As the current legislative session progresses, what bills have area legislators authored?
The following is a brief overview, hitting the high points of some of the more interesting pieces of legislation making their way towards the floor and, potentially, a vote. It only includes bills where the legislator in question is the primary author.
District 41 Representative Kabir Karriem
Karriem is the primary author of House Bill 67, which would raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, and the pay rate for tipped employees would be raised from $2.13 per hour to $3.62 per hour.
House Bill 66 would require the State Board of Education to develop a civics curriculum “to provide students with the knowledge and skills that are critical to the responsibilities of citizenship in the United States.”
It would also require development of a home economics curriculum, including appropriating enough money via the Mississippi Adequate Education Program and vocational education bills to fund one home economics instructor at each high school.
House Bill 65 would require the State Board of Education to develop a comprehensive curriculum for African American studies and racial diversity for all students in grades 9-12. The curriculum must provide an examination of the contributions of people of African descent to American history and emphasize the importance of diversity to American culture.
Other bills include House Bill 58, which would expunge non-violent crimes after five years; and House Bill 1609, which would restore voting rights to those who have had felony crimes expunged.
District 39 Representative Dana McLean
McLean authored House Bill 1542 would aid those who are conceived by frozen egg or sperm after one of the parents has died. If the child resulting from that pregnancy lives for at least 120 days, then the deceased parent is considered to be living for the purposes of inheritance or benefits.
McLean also authored House Bill 1358, which would define the term “sex” as meaning “a person’s immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.”
Among McLean’s other bills are House Bill 1535, which would would license and regulate midwifery in the state; House Bill 1537, which would provide immunity for those who report sexual abuse; and House Bill 1538, which would direct the State Department of Health to have a nurse practitioner on hand at county health departments at least one day a week to dispense free contraceptives and prescriptions for contraceptives.
District 37 Representative Andy Boyd
Boyd, along with McLean and Reps. Carl Mickens and Karl Gibbs, authored House Bill 1617, which allows an industrial development authority or economic development district to acquire at least 800 contiguous acres to create an economic development megasite.
A megasite is a large swath of land, usually more than 1,000 acres, dedicated to industrial developments for several companies to build and operate on. The Golden Triangle already has four megasites, which are home to Steel Dynamics, Aluminum Dynamics and Paccar in Lowndes County and Yokohama Tire in Clay County.
Among other things, county boards of supervisors are authorized to issue bonds; accept loans from state or federal governments; accept grants; or appropriate funds for establishment of a megasite.
District 38 Representative Cheikh Taylor
Taylor, along with Karriem, District 29 Rep. Robert L. Sanders, District 76 Rep. Gregory Holloway, District 32 Rep. Solomon Osborne, District 119 Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III, and District 16 Rep. Rickey Thompson, authored House Bill 1115, which would bar the governor from returning money to the federal government when there is demonstrable need for it in the state. The governor may send the money back if the federal government asks for it. If the governor deems a nonprofit could administer the funds better than the state could, the money may be transferred to that nonprofit.
Taylor and Karriem co-authored House Bill 1111, which would allow people to register to vote when they get their driver’s license. It would also provide an opt-out provision for those who don’t want to register.
District 43 Representative Rob Roberson
Roberson has two bills that would impact public education.
The first, House Bill 1449, also known as the Mississippi Student Freedom Act, would create “education savings accounts” through the state treasury that provide funds for students to attend nonpublic schools.
The second bill, House Bill 1452, would create a formula for qualifying low-income public school students of low performing schools to receive tax-credit scholarships for private schools.
Roberson, along with District 73 Rep. Jill Ford, authored House Bill 318, the so-called “Fatherhood Begins at Conception Act.” The bill would authorize chancery courts to enforce court-ordered support for pregnant women who are unmarried.
District 17 Senator Chuck Younger
Among Younger’s bills is Senate Bill 2235, which would allow military service members to transfer their child to a school of their choice. However, the school district will not be responsible for providing transportation for the student if the student resides outside the district’s boundaries.
Senate Bill 2005 would allow farmers, ranchers and independent repair providers the right to repair agricultural equipment. Younger also authored Senate Bill 2036, the “Respect the Cash Act,” to prohibit retailers from refusing to take cash transactions.
District 16 Senator Angela Turner-Ford
Senate Bill 2281 would establish early voting in Mississippi. The bill would allow voters to vote up to 10 days before the date of an election. For the purposes of early voting, polling places would be open on Saturday and Sunday during the 10-day period.
Ford also authored Senate Bill 2357, which would legalize possession of amounts less than 2.5 ounces of marijuana.
Senate Bill 2387 would prohibit the creation of workplace and school policies that discriminate on the basis of natural or protective hairstyles. Turner-Ford co-wrote the bill with District 21 Senator Bradford Blackmon; District 12 Senator Derrick Simmons; District 32 Senator Rod Hickman; District 38 Senator Gary Brumfeld; District 11 Senator Reginald Jackson; District 37 Senator Albert Butler; District 13 Senator Sarita Simmons and District 28 Senator Sollie Norwood.
District 15 Senator Bart Williams
Senate Bill 2355 would create a crime called sexual extortion. A person who threatens to release private images of another person in order to compel them to do something against their will, with a penalty of five years for a first offense, 10 for a second and 20 for a third. If the victim suffers “great bodily injury or death” the charge may be upgraded to aggravated sexual extortion, and carries a penalty of up to 20 years.
Williams also authored Senate Bill 2704, which would require texting software providers to ensure that text messages are encrypted. The texting software must choose to use networks that are capable of supporting encryption if one is available.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
