House and Senate spending more time on the floor this week after committee deadline day; what is passing?

The end of January marked the committee deadline day. Since then, the House and Senate have been spending quite a bit of time on the floor passing some of those bills that survived the cut off.

House Bills

The Use Tax Bill (HB 358) authored by Speaker of the House Philip Gunn was brought up on the floor on the 31^st and tabled subject to call. This is practically the same bill that was pushed last year and referred to as an internet sales tax because it would tax sales made by a company without a physical address in Mississippi.

HB 415 would expand the definition of qualified resort area so that more places are included in where alcohol can be consumed.

A diversion program was voted on that would give assistance to individuals in Mental Health Courts. HB 419 brings back language from last year, the Rivers McGraw Mental Health Court Act. The legislation recognizes the serious need for judicial intervention to establish court process and procedures.

In an attempt to keep Mississippi’s kids save, HB 801 would authorize children to be placed in the home of a relative in emergency placement because of sudden unavailability to their primary caregiver. Those individuals would have up to 15 days to submit fingerprints to the FBI.

HB 944 would add the revision of veterans diagnosed with PTSD to peoples who require support animals for necessary assistance. These animals are entitled to privileges to all public places, facilities, and other areas they’re required to be.

And the first bill to be read aloud for the year was in the House. HB 1241, which was later set aside to be brought up at another point.

The House will be back at 1:00 on Friday to continue moving through the schedule for the day.

Senate Bills

 In typical legislative fashion the House has moved a little quicker through the first round of bills than the Senate but things are beginning to pick up.

Passed and transmitted to the House is SB 2072 which would require lawmakers in state, state district, and legislative district offices or any political committee to make file campaign finance reports for any reportable contributions or expenditures.

An automatic repealer of the Mississippi Medicaid Program was also passed in the House, SB 2912. The repealer is applied to the section that provides certain provider assessments under program.