Your Senate continued work through the committee process this week as the deadline approached. At the conclusion of the committee deadline, there were approximately 191 items on the Senate calendar to be taken up. In floor action this week, we passed House Bill 1387, that would create the Mississippi Workforce Incentive Act of 2020 by transferring $50 million of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, COVID-19 federal allotment to the Restart Mississippi Workforce Development Act. This action would provide funding for career and technical training in community and junior colleges so they can pay for facility upgrades and equipment modernization needed for student training. In addition, the bill freezes the employer unemployment contribution rate through the end of the year. This bill is aimed at increasing the opportunities for Mississippians to learn crafts and trades. With the closure of the La-Z-Boy plant, this legislation is more important than ever to provide training for those left without jobs.
The Senate took up House Bill 1336 called the “Mississippi Learn to Earn Act”. This act would give school districts the discretion to create job skills apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to get hands on experience in crafts, trades or businesses. The credit earned could go towards later obtaining licenses and other certifications.
To be prepared for future CARES Act money, the Senate took up House Concurrent Resolution No. 69. This would allow the extension of the legislative session to handle any changes in regulations to existing programs or any additional programs or new programs made by Congress to legislation concerning federal money given to the state under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Senate made amendments to the Resolution including limiting the number of days to 6 and officially setting Sine Die at midnight on October 10, 2020.
In appropriations issues, the Senate passed House appropriation bills that mirror Senate Appropriation bills. We proposed a 2021 Fiscal Year total state support budget of $6.015 billion that contains recommended general across the board reductions of 6.5 percent for most agencies. The 2021 Fiscal Year begins July 1.
In other news, the following bills were taken up and passed:
House Bill 1176 would increase from 55 miles per hour to 65, the speed a school bus may travel on the interstate.
House Bill 751 would revise the Mississippi Employer-Assisted Housing Teacher Program that allows a teacher to borrow up to $6,000 toward closing costs associated with purchasing a house in a critical needs district. The loan is converted to an interest-free grant when the teacher completes three years of service in “critical shortage areas,” where teachers are severely needed.
House Bill 940 would allow a bank to delay a requested transaction if officials fear the person withdrawing funds to be a victim of fraud.
House Bill 1071 would exempt Roth individual retirement accounts from seizure under execution or attachment in legal grabs meant to obtain payment for judgments or debts.
House Bill 1314 would authorize the state to recognize federally issued tribal identification cards for Native Americans as a legal means of personal identification.
House Bill 1522 would create the Mississippi Veterans Home Perpetual Care Fund for administration, operation, maintenance of veterans nursing homes. It will be funded with a $6 million state infusion, of which the interest can be spent.
House Bill 1024 would allow prosecutors to use offenses committed over the past 15 years to bring the charge of habitual offender.
House Bill 1476 would create the Compassionate Parole Eligibility Act to release certain critically ill, non-violent state inmates deemed to have less than a year to live.
House Bill 1138 would give more rights to users of self -storage facilities. Among them is limiting the amount of late fees charged renters and making owners use modern communication methods like cell phones and text messages to communicate with renters.
House Bill 1212 would increase from 12 months to a minimum of 36 months the time a realtor needs to work in that field before applying for a broker’s license.
House Concurrent Resolution 47 would say statewide elections must be won by a majority vote.
House Bill 273 would allow municipal judges to hold court outside of the city’s boundaries, as in allowing travel to a detention center within the county to accept the plea of a criminal suspect.
House Bill 666 would require school districts to provide gifted education programs for 7th and 8th graders starting in the 2020-2021 school year.
House Bill 379 proposes creation of the Mississippi Marketplace Facilitator Act that would require all companies making total sales of more than $250,000 annually through their websites into Mississippi to collect and turn in sales tax to the state. It would create a vehicle for massive internet sales companies to comply with existing law.
House Bill 597 would allow the state Department of Revenue to make direct deposit of income tax returns into two bank accounts.
House Bill 1309 would allow the use of “Air Bows,” in hunting that use compressed air to drive an arrow or crossbow type bolt.
This is a brief update of the current happenings at the Senate. This week is the beginning of completion of our immediate session with conference weekend beginning on June 20th. The current plan is to recess regular session work on June 27th and to be prepared for a maximum of 6 additional days later in the fall. As always, I thank you for allowing me to serve you.
