Mississippi News
Lawmakers ‘close’ on budget, stimulus spending deals
Lawmakers ‘close' on budget, stimulus spending deals, ending session
House and Senate leaders late Monday said they were close to deals on budget, federal stimulus spending and other measures, but said they would have to extend deadlines for final negotiations as the 2022 Mississippi legislative session draws toward a close.
Lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday to extend the session “on paper” because they couldn't meet Monday's midnight deadline to pass budget bills. Still, they hope to finish work and end this year's session by Friday.
Still being finalized is a nearly $7 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts in July, and a plan to spend most of $1.8 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act pandemic stimulus money from Congress.
“Chairman Hopson and Chairman Read are busy right now working on (appropriations bills) but obviously they will not finish” tonight, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, said referring to House Appropriations Chair John Read and his Senate counterpart, Briggs Hopson.
Legislative leaders do not believe they will have any trouble garnering the two-thirds vote of both chambers needed to push back the Monday night deadline.
“I do believe we will reach a budget (agreement) tonight or sometime tomorrow,” House Speaker Philip Gunn said Monday. “… But the physical process of printing the bills — having analysts read them, proof them, then the actual printing, can take 48 hours. Friday — that's my guess (on ending the session).”
The budget agreement is expected to include about $40 million for a state employee pay raise under the state Personnel Board's “SEC Squared” program to bring state government salaries closer to the regional averages. Lawmakers already have passed on to the governor the largest teacher pay raise in state history.
Over the weekend, lawmakers also sent to the governor the largest tax cut in state history, one that will eliminate more than $500 million in personal income taxes for Mississippians by 2026.
Legislative leaders said they've also agreed on most details of spending $1.3 billion to $1.4 billion of the state's ARPA money and holding back $300 million to $400 million.
The bulk of the state's ARPA money — about $750 million — would go to local governments and rural water associations for infrastructure projects, House Speaker Pro Tem Jason White said. Millions would also go to health, mental health and children's services to help the state meet long-running federal court mandates to remedy substandard services and conditions. Other spending will likely include a new nursing center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and about $50 million for workforce development.
White said lawmakers are currently considering a $25 million match for $25 million the city of Jackson has earmarked for work on its troubled water and sewer system. City leaders have said fixes to the system will cost much more, and White said this would be a first step in addressing the problems.
Numerous general law bills are still being debated in the final days of the session, Gunn said, including an equal pay bill — with Mississippi the last state in the nation not to provide recourse for employees paid less based on sex — and reinstating the voter ballot initiative process shot down by the courts.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Beth Ann White to be sentenced in DUI crash that killed mother, son
SUMMARY: Beth Ann White, 52, was found guilty of causing a crash that killed a mother and her six-month-old son, resulting in life-threatening injuries to the surviving children. She was convicted of four counts of aggravated DUI and faces up to 25 years in prison per count. Her attorney has filed a motion asking the court to disregard the jury's verdict, arguing that there was insufficient evidence, bias, and an impossibility in determining White's blood alcohol content at the time of the crash. White's sentencing is scheduled for May 15, where the court will make a decision based on the jury's verdict.
The post Beth Ann White to be sentenced in DUI crash that killed mother, son appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
USDA cites Jackson Zoo for poor sanitation, food storage
SUMMARY: The Jackson Zoo was cited by the USDA for various issues in an inspection report, including unclean surfaces in primate night house enclosures, rust on metal doors, chewed wooden perches, improper food storage, widespread rodent activity, and an incident where a klipspringer was killed by a zebra. The inspection also found a walk-in cooler not working properly and fruit flies landing on food. Despite separating the animals temporarily due to aggression, the death occurred a few days later. The report stated that an exit interview was conducted with a facility representative.
The post USDA cites Jackson Zoo for poor sanitation, food storage appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Columbus man pleads guilty to manslaughter
SUMMARY: Tameron Ward of Columbus pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for shooting 67-year-old Sammie Corder in October 2022. The shooting was believed to be intended for someone else, and Corder was an innocent bystander, shot in the chest while sitting in his car parked in his driveway on 21st Street North. Columbus police indicted Ward for manslaughter due to culpable negligence. This incident highlights the consequences of reckless actions leading to the loss of innocent lives.
The post Columbus man pleads guilty to manslaughter appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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