Attorney General Revenue

On Friday, state economist Dr. Darrin Webb presented a report showing that Attorney General Hood's recovery efforts had brought over $32 million into state coffers recently. Dr. Webb also reported that state revenue estimates are up some $22 million for the 2019 Fiscal Year. (Note This does not count the Attorney General's recovery.) This "surplus" gives us hope that some of the agencies suffering from massive budget cuts can be relieved. At the least, it could ensure that the $8.2 million additional education funding could remain in the K-12 appropriation bill.

Transportation Funding

I, along with several other legislators, was surprised to learn via the media that the "BRIDGE Act," Senate Bill 3046, had died in conference committee. This bill was brought out late and touted as a real program to address our state's road and bridge infrastructure crisis. House members who served on the conference committee determined the measure would force local governments to raise taxes to support the proposed road and bridge projects in the bill.  They moved to kill it in the conference committee. Though reluctant, I, along with several other House members, voted for the measure when it first came before the chamber because I thought it was a chance to get something meaningful done for our state infrastructure.

Education Funding

The appropriation bill for K-12, House Bill 1592, was another significant bill under consideration in conference. After the successful defeat of House Bill 957, or the public school funding rewrite bill, and the death of Senate Bill 2623, the charter school bill, rumors surfaced that public school funding would be slashed. The original House Bill 1592 provides an additional $8.2 million over the "level funding" of last year's K-12 appropriation. Education proponents are urging that the $8.2 million stay in the appropriation. Even with that additional money, our public schools are still $235 million below what they would receive from a full MAEP appropriation.

State Education Test

House members participated in a press briefing to discuss whether subject matter tests should be used as criteria for a student graduating from high school. A number of public school administrators were on hand to explain the difficulties that the current state-imposed system of mandatory testing places on our teachers and students. Testimony provided detailed the amount of time, in terms of lost instruction and preparation hours, that the current testing system demands of educators and students. Others told of the extreme stress that caused educators and students to become sick on test days. Although the Mississippi Department of Education denies the existence of "exit exams," testimony revealed that the ability to pass a state-mandated subject assessment test did indeed determine whether a student could graduate.

Several bills had been filed during this session to remove the test mandate and replace it with the already-present administration of the ACT test as a means of judging students' achievement. All of the bills died without consideration. It is important to note that the push to lift the testing millstone is a bi-partisan effort. We expect this effort to continue during the year and into the next session.

Weapons in Classroom

House Bill 1083, which would have allowed teachers to carry weapons in an effort to protect against potential shooters, was left to die on the calendar. I think that was a prudent decision and I hope we are finished considering this idea.

Appointments

History was made this week when former state senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner, w as named Mississippi's first female United States Senator to replace retiring Thad Cochran, and Dr. Alfred Rankins, President of Alcorn State University, was named the state's first African American IHL Commissioner. We congratulate these two and wish them well in their groundbreaking endeavors. 

Convention of States

Some discussion occurred with the introduction of House Concurrent Resolution 56, which calls for the state to submit an application to request a convention of states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. In order for this to happen, 34 states must submit an application. Proponents of the bill say this would allow for a few helpful amendments to be made to the constitution. Several members and I opposed the resolution saying that a meeting to amend the constitution would open the doors for more changes than would be helpful or necessary.