Legislation to provide an increase to county officials stalled but an agreement was reached in the final days of the session.
2019 Legislative Session
With teacher shortage at all-time high, Legislature passes no bills to address issue plaguing districts
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Some of the 19 bills introduced didn’t pass because the money wasn’t there to implement them, lawmaker says and advocates say pay raise that was passed not enough to recruit in critical teacher shortage areas like the Delta.
2019 Legislative Session
Despite opposition, Legislature wraps up session by approving $2 million in voucher funding
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Despite their opposition, many lawmakers worried that killing funding for the scholarships would kill the bill, while others said it was matter of trust.
2019 Legislative Session
Election year budget will see a $190 million jump in funding after years of cuts or little growth
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Legislative leaders say conservative planning helped make the increased spending possible but Democrats say years of tax cuts hampered efforts to fund state government and pay state workers.
Education
‘Who would have thought?’: Senate leaders slip funding for private school scholarships into unrelated spending bill
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The bill passed both chambers before many members knew about the language that increased funding for the program from $3 million to $5 million. What happens now is unclear.
2019 Legislative Session
$1,500 teacher pay raise approved but educators underwhelmed: ‘Another election-year-timed symbolic gesture’
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The legislation, now headed for Gov. Phil Bryant’s desk, also includes assistant teachers.
2019 Legislative Session
Mississippi sued over abortion law for the second time in a year
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Challenge to state’s “heartbeat law” was expected and will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
2019 Legislative Session
Criminal justice reform progress applauded but advocates say it’s a step, not ‘the leap’ Mississippi needs
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While some note that the current legislation is strong, they also say that it doesn’t address state’s high incarceration rate.
2019 Legislative Session
$1,000 for teachers, pay raises for many state employees included in tentative budget agreement
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“This is a good budget”: With revenue estimates up, speaker and lieutenant governor say lawmakers could vote on spending plan later this week.
2019 Legislative Session
Effort to protect identity of nonprofit donors passes amid charges it opens door to ‘dark money’ in state politics
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Backers say bill does not change Mississippi’s campaign finance laws but others say it opens disclosure loopholes
2019 Legislative Session
Bill to make it harder to sue property owners nearly stalled over fears of unintended consequences
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Landowner protection act, now awaiting governor’s signature after amendment added, faced unexpected debate over whether it would do more than protect property owners from frivolous lawsuits.
2019 Legislative Session
Mississippi’s heartbeat abortion ban one of nearly 300 anti-abortion bills nationwide
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Opponents of the six-week ban plan to file a federal lawsuit over the constitutionality of the bill signed into law Thursday
2019 Legislative Session
After blistering criticism from conservatives, Tate Reeves pushes legislation for a convention to amend U.S. Constitution
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Now that the Senate has passed the resolution, the House could make Mississippi the 15th state legislature to ask for an unprecedented constitutional convention of the states.
2019 Legislative Session
Heartbeat abortion ban passes Senate with no debate, awaits governor’s signature
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Bill that would be the most restrictive in the U.S. would ban abortions as early as six weeks. Similar legislation is currently planned in more than half a dozen other states, including Tennessee, Ohio and Georgia.
Election 2019
Gerrymandering ruling could trigger special session to redraw state Senate district
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“… Anytime you affect one district, it has the potential of affecting all 51 other districts,” said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves.
Election 2019
Federal appeals court orders Legislature to redraw ‘gerrymandered’ 102-mile Senate district by April 3
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Previous ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves found that Senate District 22 as drawn diluted the power of the black vote. The Fifth Circuit also extended the filing deadline for candidates to April 12.