Child Protection, Pro-Women Bills Pass Senate; House Roiled in Race Tension
Human trafficking, domestic-abuse and breastfeeding bills easily passed through the Mississippi Senate last week.
Legislators Determined to Tinker with Public Ed
Just three months after Initiative 42 failed in the November election, the Mississippi Legislature has already seen an explosion of controversial education bills—with school consolidation leading the pack.
The Problems with a Supermajority
The 2016 session marked a turning point in the political landscape of the state. After a contested election resulted in the removal of former Rep. Bo Eaton, a Democrat from Smith County, the GOP gained a supermajority in the House of Representatives—and as a result the Legislature.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Top Mississippi Lawmakers: Email, Schedule Not for Public
Republican leaders in the Mississippi House and Senate have denied a request for email correspondence and information about their schedules, saying the state Public Records Act does not apply to legislators.
State Tax Cuts Would Divert $575 Million from State Fund
Taxpayers could get a pay raise if the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act of 2016 becomes law, but after two hours of debate today, several senators asked, “At what cost?”
Experts: Silencing Teachers 'Probably Legal,' But May 'Chill' Rights
Retired Ridgeland High School band director Keith Moffat says the Mississippi Legislature is part of the reason he no longer works in the public-school system.
Bills Would Ban Minors from Mississippi Indoor Tanning Beds
Melanoma was "just a word" to Emily Tandy when she frequented the tanning beds in the Madison, Mississippi, salon where she worked as a teenager.
Foster Care Legislation: ‘The Beginning to an End of Madness’
The state's foster-care system, now housed under MDHS as the Division of Family and Children's Services, must comply with a court order in the Olivia Y lawsuit to avoid federal receivership this year.
Execution Teams, Uber Access and Planned Parenthood
The Mississippi Legislature is one step closer to defunding Planned Parenthood services for Medicaid recipients, allowing Uber free rein in the state and guarding the identities of the state's execution team and lethal drug supplier.
GOP, Dems Marking Territory
Even before adopting temporary rules, Democrats in the Mississippi House of Representatives tried to flex their muscle to show the party is an underdog not to be messed with, even though they are outnumbered.
Election Disputes: No Bibles, and Lots of Swearing
The Mississippi Capitol became a temporary courthouse last week in a Republican battle for super-majority control of the House of Representatives.
'Discrimination Act' Would Give Clerks 'Kim Davis' Powers
Kim Davis went to jail in Kentucky for not issuing same-sex marriage licenses, but circuit clerks in Mississippi might not have to if the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" becomes law.
Urban, Rural Areas Need Food Stores, Health Clinics
Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, introduced legislation in the 2015 session that would have provided tax incentives for grocery stores to enter communities considered to be "food deserts" by the USDA's standards.
2016 Legislative Preview: Year of the Looming Tax Break(s)?
As legislators return to the capital city and the 2016 session begins, tax cuts are high on the lieutenant governor's—and Mississippi Republicans'—agendas.
Speaker Gunn: Mostly Silent on Mississippi Flag Since Call Last Year to Change It
Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn, who became the first prominent Republican last summer to call for Mississippi to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its flag, said Monday that if the flag design is going to be reconsidered, it should be put on a statewide ballot just as it was 15 years ago.
Stayin’ Alive: House, Senate Education Bills to Watch
The webpages for Senate and House Education Committee legislation resemble a text-heavy graveyard of the bodies of bills snuffed out prematurely.
