The Mississippi House of Representatives completed its committee assignments on Friday. For most legislators, the assignments figure to be low-key tasks not likely to draw much public scrutiny.
However, that won’t likely be the case of Rob Roberson (R-Starkville) who finds himself on two committees that are likely to host the hottest topics during this year’s session.
Roberson was named as vice-chair on the House Education Committee. He also will serve on the Transportation Committee.
“A friend of mine asked what committees I had wanted to be on.,” Roberson said Saturday. “I said Education and Transportation. He look at me like I was out of my mind.”
Education is likely to remain a contentious topic. In November, a ballot proposal to amend the state’s constitution and require the legislature to fully fund education failed by a narrow margin. Now, as the legislature begins its session, a shortfall in the projected revenue is likely to lead to more cuts in education spending, even as a chastened legislature vowed to increase its commitment to education in the wake of the November election.
“Education is something that is near and dear to my heart,” Roberson said. “I have four children in the school system, so it’s a person issue for me, as it is for people throughout the state. I’m hoping we can get something going and point us in a different direction. It’s certainly something that people feel very strongly about and it’s a challenge. But I feel good about what we can do.”
Likewise, transportation is an emerging issue. The Mississippi Economic Council, which serves as the state’s chamber of commerce, has proposed spending $375 million on repairing the state’s highways and bridges.
“The three committees I really wanted to be on were Education, Transportation and Economic Development,” Roberson said. “But you can’t have real economic development if you don’t have good highways and bridges. I think the work the Transportation Committee will do this year is really, really important. We have to take care of our roads and bridges.”
Roberson said one of the funding options for highways and bridges he would like to discuss is a state lottery.
“In light of the budget issues we are facing, I really think that’s worth looking at,” he said. “If we are going to have the money we need, we’re going to have to come up some type of tax revenue and I look at the lottery strictly as a tax revenue source. There’s talk about an increase in gasoline tax or sales tax, but think most people would prefer a voluntary tax, which is what the lottery would be, rather than something you pay every time you go to a store or the gas station and make a purchase.”
Committee assignments for the 2016 legislative session
Angela Turner (D) Senate District 16
Constitution (vice chair)
Accountability/Efficiency/Transparency
Appropriations
Ethics
Judiciary A
Veterans/Military Affairs
Chuck Younger (R) Senate District 17
County Affairs (chairman)
Agriculture
Appropriations
Economic Development
Environment/Conservation/Water Resources
Forestry
Highways/Transportation
Housing
Medicaid
Public Health/Welfare
Gary Chism (R) District 37
Insurance (chairman)
Conservation/Water Resources
Education
Judiciary A
Judiciary En Banc
Local/Private Legislation
Public Utilities
Ways & Means
Tyrone Ellis (D) House District 38
Accountability/Efficiency/Transparency
Apportionment/Elections
Corrections
Judiciary B
Judiciary En Banc
Ways & Means
Jeff Smith (R) House District 39
Ways and Means (chair)
Constitution
Judiciary A
Judiciary En Banc
Revenue/Expenditures General Bills
Kabir Karriem (D) House District 41
Drug Policy
Military Affairs
Municipalities
Ports/Harbors/Airports
Tourism
Rob Roberson (R) House District 43
Education (vice chair)
County Affairs
Judiciary A
Judiciary En Banc
Local/Private Legislation
Municipalities
Transportation
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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