After a week in office, newly elected District 31 Senator Tyler McCaughn, R-Newton, is already hard at work for the 2020 legislative session.
“It’s been quite a ride already,” he said. “I don’t think many people realize we’re almost starting a new government this year.”
In November, Mississippians voted in new leadership for all statewide offices, as well as many senators and representatives. With a new governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general, McCaughn said it’s like starting from scratch.
Last week, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann announced committee assignments, putting McCaughn on the Judiciary B committee as well as the committee for Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, both of which McCaughn said are going to keep him busy.
“I think that’s going to put me in a position to be in the middle of things.” He said.
As part of his Judiciary B committee, McCaughn said he expects to be part of the team looking at issues plaguing the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Recently six inmates have been killed in MDOC facilities, and reports of gang wars have made national headlines.
Already, McCaughn said, some solutions are being discussed within the legislature and committees.
“We’re already working on some help,” he said.
On the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks committee, McCaughn said he hoped to look at the issue of Chronic Wasting Disease in the state’s whitetail deer population. State wildlife officials announced Sunday 40 deer had tested positive in North Mississippi. Tackling CWD, he said, is going to be important.
Outside of his committee work, McCaughn said he did not have a final list of bills he would introduce or sponsor. However, he said there were a few issues he’d like to address.
“There are several ideas,” he said.
McCaughn said he would like to review the tax sale statute, possibly revamping it to help rural hospitals. On the criminal statutes, he said Mississippians could see the sale of synthetic urine be banned from gas stations and online retailers, as well as updates to some scheduled substances that, while dangerous, are available in the state by prescription.
McCaughn said he would also be interested in reviewing state agency procedures and budgets to “make sure they’re using their funds responsibly,” and possibly looking at a state employee pay raise to accompany a boost to teacher pay.
