Housekeeping: Bad PERS Bill Dies, Mental Health Reform Bills pass

Last week was the busiest one yet for the 2023 Legislative Session. That’s because we debated the merits of some 150 bills on the House floor and decided whether they would go on to the Senate for their consideration. Thursday, February 9, was the deadline for general bills to live or die. As you may imagine, there was more than one bill that sparked heated debate before the House voted.

 

One bill that was on our calendar and had sparked a great deal of debate across Mississippi didn’t make it to the floor for consideration. That bill was House Bill 650 which threatened the stability of the Public Employees Retirement System by handing control over to the Legislature, rather than the non-partisan PERS Board consisting of elected retired state employees. All of us had heard from state employees and other citizens who were very alarmed about this bill. They were right, and thankfully the bill ended up dying. In the midst of the off-line discussions, we were able to come to an agreement with the PERS Board that they would delay in the increase in employer contributions until July of 2024.

 

Thanks to everyone for contacting me on this, but most of all thank you for letting your voice be heard! There are 353,000 PERS members. It is vital that this system they have paid into and depend upon not be “tinkered with” by the Legislature.

I am pleased to report that a bill I sponsored  on Mental Health, House Bill 1222, the Mississippi Collaborative Response to Mental Health Act passed. This measure proposes that a community support system be established to help individuals suffering from mental health issues as well as their families. The individual who needs help will be evaluated by certified health personnel and will be transferred to a registered facility for help, if needed. Previously, these persons were placed in jail – hardly the right environment for anyone who is ill. The bill also requires law enforcement personnel to be trained on how to best deal with these situations.
The measure has gone to the Senate for their consideration, and we in the House are very hopeful that it will pass and become law.

 

HB 534 is a second bill dealing with Mental Health reform, which passed the House unanimously. It is a bill I presented in the Judiciary B Committee this week that deals with Drug Intervention Courts and gives them the to include mental health services. It also provides authority to the Administrative Office of Courts Intervention advisory committee to provide additional funding to courts where needed. This bill also adds fentanyl and drug abuse education to tobacco education in our schools.

 

We passed HB 521 out of the Insurance Committee to allow an annuity retirement plan for volunteer fire volunteers, if they meet certain requirements. We’ve also continued to work on the death benefit plan for Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, First Responders that will not only pay a death benefit for lives lost in the line of duty, but will also pay if they were to pass away while off duty.

 

House Bill 1276 would provide for a runoff election for state officials if no candidate receives a majority of the votes. The runoff would be held three weeks after the general election. 

 

House Bill 698 would require equity-based billing on municipal water, wastewater and sewer services. The bill comes after a suggestion that the city of Jackson change to a billing system based on property values instead of water usage. 

 

House Bill 402   Penalties for fleeing law enforcement would increase. The bill comes after several accidents across the state that occurred were caused by police pursuit of a suspect. 

 

House Bill 1490 would require the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to suspend hunting licenses for people who fail to pay child support. 

 

House Bill 723 would establish the Mississippi Transit Corporation and create a study committee to make recommendations for bus, rail and light rail services in Mississippi. 

 

Two bills would give Mississippi an official gemstone and an official fruit. House Bill 772 would designate the Mississippi Opal as the official state gemstone. Opal is the only gem found thus far to be naturally occurring in the state. House Bill 1027 would make the blueberry the official state fruit of Mississippi. Fourth graders from Mannsdale Elementary School in Madison conducted research and discovered that the blueberry is the most grown and sold fruit in the State. 

Several bills that passed overwhelmingly with little debate included the following: the Department of Public Safety would be authorized to issue state identification cards to homeless individuals (House Bill 368); language in the Mississippi Code regarding rape would be updated, and spousal exception of rape would be removed (House Bill 995); a domestic abuse court program would be established (House Bill 170); and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks would be allowed to issue a hunting license to a person whose parents was born in Mississippi and on active duty military service at the time of the applicant’s birth (House Bill 49).

 

The coming weeks will consist of floor discussion of House appropriations and other revenue bills. The deadline for these types of bills to be sent to the Senate is Wednesday, Feb. 22. The House will then begin work on general originating in the Senate.

 

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to serve you. If I can be an assistance in anyway you can email me at [email protected] or call me at 601-469-7886.