Partisan quarrels hold up House decisions

The Clarion-Ledger, 1/18/8

Partisan bickering in the Mississippi House on Thursday ended with no decisions on committee assignments or chamber rules, leading political watchdogs to caution lawmakers against wasting taxpayer time and money.

Before lawmakers can begin to consider legislation, they must agree on the rules under which they will operate for the next four years. And Speaker Billy McCoy must appoint the committees that will determine the fate of legislation, which is expected to address such issues as Medicaid funding, education funding and teacher pay.

But for more than two hours Thursday afternoon, Republicans and Democrats fought about the rules. And afterward, McCoy, D-Rienzi, said he hadn’t had enough time to finish committee assignments.