Blog

*Note: This page will be continuously updated as votes are taken and posted. By clicking on the bill number, you can view the full text of the bill, current status, and vote totals. Vote totals are preliminary and may differ from the final totals. To view the vote by party, copy and paste the names from the vote totals pdf here. You can view upcoming votes, along with my explanation, on my House Calendar page here.

 

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

 

• HB 965: This bill moves the state’s Oil and Gas Board to a special fund. This means that the agency will receive its funding from money deposited in a separate account as opposed to the state’s general fund. I voted Yes, the measure passed 109-4. 

 

• HB 813: This bill increases the burden of state regulations by extending the regulations on storage tanks to apply to even more tanks. It also doubles the regulatory fee that individuals must pay for these tanks. This will drive up the cost of doing business and lead to higher costs for consumers. I voted No, the measure passed 86-26.

 

• HB 1344: This bill expands freedom by allowing retailers of alcoholic beverages more liberty in receiving products shipped directly to them. The state should seek to decrease restrictions on these businesses. I voted Yes the measure passed 97-17.

 

• HB 1191: This bill extends the scope of government by renewing a law that allows cities to charge additional taxes on citizens. The state should seek to reduce the burden of taxation of citizens at all levels. I voted No, the measure passed  96-15.

 

• HB 1241: This bill preempts local regulations on private employers. It prevents local governments from placing wage mandates on businesses. Many cities that have attempted this have seen jobs leave their towns. This will help protect the liberty of employees and employers in the state. The House voted on whether to reconsider the bill for purposes of amendment. I voted Yes, the motion passed 68-43. I voted Yes, the measure passed 106-10.

 

• HB 1390: This bill expands the role of government by creating a reporting system for hunters to report to the state whenever they kill a deer or turkey while hunting. I voted No, the measure passed 70-39.

 

• HB 1476: This bill increases licensing restrictions on individuals seeking to become real estate brokers. This change expands the scope of government and would make it more difficult for individuals to work. I voted No, the measure passed 79-35.

 

• HB 811: This bill extends a regulation that limits participation in the credit market in this state. The law imposes regulations on individuals operating credit businesses. This limits competition, drives up the price of these services, and it outside the proper role of government. I voted No, the measure passed 99-12.

 

• HB 380: This bill expands local control by allowing municipalities to enter into operation agreements with rural water associations. This would provide more water access options for citizens. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-0.

 

• HB 392: This bill allows small municipalities to maintain five aldermen instead of moving to seven, as is currently required. It allows for public comment and allows citizens to petition for an election to undo the change. I voted Yes, the measure passed 110-0.

 

• HB 669: This bill expands the ability for those who lease state land to extend their leases. Wherever possible, the state should make it easier for private individuals to make productive use of property owned by the state. I voted Yes, the measure passed 115-0.

 

• HB 1122: This bill expands freedom by preempting local regulations on agricultural land. In instances where the state agency owns or regulates a portion of land, this bill clarifies that the state law preempts local regulations. The state should always seek to decrease regulatory burdens on consumers and businesses at every level of government. I voted Yes, the measure passed 115-0.

 

• HB 1135: This bill limits the discretion of judges to set conditions of release by requiring them to set secured money bail for defendants with who have not appeared at court in the past. It also allows officers who are not judges to set money bail without consulting a judge. However, I offered an amendment that ensures financial conditions are only imposed to guarantee appearance and that financial circumstances of defendants are taken into consideration. I voted Yes, the measure failed 54-56. The bill was held on a motion to reconsider later. 

 

• HB 1114: This bill allows local governments up to two years to clean property they’ve deemed dangerous. The current law states that if they haven’t taken action within one year, they must again notify the property owner, and this bill allows the city to delay cleanup for an additional year. I voted No, the measure passed 98-78.

 

• HB 948: The bill extends the size of government by reenacting a law that places regulations on how individuals may insure their homes. It also redirects penalties associated with this requirement to a rural fire truck purchase fund. I voted No, the measure passed 90-24.

 

• HB 806: This bill allows the state to transfer a portion of unused state property to local governments. I voted Yes, the measure passed 115-0.

 

• HB 1199: This bill allows the state to sell a portion of unused property of the University of Southern Mississippi. I voted Yes, the measure passed 117-0.

 

• HB 1109: This bill requires the state to lease out the Highway Patrol headquarters and use the income from the lease to finance the building of a new headquarters. The bill makes allowances for government assistance to developers on the property and new spending to finance the new building. The state should seek to utilize existing property whenever possible instead of constructing new buildings. I voted No, the measure passed 83-32.

 

• HB 937: This bill changes slightly the staggered terms for election commissioners. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-0.

 

• HB 774: This bill establishes a task force to examine the current state of eligible voters in Mississippi and recommend potential changes to voting eligibility laws. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-0.

 

• HB 803: This bill lowers the requirement for poll worker training from two workers per precinct to one. This will make it easier for poll workers to become certified to work during elections. I voted Yes, the measure passed 108-2.

 

• HB 804: This bill makes clarifications to the existing Voter ID law to ensure that it applies to municipal elections as well. I voted Yes, the measure passed 102-11.

 

• HB 61: Technical violation centers are intended to help people on parole make adjustments to their lifestyle, it’s not intended as a form of punitive incarceration. This bill gives the Department of Corrections unlimited authority to transfer offenders from technical violation centers to prisons, which have very different atmospheres and purposes if they are being “disruptive.” A better solution would be to limit how and why they should send offenders back to prison. I voted No, the measure passed 113-1.

 

• HB 1331: This bill allows anyone to report a vehicle that illegally passes a school bus. Currently, the law only allows law enforcement or school bus drivers to report this offense. I voted No, the measure passed 99-10.

 

• HB 1080: This bill creates a crime for selling urine, or fake urine, used to thwart drug tests. The maximum penalty is $500 and up to 3 months in prison. Ideally, the penalty for lying on a drug test should fall on the individual being tested, not the one providing them the means to do so. I voted No, the measure passed 113-2.

 

• HCRs 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55: The House considered these ceremonial resolutions in a block. I voted Yes, the measures passed 117-0.

 

• SCRs 539, 540, 545, 550, 551, 552, 553, 555, 556, 557, 559, 560, 561, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 571, 572: The House considered these ceremonial resolutions in a block. I voted Yes, the measures passed 116-0.

 

• SCR 558: The House considered this ceremonial resolution. I voted yes, the measure passed 117-0.

 

 

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

 

• HB 1083: This bill clarifies the existing concealed carry statute to ensure that an individual’s right to carry a concealed weapon is not infringed on publicly owned property. I voted Yes, the measure passed 88-29. 

 

• HB 80: This bill creates a new traffic offense for driving in the left lane. This expands the role of government and will inevitably lead to more tickets and indirect taxation. I voted No, the measure passed 87-27.

 

• HB 1003: This bill allows the state Transportation Commission to enter into contracts where the contractors can provide law enforcement within work zones. This could relieve the administrative burden on MDOT to contract with local officials to arrange these services. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-1.

 

• HB 1343: This bill helps pave the way for automated vehicles in the state by defining the term “platoon” and exempting these coordinated vehicles from certain traffic regulations. The state should seek to remove regulations that prohibit these innovative technologies from operating in the state. I voted Yes, the measure passed 117-0.

 

• HB 1131: This bill modernizes our government reporting statutes. It allows cities to post notices online if they have a free public website, instead of advertising these notices in newspapers. This will have the effect of making these notices more accessible and can also reduce costs for local government. An amendment was offered to correct some oversights in a previous transparency law. The amendment was adopted by a voice vote. I voted Yes, the measure passed 111-0.

 

• HB 1036: This bill reduces regulations on students in public schools. It reduces the required time spent in school during the day for students who attend an event outside of school that day for purposes of attendance. This will make it easier for students who participate in extracurricular activities to meet attendance requirements. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-1.

 

• HB 1418: This bill requires the state’s PEER committee to regularly review the performance of all state agencies and make recommendations for which agencies are no longer needed. This bill will pave the way to further reducing the size, scope, and intrusiveness of government. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-2.

 

• HB 1198: This bill places a new mandate on insurers. It requires health insurers to cover infertility treatments, which will drive up the costs of insurance coverage for all policyholders. This will expand the scope of government and result in higher costs for individuals. I voted No, the measure passed 88-27.

 

• HB 1117: This bill increases the size of government by allowing more counties to join a state-created ‘waterway district.’ These type of operations could better be handled by the private sector. I voted No, the measure passed 104-11.

 

• HB 1500: This bill expands freedom and protects property rights. It prevents local governments from imposing taxes and regulations on how private businesses and their customers use cups and bags. I voted Yes, the measure passed 109-2.

 

• HB 1288: This bill, as amended, requires that the state crime lab prioritize investigations of murder and rape before spending limited resources identifying controlled substances in nonviolent offenses. It also allows the crime lab to charge those convicted of a misdemeanor a fee for use of the lab if they are found guilty. While I have concerns about the increased fees, the amendment vastly improves the bill since it requires the lab to focus on violent crime. I voted Yes, the measure passed 111-4.

 

• HB 974: This bill criminalizes the possession of kratom, a natural substance without mind-altering characteristics, that is used by many Mississippians as a safe way to treat chronic pain. Preventing our citizens from accessing this medicine is outside the proper role of government. The committee amended this bill to take out kratom. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-0.

 

• HB 1020: This bill expands the intrusiveness of government. It imposes civil penalties on health care providers for failing to report overdoses. Assessing penalties on people is not the way to solve the opioid crisis. There’s no evidence to support that this proposal will lead to better data. I voted No, the measure passed 106-8.

 

• HB 1438: This bill imposes a number of new regulations on universities for providing services and training related to sexual violence. While sexual violence is a crime, this bill includes a number of mandates unrelated to prosecuting the actual crime. It also raises some significant due process concerns undermining individual rights in the justice process. I voted No, the measure passed 116-1.

 

• HB 1325: This bill allows local governments to charge fees for those participating in reverse auctions for local services, to help cover the costs of the auctions. This system of bidding can help save taxpayers money. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-2. 

 

• HB 1202: This bill helps protect public safety by requiring that government vehicles with flashing lights are required to use those lights when traveling over 30mph over the speed limit. I voted Yes, the measure passed 117-0.

 

• HB 962: This bill deals with attorney’s fees when grandparents file a court petition for visitation rights. It removes language that allows parents to make a motion to have the grandparents pay attorney’s fees for the parents, regardless of the outcome of the petition. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-1.

 

• HB 1239: This bill clarifies the process that allows individuals to appeal decisions of local governing bodies to circuit courts. It streamlines this process to help citizens reach a conclusion. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-0.

 

• HB 1124: This bill expands the scope and intrusiveness of government by creating a new crime. This bill states that anyone who communicates with an individual in state corrections custody without prior authorization is guilty of a felony. This bill will create criminals out of individuals who are harming no one and place new burdens on our state’s prison system. The bill was amended on the floor to remove the criminal language and instead allow for a court order to disable cell phones. While this improves the bill, it still expands the scope of government and increases costs for Corrections. I voted No, the measure passed 86-31.

 

• HB 1142: This bill expands the scope and intrusiveness of government. It creates a new crime of flying a drone near a correctional facility, with a penalty of up to $500 and 6 months in jail. I voted No, the measure passed 114-2.

 

• HB 1143: This bill updates the definition of the crime of extortion to include individuals who are incarcerated. It states that they can be charged with extortion for threatening to hurt another person incarcerated in exchange for something. This will help protect the rights of those who are incarcerated. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-1.

 

• HB 1172: This bill removes requirements that the Department of Corrections develop case plans for offenders. This provision was enacted to ensure the department complied with its mission of setting individuals up for success at reentering society after serving time in prison. This bill would relieve them of that requirement for many individuals who are incarcerated and remove requirements that they do this in a timely manner. I voted No, the measure passed 112-3.

 

• HB 1126: This bill eliminates the possibility of parole and probation for individuals serving time in prison for a drug charge. It specifically eliminates these options for individuals who were employed at a prison and convicted on a controlled substance violation. This bill would make it more difficult for nonviolent offenders to reenter society and get a job. I voted No, the measure passed 112-3.

 

• HB 59: This bill makes a technical correction to the law that says people convicted of violent offenses are not eligible for parole release. This is the law currently, but some have argued that this provision allows parole. The courts have ruled against this interpretation, and this bill just closes that potential loophole. It has no impact on actual release procedures. I voted Yes, the measure passed 114-1.

 

• HB 1192: This bill ensures that local governments follow the law limiting compensation for part-time law enforcement officers. It incentivizes them to follow the law by stating that the council members or aldermen are personally liable for any overages. This bill limits the scope of government. I voted Yes, the measure passed 82-30.

 

• HB 1041: This bill reduces state regulations on local government maintenance projects. It extends the expiration date for these permits from 5 to 10 years. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-0.

 

• HB 1171: This bill makes technical changes to statutes for Child Protective Services. It also makes a number of changes to reduce the number of children going into the foster care system, keep families intact, and bring transparency to the Youth Court system. I voted Yes, the measure passed 118-0.

 

• HB 1512: This bill does two things. First, it requires that BP settlement funds be spent on projects approved by a board that represents the coast. Second, it creates a new special fund for “economic development” projects which allow unelected state employees to send taxpayer dollars directly to private companies. The bill was amended on the floor to remove these provisions and give the Mississippi Development Authority the ability to appropriate these funds on corporate giveaways. I voted No, the measure passed 110-7.

 

• HB 1185: This bill does not make any changes to existing law. It brings forward the section that deals with BP settlement funds for possible amendment later in the process. I voted Yes, the measure passed 116-2.

 

Thursday, February 8, 2018

 

• HB 1083: The House moved to table a motion to reconsider this bill, which protects Second Amendment rights. This would allow the bill to move forward. I voted Yes, the motion passed 80-33.

 

• HB 1040: The House considered an amended version of this bill, which requires all state law enforcement agencies to use standardized crime reporting systems which comply with federal standards. The amended version requires the state to first study how to implement the program. I voted Yes, the measure passed 113-0.

 

• HB 1095: This bill simplifies membership requirements for the State Employee Appeals Board. I voted Yes, the measure passed 79-34.

 

• HB 1411: This bill gives youth services counselors the flexibility to do their job. It exempts them from requirements to use the state’s “trip optimizer system,” which can be impractical for the duties of their job that requires home visits. I voted Yes, the measure passed 115-0.

 

• HB 49: This bill increases criminal penalties for individuals who use blue lights on private vehicles. The current penalty is a fine to be set by a judge. This bill would make the fine a mandatory $500 and up to 6 months in jail. Increasing penalties is not the best way to address this nonviolent offense. It will increase the scope and size of government, along with the tax burden on local jurisdictions. I voted No, the measure passed 108-1.

 

• HB 1349: This bill creates a new licensing requirement for adult day care facilities. This expands the size and scope of government. These regulations also make it more difficult for private businesses to operate. I voted No, the measure passed 113-1.

 

• HB 898: This bill extends restrictions on how the state may operate the Division of Medicaid. It makes a number of changes giving the Governor more latitude to cut the costs associated with the program, which are skyrocketing. This will allow the executive branch to reduce the size of this government program. An amendment was offered to expand spending on the program, I voted to table the amendment, it was tabled by a vote of 70-43. I voted Yes on the bill, the measure passed 107-4.

 

• HB 1238: This bill reduces regulations by adding to the exclusions from a consumer protection law. It adds websites to this exclusion, as well as any acts that are permissible under Mississippi law. This will help reduce the cost of doing business in the state. I voted Yes, the measure passed 57-52.

 

• HB 1132: This bill revises and partially expands a law which gives taxpayer dollars to movie producers. While it limits the amount of the rebate to $3 Million per entity, it also expands the type of movie producers that can apply for the money. Sending taxpayer dollars to out of state movie producers is outside the proper role of government. I voted No, the measure passed 90-23.

 

• HB 1479: This bill removes the repeal date on laws that govern the regulation of bail agents. This makes it difficult for future legislatures to review and revise these requirements. An amendment was offered to decrease regulations on small bail bondsmen. A motion was made to table the amendment. I voted No, the amendment was tabled by a vote of 60-52. I voted No on the bill, the measure passed 76-30.

 

• HB 355: This bill removes Personnel Board requirements from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Child Protective Services. This will increase efficiency by giving the agency more latitude in hiring and firing employees. I voted Yes, the measure passed.

 

• HB 900: This bill extends the scope of government by reenacting a law prohibiting texting and driving. This bill removes the repealer, making it more difficult for future legislatures to revisit this issue. I voted No, the measure passed 97-16. 

 

• HB 1084: This bill requires that parental rights be terminated for any child that was conceived by rape. I voted Yes, the measure passed 112-0.

 

• HB 802: This bill extends the statute of limitations for sexual battery to match that for rape, which is indefinite. I voted Yes, the measure passed 113-0.

 

 

Friday, February 9, 2018

 

• HB 1238: The House moved to table the motion to reconsider on this bill, which would allow the bill to move forward. This bill reduces regulations by adding to the exclusions from a consumer protection law.  I voted Yes on the motion to table, the motion passed 56-50. 

 

• HB 1097: The House reconsidered this bill, which allows law enforcement officers to use their official vehicles when working off-duty as a security officer, with department approval of individual requests. They are currently allowed to use their firearm and uniform. This would extend the provision to include vehicles. I voted Yes, the measure passed 62-43. 

 

 

 

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