BRIAN PERRY/Reviewing ’16 Legislature
The recent special session moved expeditiously, apart from Democrats forcing the House of Representatives to remain in session an extra day. Senate Bill 2001 changed seven words in state law (“with the exception of fiscal year 2016”) to allow the Governor to transfer additional funds from the “Working Cash-Stabilization Reserve Fund” to the general fund to cover projected deficits at the end of the fiscal year. It passed the Senate in a matter of hours, as it did in the House (after the one day delay caused by Democrats) and was signed by the Governor the same day as final passage. One bill; passed without amendment; signed by the Governor.
The 2016 regular session was not so expeditious. Several issues were hotly debated in the public forum by liberal and conservative partisans and captured the attention of the state, and sometimes nation: HB1523: the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act; SB2238 which defunded Planned Parenthood and prohibits tax dollars from being spent with an abortion provider; and HB786 aka the “guns in Church” bill.
But there were other bills not nearly as controversial. According to an analysis prepared by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, legislators introduced 2758 bills in the regular session (and an additional 458 resolutions and concurrent resolutions). Less than a quarter of all bills introduced made it out of their own chamber. Governor Phil Bryant signed 376 bills or 13.6 percent of the bills introduced. He vetoed four bills.
Madison County Journal
7/6/16
