The Mississippi Legislature’s annual session is down to its final month and bills that would’ve changed the operation of some of the state parks, given teachers a pay increase, expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and created a new board to govern the state’s Medicaid program all died on Tuesday’s deadline.
Tuesday was the final day for committees to approve bills from the other chamber.
Other bills, such as a bill that would create an alternative medical marijuana program if Initiative 65 is tossed by the state Supreme Court, another that would allow utilities to lease excess capacity on their fiber networks to broadband providers and another that would allow occupational license holders from other states to receive reciprocity for their licenses all passed committee hurdles in the opposite chamber.
The next deadline on the general bill calendar is March 10, when bills from the opposite chamber must be passed with a floor vote.
As for the finance bill calendar, the next deadline is March 16, when appropriations and revenue bills from the other chamber must receive a floor vote.
Here are some of the more interesting bills that are still alive:
House Bill 997 authored by state Rep. Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, would end the practice of the state being the wholesale distributor for wine and spirits and govern the issuance of wholesaler permits. It passed the House 104-3 on February 3 and was amended with a strike-all in the Senate Finance Committee that keeps the state as the wholesale distributor of wine and spirits. A reverse repealer was also added to the bill to ensure a compromise between the two chambers before it can reach the desk of Gov. Tate Reeves.
HB 1439, the Mississippi Tax Freedom Act, would set new deductions for both individuals ($47,700) and married couples ($95,400). The implementation of these exemptions would be phased in over time and tied to state revenues in the general fund and the rate of inflation. Once fully implemented, all income up to these levels would no longer be subject to the state’s income tax.
The bill is sponsored by House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton and passed the House by an 85-34 margin on February 23. It has yet to be assigned to a committee in the Senate.
Senate Bill 2536, also known as the Mississippi Fairness Act, would require schools to designate sports teams for either one biological sex or the other, with the exception of co-ed teams. It was authored by state Sen. Angela Hill, R-Picayune. It was passed by the House Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee on Tuesday.
SB 2765, known as the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, was authored by state Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, and would create a medical marijuana program extremely similar to the one that will be created by Initiative 65. The bill was passed by the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday.
HB 72 would provide immunity for dentists providing charitable and emergency services. It passed the House by a 110-8 margin and was reported out of the Senate Judiciary A Committee on February 25.
HB 1030 is known as the Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Rights Act. It would provide that student athletes might earn compensation for name or likeness rights and obtain a certified agent strictly for that compensation. These student athletes wouldn’t be eligible for compensation based on their participation. The bill is authored by state Rep. Mac Huddleston, R-Pontotoc and was passed by the Universities and Colleges Committee in the Senate on Monday.
HB 1302 would allow optometrists to provide care to patients commensurate with their training and experience, including prescribing certain drugs. The legislation was sponsored by state Rep. Jason White, R-West, and passed the House by a 90-25 vote on February 3. It passed the Senate by a 47-5 margin on February 25 and will be headed for either concurrence or conference.
HB 1263 would allow reciprocity for holders of occupational licenses from other states who move to Mississippi if they meet certain requirements and their license is valid and in good standing. It was sponsored by state Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, and passed by a 117-3 vote on February 3. It was approved by the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee in the Senate on Monday.
SB 2119 is sponsored by state Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall and would allow the sale of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine without a prescription. The bill was passed by the House Drug Policy Committee on Monday.
HB 942 would allow Entergy and Mississippi Power to use their power delivery infrastructure to get broadband service to unserved or underserved areas by leasing it to broadband providers. The bill passed 120-1 on February 9 and was passed by the Senate Energy Committee on Tuesday.
SB 2804 would the retail delivery of alcoholic beverages from a licensed retailer to a consumer. The bill was authored by state Sen. Josh Harkins, R-Flowood and the bill passed the Senate by a 46-6 margin on February 11. The bill was passed by the House Ways and Means Committee.
SB 2788 is sponsored by state Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson and would require municipal law enforcement to inform the state Highway Safety Patrol of any road blockages or emergencies on interstates in city limits. It was passed by the Senate by a unanimous vote on February 11 and was approved by the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday.
SB 2806 is a placeholder bill that brings forward code sections related to the Alcohol Beverage Control division of the state Department of Revenue. The bill would also allow the DOR to contract for a concessionaire to take over management and operation of the state’s alcohol warehouse. By including code sections in the bill, it gives lawmakers more time to work on the issue.
Harkins authored the bill. The House Ways and Means Committee has approved the bill on Tuesday and a reverse repealer means that it will require further work before it can make it to the governor’s desk.
Dead as the clichéd doornail
SB 2001 was authored by state Sen. Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, and would’ve provided a $1,000 annual pay raise for teachers. The bill died in the Education and Appropriations committees in the House.
SB 2486 would’ve opened the door for some state parks to be transferred to counties and others to be leased by private companies. It was authored by state Sen. Neil Whaley, R-Potts Camp. The Senate passed it by a 32-11 vote on February 5, but was killed by the House Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee.
HB 466 would’ve allowed the state Department of Corrections to utilize money from the Inmate Welfare Fund for re-entry related expenses, such as technical training equipment. The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Kevin Horan, D-Grenada. The bill was double-referred to the Corrections and Appropriations committees and died there without a floor vote.
HB 586 would’ve compared the state’s voter database to several databases to ensure that non-U.S. citizens are not registered to vote. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Dan Eubanks, R-Walls. It was double-referred in the Senate to the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency and Elections committees where it was allowed it to die.
HB 505 would’ve created a broadband accessibility grant program that would be managed by the Public Utilities Staff. It was authored by Bounds and was killed by the Energy and Appropriations committees after being double-referred.
HB 581, known as the Sexual Assault Response for College Students Act, would’ve required the state’s community colleges and universities to adopt comprehensive policies “consistent with federal and state law” regarding sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual exploitation and stalking. It was authored by state Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia. The bill was killed by the Universities and Colleges and Judiciary B committees in the Senate.
SB 2004, authored by state Sen. Blackwell, would’ve deleted the moratorium on new child/adolescent psychiatric or chemical dependency beds under the state’s certificate of need law. The bill was killed by the Public Health and Human Services Committee in the House.
HB 1013 would’ve abolished the Division of Medicaid, which is run by the governor, and replace it with a Medicaid Commission. It was authored by Lamar and was killed after being double-referred to the Medicaid and Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committees in the Senate.
HB 1303 would’ve allowed nurse practitioners full practice authority in Mississippi and is sponsored by state Rep. Donnie Scoggin, R-Ellisville. The bill died in the Public Health and Welfare Committee in the Sneate.
HB 718 would’ve required all campaign finance reports to be posted online by the 2022 election cycle. The bill was killed after being double-referred to the Elections and Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committees in the Senate. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Timmy Ladner, R-Poplarville.
SB 2588 would’ve created a statewide election management system and would’ve removed voters who fail to respond to a notice and who fail to vote after a certain time. It is authored by state Sen. Jeff Tate, R-Meridian. The House Appropriations and Elections Committee will handle the bill.
HB 1315 would’ve eliminated licensing requirements for art therapists, auctioneers, interior designers and wigologists and was sponsored by House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton. It was killed by the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee in the Senate.
HB 1315 would’ve eliminated licensing requirements for art therapists, auctioneers, interior designers and wigologists and was sponsored by House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton. It was killed by the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee in the Senate.
