From Your Capitol - March 15, 2020
This week was a busy week for the Mississippi legislature. Thursday, March 12 was the deadline for representatives to discuss these general bills. Any bills not discussed in session by this deadline died on the calendar. On Wednesday evening, the first case of the Corona Virus in Mississippi was reported in Forrest County, and by the end of the week, several more cases had been announced. Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, Speaker Pro Tempore Jason White and Public Health Chairman Sam Mims attended a press conference Thursday morning led by Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the State Health Officer of the Mississippi State Department of Health. At the present time, there are no plans to suspend business in the Legislature. However, all tours at the Capitol have been suspended until further notice. If you are like me, you are amazed at the panic that is taking place over this virus. Our nation has experienced other illnesses and we have always survived without shutting down our nation. I remember Ebola, Swine Flu, and Bird Flu, all of were concerning and created a degree of caution but none created the panic we see today. The politics is concerning with the recent panic over the Corona Virus. I caution us all to not give up freedoms in exchange for a false sense of security. Do not for one-second believe that the government can keep you safe or take care of you. We don't need the Governor or the President to issue an order to close schools or businesses. You can keep your kids home from school if you feel it is the safest decision, you can stay home from work or church if you feel it is best. We do not need a politician to make those decisions for us. We must not give up our freedom.
Mississippi House of Representatives Turns Left
The 2020 Mississippi legislative session has seen the Mississippi House of Representatives take a hard turn to the left. We have raised taxes and increase regulation at a rate that should make any democrat proud. Here are just a few of the worst bills passed so far; HB265 - raises current salaries for statewide elected officers. There is no shortage of people who seek these jobs so why should the people of Mississippi increase their salary? H379 – The Facebook Marketplace Tax. This bill authorizes the state to tax, regulate and audit online "marketplace facilitators" (companies that facilitate the online buying and selling of personal property). It also includes a provision that allows this tax to be passed on to those who purchase items through the facilitator. This bill is an attempt by the state government to become involved in the growing online market of personal property. HB565 - This bill authorizes the issuance of bonds to fund the repair and renovation of the North Oak Regional Medical Center in Senatobia. The state should not borrow money to bailout a private company. This bill was nothing more than a powerful chairman in the Mississippi legislature using his position to bring home money to his district for personal gain. This is dysfunctional government at it's worst. HB837 – Your Mississippi House of Representative passed this bill that will require the people of Mississippi to pay for same-sex female couples to have children. HB837 mandates that insurance providers in the state cover artificial insemination for couples wanting to have children. This procedure is expensive and will raise the cost of healthcare for everyone. Also, the state cannot discriminate because of sexual orientation which means state employees who are “married” to same sex partners can have the people of Mississippi pay to help them get pregnant.
My Votes
Property exempt from seizure under execution or attachment; include Roth individual retirement accounts.
House Passed
Yea
Mississippi Educational Talent Recruitment Act; create.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Hunting license; require to be suspended if determined that death or injury occurred because of negligence.
House Passed
Nay
Community college board of trustees; provide for the selection of for Hinds Community College District.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Court ordered home study; revise fee.
House Passed
Nay
School bus drivers; increase maximum speed limit on interstate highways.
House Passed
Yea
"Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act"; establish.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Ad valorem taxation; bring forward certain sections of law relating to determination of true value of property and assessments.
House Passed
Yea
The "Life Equality Act"; create to prohibit abortion based on certain factors.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Medicaid; authorize division to extend certain contracts for two years without complying with state procurement regulations.
House Passed
Yea
"Mississippi Learn to Earn Act"; enact to authorize the earning of graduation credit through apprenticeships and other alternative courses.
House Passed
Yea
Proposed solid waste facility that will be located within one mile of an existing permitted solid waste facility; authorize reverse referendum on.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Commissioner of Corrections, and community corrections; bring forward various sections relating to.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Corrections omnibus bill; enact.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Mississippi Workforce Incentive Act of 2020; create.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Seizure and forfeiture; exempt certain property from.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Compassionate Parole Eligibility Act of 2020; create.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Corrections; authorize George and Greene Counties to privatize regional correctional facility.
House Passed
Yea
Judicial districts; revise certain chancery and circuit.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Inmate Welfare Fund; require DOC to expend unused portions of the fund on reentry purposes.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Daylight saving time; observe year-round if federal law is amended to allow it.
House Passed
Yea
Sexting by minors; provide as a delinquent act.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Elected state officers; salaries shall not be more than average of salaries of equivalent officials in adjacent states.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
State veterans nursing homes; authorize to operate group purchasing programs jointly with other public entities.
House Passed
Yea
Memorial Highway; designate U.S. Highway 45 in Alcorn County and Prentiss County as "Speaker William J. 'Billy' McCoy Memorial Highway."
House Passed
Yea
Livestock on highways; delete burden on owner of livestock to prove lack of negligence when damages from.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Department of Revenue; authorize to revise individual income tax forms to allow taxpayer to designate two bank accounts for direct deposit.
House Passed
Yea
Wireless Communication Commission; remove ITS control over.
House Passed
Yea
"Trauma-Informed Discipline Practices Act; enact to establish procedures to assess and mediate effects of traumatic events in schools.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Health insurance policies; require certain to provide infertility coverage and establish pilot program in State Health Plan.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Air Operating Permit Program fees; revise laws relating to.
House Passed
Yea
Local System Bridge Replacement & Rehabilitation Fund; revise allocation formula.
House Passed
Yea
Durable legal guardianship; revise provisions regarding.
House Passed
Yea
Termination of parental rights; clarify jurisdiction of county and youth courts.
House Passed
Yea
Child custody orders; change reference to certain terms.
House Passed
Yea
Out-of-State Adoptions; clarify certain provisions regarding.
House Passed
Yea
Law enforcement; allow off-duty use of official vehicles while performing security services in off-duty hours.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Guardianships and Conservatorships; revise provision for proceedings.
House Passed
Yea
Self-storage facilities; regulate rental agreements and owners' liens.
House Passed
Nay
Community schools; authorize implementation under the administration of a District of Innovation.
House Passed
Yea
Computer science curriculum; require State Department of Education to implement in K-12 public schools.
House Passed
Nay
Real Estate Brokers License; revise the requirements to be granted such a license.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Nonadjudication of criminal case; includes crimes listed as crimes of violence under Section 97-3-2 for felonies.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Service of summons in youth courts; shall be made pursuant to the Uniform Rules of the Youth Court Practice.
House Passed
Yea
Seizure and forfeiture; exempt certain property from.
House Passed
Yea
Regulatory Reduction Pilot Program; create.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Foreign judgment; authorize courts to consider due process and fraud issues.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
IHL Board; revise authority to choose institution executive heads.
House Passed
Yea
The Sexual Assault Response For College Students Act; create.
House Passed
Nay
Appropriation; additional for various state agencies for Fiscal Year 2020.
House Passed
Nay
Sexting by minors; provide as a delinquent act.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
"Mississippi Seafood Marketing Law of 2020"; enact to require consumer notice and labeling of country of origin on all foreign and imported seafood.
House Passed As Amended
Other
Haul seine net; prohibit use of for taking of certain fish within one-half mile of the shoreline of Cat Island.
House Passed
Nay
Department of Marine Resources Enforcement Officers' Reserve Unit; revise provisions regulating.
House Passed
Yea
Transportation funding; authorize public-private partnerships to include naming rights.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Expungement; revise provisions for eligibility.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Tate County School Board; require to consolidate system of high schools by closing Coldwater High School.
House Passed
Yea
School mobile panic button program; require Department of Education to develop and implement in K-12 public schools.
House Passed
Nay
Home inspector license; require applicants to undergo certain background checks.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Coastal Wetlands Protection Act; revise definitions to include "ordinary high water mark".
House Passed
Yea
Littering violations; add assessment for LSBP funds.
House Passed
Nay
IHL Board of Trustees; require appointments to be made by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House.
House Passed
Nay
Nonadmitted policy fee; delete repealer on and revise distribution of.
House Passed
Nay
MS Real Estate Commission; authorize an appeal to act as a supersedeas and to stay any rule or decision until resolved.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts; create and repeal existing statutes on notaries public.
House Passed
Yea
Firearms; prohibit state agencies from creating restrictions for possession of.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Tribal identification cards; recognize as legal means of personal identification.
House Passed
Yea
Alternative nicotine products; regulate.
House Passed
Nay
Tribal regalia; prohibit governmental entity from restricting wear.
House Passed
Yea
Alcoholic beverages; revise certain provisions regarding tasting or sampling events conducted by a holder of a package retailer's permit.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Tobacco products; prohibit wholesalers from directly selling the products to retailers.
House Passed
Nay
Absentee ballots; revise procedures and timeline for mailing to voter and receiving from voter.
House Passed
Yea
Abandoned mobile homes; establish a procedure to dispose of.
House Passed
Yea
IHL; authorize to enter into services agreements for certain repairs, maintenance and capitol improvements of a university utility system.
House Passed
Yea
MS Electronic Court System; require all courts to utilize.
House Passed
Yea
HELP Grant Program; align curriculum with changes for college preparatory as required by IHL.
House Passed
Yea
Absentee voting; require votes to be cast electronically in registrar's office or by mail.
House Passed
Yea
Persons who violate final orders, resolutions or ordinances of local government; require to pay attorney fees to enforce orders, resolutions/ordinances.
House Passed
Nay
Motor vehicles; delete five-day requirement regarding towing and storage of.
House Passed
Yea
Motor vehicles; add exception for title and/or registration upon selling for wrecker and auto repair service businesses.
House Passed
Yea
Highway Patrol; impose assessment for certain violations to defray expenses of.
House Failed
Nay
Reverse auction; revise method of receiving bids through for agencies and governing authorities.
House Passed
Nay
Municipal menaced property; make certain clarifying revisions regarding.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Riparian owner rights; revise for purposes of state-owned lands on Deer Island.
House Passed
Yea
State Port Authority; extend repealer on authority to use design-build method for certain projects.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Forest acreage tax; extend repealer on statute requiring counties to levy.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Ad valorem taxes; extend reverter on authority for late payment without penalty or interest when exemption was inadvertently extended.
House Passed
Yea
Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine; authorize sales and purchase of certain products containing without a prescription.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Department of Marine Resources Chief Financial Officer; revise the qualifications for.
House Passed
Yea
Taxation; amend certain sections of law to make interest rates for various unpaid taxes consistent with rates provided in other sections of law.
House Passed
Yea
Sales tax; revise provisions regarding denial/revocation of permit due to unpaid taxes.
House Passed
Nay
Fuel and lubricating oil taxes; remove bond limit and class distinctions for certain distributors, require electronic filing of returns.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Motor vehicle title; change vehicle age from 10 to 20 years for odometer disclosure exemption.
House Passed
Nay
Oil and gas severance; revise date by taxes are due.
House Passed
Yea
Mississippi Board of Nursing;authorize to collect certain costs and establish procedure for collection.
House Passed
Nay
Constitution; amend to provide certain rights to victims throughout the criminal and juvenile justice systems.
House Adopted
Yea
Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Soliz; commend for display of courage under fire.
House Adopted
Yea
Dr. Clyde Muse; commend laudable career and distinguished service of upon the occasion of his retirement.
House Adopted
Yea
Constitution; legislative alternative to Initiative No. 65 regarding medical marijuana.
House Adopted
Nay
Madison County Sheriff Deputy Brad Sullivan; commend heroism of.
House Adopted
Yea
Constitution; remove the electoral vote requirement for the Governor.
House Adopted
Nay
Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month; recognize April 2002 as.
House Adopted
Yea
Mississippi Liquor Distribution Corporation Law; create.
House Passed
Yea
Alcoholic beverages; revise policy of the state regarding prohibition of possession of.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Alcoholic beverages; allow individuals to purchase wine from a winery and have the wine shipped to a package retailer in this state.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Mississippi Development Authority; bring forward various sections relating to.
House Passed
Yea
Alcoholic beverages; remove DOR from being wholesale distributor, authorize issuance of wine distributor permits.
House Passed
Yea
State land; revise fee for filing patent for conveyance of.
House Passed
Nay
Alcoholic beverages; revise definition of qualified resort area, revise provisions regarding certain permits and sales.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Securities registration filings; revise certain provisions regarding fees.
House Passed
Yea
Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program; authorize an additional round for counties and municipalities.
House Passed
Nay
Ad valorem tax; revise penalty for failure of public service corporations to render schedules of property to Department of Revenue for assessment purposes.
House Passed
Nay
Ad valorem tax; revise certain provisions relating to assessment of public service corporations.
House Passed
Yea
Distinctive motor vehicle license tags; revise provisions regarding issuance of various veterans tags.
House Passed
Yea
Toll roads; revise maximum length of time for public private partnership agreement.
House Passed
Yea
Occupational Licensing Review Commission; authorize to review certain existing occupational regulations to determine compliance with state policy.
House Passed
Yea
Chancery court clerk fees; revise those charged for recording oil and gas assignments.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training; revise membership of.
House Passed
Nay
Public Procurement Review Board; exempt certain contracts entered into by Attorney General's office from oversight of.
House Passed
Yea
School athletic trainers; provide annual salary supplement for those acquiring national certification.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
National board certification annual salary supplement; remove cap on number of nurses and speech-language pathologists eligible for.
House Passed
Yea
Memorial highway; designate segment of U.S. Highway 51 in Lincoln County for fallen police officers Zach Moak and James White.
House Passed
Yea
MS Blues Commission; direct to erect certain Blues Trail marker and add location to trail.
House Passed
Yea
Air bow; authorize use during certain open seasons for individuals exempt from hunting license requirement by reason of disability.
House Passed
Yea
MS 811 Law; provide for notifications through the Positive Response Information System (PRIS).
House Passed
Yea
Institutions of higher learning; require to ensure commercially reasonable procurement practices when purchasing aircraft equipment and services.
House Passed
Yea
Armed Services Absentee Voting Law; expand definition of "absent voter" to include those working in federal waters of United States.
House Passed
Yea
Economic Development Highway Act; revise definition of high economic benefit project.
House Passed
Nay
Individual bond; require for public officers and employees handling or having the custody of public funds.
House Passed
Yea
Superload vehicles; authorize law enforcement to escort and to charge reasonable fee for escort.
House Passed
Nay
Motor Carrier regulation; update and streamline.
House Passed
Yea
Community or junior college; require to include source of funds used to advertise certain workforce development courses and training.
House Passed
Yea
Vehicle weight limits; allow certain excess of limits for vehicles operated by engine fueled with compressed or LNG.
House Passed
Yea
Dentists; provide immunity for providing charitable and emergency services.
House Passed
Yea
Board on law enforcement officer standards and training; authorize to consider certain military training when determining qualification of applicant.
House Passed
Yea
Highway patrolmen; allow active duty to teach driver education and training programs.
House Passed
Yea
Hospice; allow medical directors to prescribe controlled substances for pain for terminally ill patients without in-person visit.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Mississippi Veterans Home Perpetual Care Fund; create.
House Passed As Amended
Other
Poll managers; remove limitation on additional that election commissioners may appoint.
House Passed
Nay
Cremation; prohibit until approved by county medical examiner.
House Passed
Yea
"Future of Mississippi Agriculture Act of 2020"; enact.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
MS Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy; name firing range as the "Lieutenant Colonel Pat Cronin Firing Range."
House Passed
Yea
Hunter safety course; authorize school districts to offer as part of their curriculum.
House Passed
Yea
MS Accountability and Transparency Act; revise to include certain counties and municipalities.
House Passed
Yea
Distinctive motor vehicle license tag; authorize issuance to Cold War veterans.
House Passed
Yea
State contract price; authorize rural water associations to purchase commodities under.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Sixteenth section land; authorize leasing of certain land by cities/counties for less than minimum percentage of market value under certain circumstances.
House Passed
Yea
Career and technical education programs; require SBE and MCCB to collaborate for administration of.
House Passed
Nay
Memorial highway; designate segment of U.S. Highway 50 in Lowndes County as "Senator William 'Bill' Canon Memorial Highway."
House Passed
Yea
Community colleges; authorize boards of trustees to approve certain policies permitting out-of-state tuition waivers.
House Passed
Yea
Highway sign; authorize erection of on MS Hwy 25 near Pisgah exit to honor Olympic Gold Medalist Tori Bowie.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Mississippi Veterans Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund; create.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Chronic wasting disease; require testing of white-tailed deer harvested in enclosures, and designate Class I and II violations.
House Passed
Nay
Law enforcement officers; allow off-duty use of official vehicles while performing certain volunteer services in off-duty hours.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Memorial highways; designate.
House Passed
Yea
Counties; may also maintain electronic format of law books in courtrooms and in county public law libraries.
House Passed
Yea
Memorial highway; designate certain segment of MS Highway 15 in Newton and Neshoba counties as "Judge Marcus D. Gordon Memorial Highway".
House Passed
Yea
DUI suspension; clarify when the 120 day suspensions begins.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Ad valorem tax; revise certain provisions regarding when an application for change of property assessment may be made.
House Passed
Yea
Manufactured and mobile homes; require certain notice to tax collector when relocated from another county.
House Passed
Nay
Beer and light wine; allow certain cities and towns with population of 1,000 or more to hold elections to permit the sale of.
House Passed
Yea
Gifted education; require school districts to provide for students in Grades 7 and 8.
House Passed
Nay
State and School Health Insurance Management Board; authorize State Agency executive heads to designate to serve in his or her capacity.
House Passed
Yea
Petroleum Products Inspection Law; extend repealers on definitions and penalties under.
House Passed
Yea
Mississippi Employer-Assisted Housing Teacher Program; remove requirement that the Department of Education administer with the FNMA.
House Passed
Yea
Freestanding emergency room; allow to be established near location of a recently closed hospital.
House Passed
Yea
Community colleges; authorize boards of trustees to waive out-of-state tuition to certain students upon agreement to remain in the state.
House Passed
Yea
Outdoor advertisement signs; revise height requirements for.
House Passed
Yea
Traffic accidents; require to move vehicle to certain locations in certain situations on a highway.
House Passed
Yea
Driver's license; require Department of Public Safety to allow official identifying document of MDOC to suffice for.
House Passed
Yea
Alcohol; revise certain provisions regarding authority of Department of Revenue to dispose of seized alcohol.
House Passed
Nay
Taxation; authorize Commissioner of Revenue to reduce a tax assessment based on additional information after order of Board of Tax Appeals.
House Passed
Yea
Department of Revenue; allow department appraisers to receive certain pay increases upon completing certain training.
House Passed
Nay
Sales tax; divert certain sales tax revenue to special fund for state parks improvement.
House Passed
Nay
Community or junior colleges; authorize to administer construction contracts of $1,000,000.00 or less, and exempt certain oversight.
House Passed
Yea
Light spirit products; define as no more than 4% alcoholic content by weight, and regulate same as beer and light wine.
House Passed
Yea
Amusement rides; provide inspection and incident reporting requirements for.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Unused ballots; provide for the retention and destruction of.
House Passed
Yea
Emerging Crops Fund; increase maximum loan amount and total bonding authority under.
House Passed
Nay
Agencies, departments and institutions; require to report workforce monies received and how those monies were spent to the SWIB each year.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Trust fund; authorize hospitals to maintain fund consisting of commingled funds of other hospitals for necessary expenses.
House Passed
Yea
Certificate of educational recognition for tax assessors; authorize Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service to issue.
House Passed
Yea
State Domestic Violence Fund; remove match requirement.
House Passed
Yea
Uniform Control Substance Act; revise schedule to add certain substances.
House Passed
Yea
Water well contractor's license; remove requirement that applicant must present three affidavits to the DEQ examining committee.
House Passed
Yea
Secure detention and state training school; revise conditions under which a child may be ordered to by court.
House Passed
Yea
"Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Act"; enact to provide for regulation of hemp.
House Passed As Amended
Yea
Critical infrastructure; define crimes of impeding and trespassing against.
House Passed
Nay
Dept. of Agriculture; clarify use of security personnel to provide security services in state buildings under contract with DFA.
House Passed
Yea
Budget process; bring forward various sections relating to.
House Passed
Yea
Mississippi S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act; remove repealer, clarify record keeping requirements and estimate of costs provided to borrower.
House Passed
Yea
Advocate Confidentiality Law; establish procedures for disclosure.
House Passed
Yea
Public Service Commission; remove from the provisions of the Mississippi Budget Transparency and Simplification Act.
House Passed As Amended
Nay
Part-time law enforcement officers; revise salary threshold determination for deputy sheriffs and police officers.
House Passed
Yea
Sixteenth section lands; revise provisions relating to reports and copies of leases to Secretary of State.
House Passed
Yea
Occupational licenses; revise provisions regarding licensing for certain military applicants.
House Passed
Yea
Public Service Commission; extend repealers and make certain revisions to.
House Passed
Yea
Elected state officers; salaries shall not be more than average of salaries of equivalent officials in adjacent states.
House Passed
Nay
Municipal judges; authorize to hold court outside municipal boundaries that is more than within a one-mile radius of municipality to accept pleas.
House Passed
Yea
Golf carts and low-speed vehicles; allow municipalities to authorize operation on municipal streets.
House Passed
Yea