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Gov. Reeves warns Mississippi: Challenge my vetoes, and it could jeopardize hundreds of projects

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Gov. Reeves warns Mississippi: Challenge my vetoes, and it could jeopardize hundreds of projects

Gov. Tate Reeves' partial veto of five projects totaling $3.9 million in a larger bill containing hundreds of projects costing about $372 million appears to have with a warning.

The warning is that any legal challenge of Reeves' partial veto of those five projects could jeopardize the entire bill, which provides funding for hundreds of projects throughout the supported by local governments and others.

Reeves issued his partial vetoes Friday. Last year when Reeves made similar vetoes, several elected argued that his action was unconstitutional, though it never was challenged in court.

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The arguments over the vetoes' constitutionality delve deep into the inner workings of the and nuances of the types of bills lawmakers typically consider.

The Mississippi Constitution gives the governor the clear authority to issue partial vetoes of appropriations bills. In the past, that partial veto authority has been limited, though the state Supreme Court, in a ruling on other partial vetoes by Reeves in 2021, expanded it.

In his veto message of those five projects on Friday, Reeves claimed House Bill 603 is an improperly written appropriations bill.

But he added, “Mindful of the need for much of the funding authorized by House Bill 603 and preserving the legal arguments raised in this message, I will choose to treat HB 603 as a properly presented appropriations bill. In treating HB 603 as such, I fully understand that given the opportunity, the may opine that this bill has not been properly presented to the governor.”

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READ MORE: Senate can't muster votes to override Gov. Tate Reeves' 2022 vetoes

While Reeves claims HB 603 is an improperly constructed appropriations bill, the Legislature refers to HB 603 as a “transfer bill” and not an appropriations bill. The bulk amount of money appropriated for the multiple projects across the state can be found in the bill providing appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year for the Department of Finance and Administration. House Bill 603 does not appropriate the money from the state treasury, but instructs DFA how to disburse those funds.

For that reason, House Speaker Philip Gunn and others made arguments that Reeves' similar partial vetoes from last year were improper. This year, Reeves is arguing that the bill itself is improper, and if his vetoes are challenged, the constitutionality of the entire bill might be considered by the state Supreme Court.

The vetoed items are:

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  • $2 million for the Russell C. Davis Planetarium in . This marks the second year in a row Reeves has vetoed an earmark for the capital city's planetarium.
  • $500,000 for the city of Greenville for improvements to Frisby Park, Greenville Municipal, Maude Bryan Park and Rounds Park.
  • $300,000 for a destination marketing tourism program for local governments.
  •  $600,000 to Greene County for renovations and repairs to the Greene County Rural Events Center.
  • $500,000 to WISPR Systems in Batesville to expand unmanned aircraft systems manufacturing in Mississippi.

While Reeves vetoed those projects, he literally hundreds of other projects — including some very similar to the ones he vetoed — across the state to become law.

“This funding includes proposals I vetoed last year, projects that are not within the proper role of state government, and projects that I believe are not in the taxpayers' best interest,” Reeves said in a statement. “I will continue to be a watchdog on behalf of the taxpayers when it to their money.”

READ MORE: Gov. Tate Reeves blocks state funding for major Jackson park improvement, planetarium

The Friday night veto message was confusing in the sense he also vetoed projects that were vetoed last year. Those projects were included in legislation that was designed “to correct errors” in the more than 280 projects approved in the 2022 session. In the veto message, the governor said he was not sure those projects needed to be vetoed again, but out of an abundance of caution he was doing so.

One of those projects was $13.3 million to develop a nature trail connecting parks and museums, to build a golf course and to make other improvements in the LeFleur's Bluff area of Jackson.

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The governor did not veto a $13 million appropriation for the LeFleur's Bluff this year, but the state funds will reportedly not be used for golf course construction — Reeves' biggest gripe about last year's project that he vetoed.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi Today

Senate committee passes Medicaid ‘expansion’ bill that leaves hundreds of millions in federal dollars on table

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mississippitoday.org – Sophia Paffenroth and Taylor Vance – 2024-03-27 16:39:21

The only surviving Medicaid expansion bill in the passed the Senate Medicaid Committee Wednesday and is headed to the full Senate for a vote. 

But the proposal, as it passed the Senate committee, is not considered traditional “expansion” under the Affordable Care Act, and therefore would not qualify for the enhanced federal funding the law grants to newly-expanded states. It would leave the cost of the expanded coverage up to the .

The Senate committee passed the House Republican bill with a strike-all, meaning it replaced the bill's original language with its own plan, which Medicaid Committee Chairman Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, refers to as “expansion light.”

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Blackwell estimated about 80,000 people would be eligible under this version of expansion, and half of that would apply. The House plan was expected to more than 200,000 people.

When a draft of the Senate's bill was leaked on March 20, Blackwell stressed to that he and Senate leaders were still tweaking parts of the legislation. However, the legislation that passed the committee is essentially the same as what was outlined in the leaked draft. 

The Senate proposal would:

  • Cover working Mississippians up to 99% of the federal poverty level. For an individual, that would be an annual income up to $15,060. For a family of four, that would be an annual income up to $31,200.
  • Not cover those making between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty threshold — not even through a private-care option. A plan that doesn't cover people making up to 138% is not considered “expansion” under the Affordable Care Act, meaning Mississippi wouldn't qualify for the 90% federal match rate that the Affordable Care Act grants to new expansion states, nor the additional, two-year 5% increase in match rate the federal provides to newly-expanded states under pandemic relief spending passed by Congress. Instead, as was the case with Georgia, Mississippi would only get its regular federal Medicaid rate of about 77%.
  • Leave the insurance exchange, the online marketplace that offers federally subsidized plans to people who make between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level, intact. The Senate plan, unlike Arkansas' Medicaid expansion, would not provide extra subsidies from the state's federal Medicaid money available from the ACA.
  • Include a work requirement mandating at least 120 hours of employment a month in a position for which health insurance is not paid for by the employer. That's more stringent than Georgia's plan, which mandates 80 hours a month. There are several exemptions, such as for full-time or who are the primary caregiver of a child under six years old.
  • Go into effect 30 days after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approves a waiver necessary for the work requirement. That's unlikely to happen under the Biden administration, which has rescinded work requirements previously approved for other states during the Trump administration and has not approved new ones. If the federal government denies the waiver, Mississippi would have to wait until a new administration took office, or sue the Biden administration. Georgia remains in litigation with the federal government over the work requirement issue, and has suffered low enrollment and missed out on millions in federal funds by not fully expanding coverage.
  • Require anyone who voluntarily dropped private insurance to wait 12 months before applying for Medicaid coverage.

Senate Democrats voiced several concerns about the administrative burden of the work requirement and the 120 hour a month minimum, which is even stricter than Georgia's plan – currently the strictest expansion plan in the country. 

Sen. David Blount, D-

Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, asked Blackwell about the enhanced match from the federal government.

“So the federal government paying our match for two years and 90% after the two years – we would not qualify for that?” Blount asked.

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Blackwell said that is correct, and they would leave that money on the table.

Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, introduced two amendments: one to decrease the recertification requirements from four times a year to twice a year, and the other to reduce the work requirement hours from 120 hours a month to 80 hours a month. 

Both amendments were voted down by Republicans, who make up a majority of the committee's membership. Despite their amendments getting shot down, the Democrats still voted in favor of the bill. Only three Republican senators in the committee voted against the plan. 

When asked about the administrative burden of enforcing the work requirement, Blackwell said he is not worried and believes the Division of Medicaid has enough employees for its implementation. 

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But Georgia, the only state currently with a work requirement in its expansion plan, has spent $26 million taxpayer dollars to ensure a mere 3,500 people to date. More than 90% of that has gone to administrative and consulting costs. 

The bill is expected to be taken to a floor vote as early as Thursday, with a deadline of April 10. 

Since the Senate plan is drastically different than the House proposal – which is a mostly-traditional expansion plan insuring those who make up to 138% of the federal poverty level and would go into effect whether or not the federal government approves a work requirement waiver – a final version will likely be hammered out later in the in a conference committee.

Any final plan would realistically need a two-thirds majority from both chambers to show it has the potential to override a potential veto from Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who has privately told lawmakers he plans to veto any Medicaid expansion bill.

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Reeves on Tuesday night hosted around 20 state senators at the Governor's Mansion in downtown Jackson where he, again, reiterated his opposition to any form of Medicaid expansion, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. 

At the Tuesday night event, Reeves said he would veto the Senate's expansion plan if it reached his desk, though he reportedly said he approved the Senate's work requirement provisions. 

Shortly after the committee passed the expansion legislation, Reeves posted on social media that the Senate plan is “still bad policy” and he will oppose it.

“And so I will continue to do what I told the voters I would do – fight Obamacare Medicaid Expansion with every ounce of my being,” Reeves said.  

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

Michael Guidry named Mississippi Today managing editor

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is pleased to announce Michael Guidry as managing editor.

Guidry, who joined the Mississippi staff in February 2024, manages the newsroom's day-to-day reporting and plans broader editorial strategy.

He previously served as managing editor at Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where he developed skills in audio storytelling as a producer, writer and editor.

“Michael is a perfect fit for what we're building at Mississippi Today,” said Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today's editor-in-chief. “He's a proven newsroom leader, and he knows Mississippi. He also brings us a lot of digital and audio skills that can expect to see more of pretty quickly.”

A native of Destrehan, , Guidry moved to Mississippi to attend Millsaps College, where he earned a dual Bachelor of Arts in History and Theatre. After graduating, he worked as a public school teacher for more than a decade.

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Michael Guidry

While at MPB, Guidry helped a team that received recognitions from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters and the Public Journalists Association.

MPB's special feature on – which he co-produced and co-narrated – received the 2023 Region 9 Edward R Murrow Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Guidry continues to host MPB's weekly politics show @Issue.

“As someone who spent years in a adjacent to Mississippi Today, it became evident the newsroom was quickly becoming a leader in local, nonprofit news,” Guidry said. “I could not be more excited to join a publication dedicated to elevating the voices of while holding power to account.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Geoff Pender named Mississippi Today politics editor

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is pleased to announce Geoff Pender as and Government Editor.

Pender, who first joined the Mississippi staff as senior political reporter in May 2020, will oversee the day-to-day of Mississippi Today's politics team.

He brings more than 30 years of experience covering Mississippi politics to the new role.

“If you follow Mississippi politics, you know Geoff Pender,” said Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today's editor-in-chief. “He's been a vital member of our politics team since 2020, and we couldn't be more for him to now it. He's been a mentor to so many of our reporters, and he's led several impactful investigations for us. Readers can expect more of that from him in this new job— and if you're wondering, you'll also continue to see plenty of his analysis of the 's biggest stories.”

Geoff Pender

Before joining Mississippi Today, Pender was political and investigative editor at the , where he also penned a popular political column. He previously served as an investigative reporter and political editor at the Sun Herald, where he was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team for Hurricane Katrina coverage.

A native of Florence, Pender is a journalism graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and has received numerous awards throughout his career for reporting, columns and of information efforts.

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“I truly appreciate this and appreciate being able to continue working with the great team of journalists at Mississippi Today providing in-depth news coverage at such a crucial time for the state,” Pender said.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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