Blog

This week the Legislature worked to consider bills that originated in the other chamber. Wednesday was the deadline for the House to pass all general bills from the Senate.

We considered 52 separate pieces of legislation this week. Here are a few highlights:

• SB 2680: This bill was amended in the House to add domestic violence as a cause for divorce. The underlying bill also protects the rights of vulnerable children by allowing courts to appoint guardians.
• HB 1322: The House concurred with the Senate on this bill, which expands freedom for craft breweries in the state by allowing them to sell their own products on site.
• SB 2461 and SB 2463: These bills reduce bureaucracy in public education by requiring administrative consolidation of school district offices in two rural school districts.

You can view each of the bills we passed this week, along with a short explanation and my vote, on this week’s blog post here.

I joined several of my colleagues this week to create the Mississippi Future Caucus. The caucus is comprised of “millennials”, the members of the legislature under 40.

I look forward to working with the Caucus to focus on reforms that move our state forward by addressing the issue of “brain drain” and encouraging young people to stay in our state.

On Monday, I had the honor of speaking to a group of young Mississippians at the 2016 Christian Leaders of the Future event.

These high school seniors from different schools are great examples of young talents living out their faith through leadership and community involvement, and I’m positive many of them will positively impact our state for years to come.

A group of concerned pastors visited the Capitol this week to discuss criminal justice reform. Clergy for Prison Reform advocates for a more just, righteous, and humane criminal justice system. Mississippi has made some strides in this area.

I have worked with Chairman Andy Gipson this session on HB 1033, which removes barriers to employability for those who are leaving prison. These types of reforms are essential for getting our citizens back to work!

Only three weeks remain in this legislative session. In that time, the legislature will work in conference committees to reconcile differences between the House and Senate on general bills. Finally, we will work to craft a budget and appropriate your tax dollars for the year.

Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or requests. It’s an honor to serve you!

Sign up below to receive emailed updates straight to your inbox!