CLARION LEDGER – 6-week abortion ban passes House. Dem lawmaker: GOP ‘not brave enough’ to ban it outright.
Mississippi has inched closer to becoming the state with the most restrictive abortion law in the country.
The House passed a bill Monday that outlaws abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can come as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
The Senate, where the bill originated, will have another chance to review and vote on the bill and minor House changes before it could head to Gov. Phil Bryant. Bryant has said he supports the legislation and would sign it into law…
…“This bill effectively makes abortion illegal in the state of Mississippi,” Dortch said. “Why not be courageous to do what you want to do?”
Mims replied that the Supreme Court would have to make another ruling on Roe v. Wade first.
Dortch retorted that the courts having already struck down the 15-week abortion bill previously passed by Mississippi lawmakers, so it couldn’t be a court ruling preventing a push for a full-out abortion bill.
“You’re not brave enough to do what you want to do,” Dortch said.
Special Elections to be Held Tuesday (March 12) for Three Vacant House of Representatives Seats
Polls open for special elections in three House of Representatives districts at 7 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, 2019. The districts and candidates, who must run as independents, include:- House District 32 (Leflore County) (formerly held by Rep. Willie Perkins): Troy D. Brown, Sr.; Solomon Curtis Osborne
- House District 71 (Hinds County) (formerly held by Rep. Adrienne Wooten): Edelia J. Carthan; Ronnie Crudup, Jr.; Stephanie Skipper
- House District 101 (Lamar County) (formerly held by Rep. Brad Touchstone): Gary L. Crist; Kent McCarty; Steven Utroska; Daniel Waide; Andrew Waites
Gov. Bryant questions “passion” behind push to legalize marijuana
Why is there such a passion to legalize this drug? Big marijuana has a lot of money invested in legalization. https://t.co/aW3TrzJXgK
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) March 11, 2019
WLOX – Dead or Alive? Where bills stand in the MS Legislature
State Senator Joel Carter and State Representative Scott Delano join us to talk about which bills concerning South Mississippi are still alive in the State Legislature.
Click here to watch the interview.
WTOK – Mississippi House ups ante on teacher pay, final sum unclear
Some Mississippi House members want to give public school teachers a $4,000 raise over the next two years.
The state House voted Monday to amend Senate Bill 2770 , which had proposed a pair of $500 raises over the next two years to instead give a pair of $2,000 raises.
That would cost the state nearly $206 million over two years.
SUNHERALD – Mississippi Coast’s new “Secret” slogan and brand finally revealed
CLARION LEDGER – Mississippi lawmakers want county redistricting banned until after 2020
Some Mississippi lawmakers want to prevent any county redistricting of election boundaries until after the 2020 Census.
Mississippi’s 122 House districts and 52 Senate districts have to be redrawn each decade after the Census to reflect population shifts.
However, some counties in the past have changed precinct lines prior to release of a new Census. This can throw off the state’s redistricting proposal to federal officials, said Ted Booth, attorney for the state Joint Standing Reapportionment Committee.
Booth urged lawmakers to pass a bill preventing changes in boundary lines until Jan. 1, 2021, to help with state redistricting. The state won’t official beginredistricting until after the Census national report is released in 2021.
WLOX – Attorney General launches “Students Against Violence” app
Attorney General Jim Hood launched an app for students struggling with depression, bullying, drug use, and other problems common among teens.
The “Students Against Violence” app is a place where students who are struggling with thoughts of suicide or are in a home where there is domestic violence can turn to local and national resources to help them through such situations. The app includes categories for depression/anxiety, self-harm, suicide prevention, youth drug abuse, bullying, school violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence, underage drinking, and electronic cigarettes.
Sen. Wicker: Maritime industry important to economic, national security
The American maritime industry is important to our economic and national security. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure it has a vibrant future. #WickerReport https://t.co/RKXmcrKFyu
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) March 11, 2019
WTOK – Former mayoral candidate’s cause of death released
State Sen. Wiggins takes issue with latest Bill Crawford op-ed
Wow! Mr. Crawford didn’t even call me for a rebuttal. ? Would’ve known #msleg gave millions of $ to rural hospitals & raised Dr. limits last year, that closings are nationwide & rec’d nat’l kudos for our reforms. But why let full story get in the way? ? https://t.co/ZlFUhWGeMW
— Sen. Brice Wiggins (@bricewigginsMS) March 11, 2019
HATTIESBURG AMERICAN / CLARION LEDGER – Here’s the letter about Mississippi drug policy that DPS didn’t want you to read
A document shedding light on the opinions of Mississippi’s top drug enforcement officer is now available for the public to view.
Rep. Joel Bomgar, R-Madison, emailed a series of questions and observations about drug policy to John Dowdy, director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, in 2017.
Dowdy wrote a letter in response, but the Department of Public Safety has repeatedly tried to prevent its release…
…It’s unclear why DPS did not want Bomgar to have the letter.
There are no explosive details or intricate tactical plans.
Dowdy even acknowledges in the letter that some points he is making are already public talking points of MBN and DPS.
AG Hood looks to take on robocalls
I don’t know a person in Mississippi who isn’t fed up with the endless amount of robocalls, and as attorney general, this is one more step I’m taking to put an end to it. https://t.co/RwWIUEzsEW
— Jim Hood (@HoodForGovernor) March 11, 2019
Magnolia Tribune
