House Speaker Philip Gunn said Tuesday that a bill to change the state’s school funding formula will come before legislators this year, possibly in a special session.
The announcement comes after two bills to rewrite Mississippi’s school funding formula died with a deadline Thursday.
Right now, appropriations committees in the Senate and House are writing budget bills for state agencies. Initial action on budget bills in the House and Senate must be done by Feb. 22.
But Gunn said a bill for education, which at more than $2 billion represents the state’s largest expenditure, will not be brought out by the deadline. Instead, he told reporters Wednesday that it’s his plan to bring out one bill changing the current school funding formula, and another allocating funds for it in the near future. Gunn said the process could happen through a special session within the regular session, meaning discussion could happen within the next few weeks.
Clarion Ledger
2/14/17
Magnolia Tribune
