforcement law, HB488 does not include most provisions which are the subject of court challenge in our sister state.

Thursday, the pace on the House floor increased. Some of the bills that passed the House Thursday include:

–HB1032: This bill creates the Mississippi Dyslexia Education Scholarship Program.

–HB1031: This bill creates the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program. This provides dyslexic students with a school choice should they need to change schools for additional therapy. Should a student need the additional attention, the money allotted to them in their current school would follow them to the next school.

–HB1382: This bill permits school boards and certain governing authorities to allow the use of Diabetic Alert Dogs in schools.

–HB707: This bill moves the start date of school to the fourth Monday in August, effective for the 2014-2015 School Year. The bill applies to all public schools under the State Board of Education. With this change, students will avoid attending school during the hottest time of year in Mississippi. Significant cost savings are expected, along with additional revenue of tourism dollars families are expected to spend during the extended Summer Break.

–HB696: This bill prohibits certain school administrators and district employees from influencing a change in student grades. It says they cannot instruct a teacher to falsify a grade unless the grade has been miscalculated. An amendment passed stating offenders will be subject to termination.

Altogether, the House successful completed an extensive Calendar of bills which were taken up and voted on this week. At week’s end, Speaker Gunn congratulated members and staff on the hard work performed by everyone.

With the deadline now having passed for initial consideration in the chamber of origin of general bills and constitutional amendments, the House and Senate will turn attention in the next couple of weeks to the appropriations process. The Legislature will craft a new state budget for FY ’13, which begins July 1, 2012.

Mississippi's beautiful Capitol building

Rep. Steve Horne (R-Meridian) is the new vice chairman of the Apportionment and Elections Committee, and also will serve on the critically important legislative and congressional redistricting committees. In addition, Speaker Gunn assigned the three term Meridian lawmaker to the Ways and Means committee, charged with taxation and bonding, and one of the two key “money” committees in the House. Rep. Horne also copped several other plum committee assignments, including PEER, Local and Private, Constitution, and County Affairs.

Speaker Gunn tapped Rep. Scott Bounds (R-Philadelphia) to chair the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee, an assignment of great importance to Mississippi sportsmen. Rep. Bounds also was assigned to the Appropriations Committee, giving East Mississippi solid representation on the other key “money” committee. The three term Neshoba legislator also will serve on the Judiciary A, Conservation and Water Resources, and Public Property committees.

Freshmen lawmakers historically have not received much in the way of influential committee assignments. That has not held true this time, however, as Speaker Gunn has entrusted East Mississippi freshmen legislators with significant responsibilities as they commence their legislative service.

Although his is a new face at the Capitol, Rep. William Shirley (R-Quitman) was appointed as a committee vice chairman (Enrolled Bills), a special honor for any freshman. Significantly, Rep. Shirley will serve on quite a few vitally important committees, including Agriculture, Energy, Medicaid, Public Utilities, Workforce Development, and Youth and Family Affairs. Trust me; that is quite an impressive list of responsibilities for any first-termer.

Meridian’s freshman Representative, Charles Young, Jr. (D-Meridian) was included in the mix of important assignments as well. Speaker Gunn appointed Rep. Young to serve on the coveted Universities and Colleges Committee, an especially meaningful appointment given that Chuck’s father, the beloved Charles Young, Sr., chaired that very committee for many years. In addition, Rep. Young joins Rep. Horne on Local and Private, giving Lauderdale County a rare “two-fer” on that committee of great interest. Two other committees of significance to East Mississippians — Corrections, and Forestry — will provide Rep. Young with important places of service for the next four years.

Another fresh but highly capable member, Rep. Randy Rushing (R-Decatur), also fared very well as the Speaker’s committee appointments were revealed Friday. Although new to the Legislature, Rep. Rushing is an important component of the East Mississippi legislative delegation, and will serve on the following significant House committees over the next four years: Agriculture, Constitution, County Affairs, Military Affairs, Municipalities, as well as the crucially important Public Health and Human Services committee.

As for myself, I am greatly honored to have been elected by my colleagues to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore, which is the second highest-ranking officer of the House of Representatives. My duties as Speaker Pro Tempore include chairing the House Management Committee, which oversees all the internal business, personnel and financial affairs of the body. In addition, I serve on the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which develops the state budget, and on the powerful Rules Committee, which schedules and controls the flow of all legislation. I certainly have a full plate, as do all of our local House members.

This is an exciting time to serve at the Capitol. We have many new members of the Legislature, as well as new leaders throughout state government. As always, however, the priority for each and every legislator is to represent well our constituents back home. For myself, I am pleased most of all that my new positions of responsibility will enhance my ability to serve the citizens of Clarke and Lauderdale counties in the manner they rightly expect and deserve. That is, after all, why they sent me to Jackson in the first place, and may I never forget that.