YP – Governor Reeves appoints new Public Safety and Corrections Commissioners
Governor Tate Reeves announced the appointment two new department heads in key positions.
Taking the place of former Public Safety Commissioner Marshall Fisher will be Judge and former legislator Sean Tindell. Stepping into the roll of Corrections Commissioner is Burl Cain, the former warden of Angola in Louisiana.
Gov. Reeves on ABC News
Mississippi Gov. @tatereeves joins @ABC News to talk about his state preparing to lift some restrictions. https://t.co/Wc0ZDeHz7D
"Every single business is essential to whomever owns it and to whomever works there because it helps them provide food for their families." pic.twitter.com/NdmkJ70jKc
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) May 20, 2020
Lt. Gov. Hosemann talks small business funding
1/ Mississippi's economy is made up of small businesses that have never asked for anything from the government. Now, we know they need our help. pic.twitter.com/7qdEvSIWcD
— Delbert Hosemann (@DelbertHosemann) May 20, 2020
YP – Mississippi Legislature could adopt new state budget after fiscal year ends
How Mississippi’s state budget shakes out is anyone’s guess at this point.
Leadership in both chambers are likely to wait as long as possible to take corrective action on the current FY 2020 state budget which ends June 30th, as well as on the adoption of the FY 2021 budget set to begin July 1st.
The reason is simple – the lingering uncertainty of the economic shutdown’s impact on tax revenue…
…“This is going to be a difficult year, the remainder of 2020 and 2021 will be difficult fiscal years,” said Sen. Hopson.
MSDH: Coronavirus cases at 11,967 with 570 deaths
Today MSDH is reporting 263 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, with 16 new deaths. The total of #coronavirus cases since March 11 is now 11,967, with 570 deaths. See more case details and important preventive steps at https://t.co/QP8mlJ41AN pic.twitter.com/l3Dapchnrx
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) May 20, 2020
YP – Wilson appears before U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
Mississippi’s Cory Wilson appeared before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as he moves toward confirmation as a United States 5th Circuit Judge.
Wilson was nominated by President Donald Trump for the seat in March. He was previously nominated for a United States Southern District Court.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., have offered strong recommendations for Wilson.
MERIDIAN STAR – Dems question judicial nominee about past partisan remarks
Opponents of Wilson’s nomination point to partisan comments he’s made, attacking Obama and many Democratic party priorities. The Houston Area Urban League and the Baton Rouge National Organization for Women are among 13 groups that issued a letter Tuesday opposing Wilson’s nomination. It criticized his record of supporting states’ laws that require voters to show identification at the polls.
“Mr. Wilson’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of this country’s history of voting rights violations and the prevalence of voter suppression is unsettling and indicates he would not have an open mind in such critical civil rights cases that often arise in the Fifth Circuit,” the letter said.
The letter said Wilson referred to the Affordable Care Act as “liberal-utopia-dictated healthcare.”
#MSSen: Espy continues to push for Medicaid expansion
The time to expand Medicaid was yesterday. https://t.co/axl8nxufOg
— Mike Espy (@MikeEspyMS) May 20, 2020
NEWSMS – MJI is continuing litigation against Lumumba
At the tail end of April, the Mississippi Justice Institute (MJI) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Representative Dana Criswell against the city of Jackson and Mayor Chokwe Lumumba for temporarily banning the open carry of firearms within the capital city.
Even though the ban did not last long as the Jackson City Council unanimously rejected the executive order, MJI Director Aaron Rice told Paul Gallo of The Gallo Show on Wednesday morning that the institute still plans to go through with the lawsuit.
“Of course, the open carry ban has expired, but we are actually continuing to litigate that for now,” Rice said. “I can’t say a whole lot about it, because we are in some discussions with the other side about that, but we are looking for a way to maybe nail that down a little better and make sure that this doesn’t happen again.
YP – State Farm auto customers to benefit from rate cuts
.@MSInsuranceDept – Chaney: State Farm auto customer to benefit from rate cutshttps://t.co/OSEP3CydiP
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) May 20, 2020
HATTIESBURG AMERICAN – Jailed ex-MDOC Commissioner Chris Epps, wife must pay $69,489 in state taxes
Imprisoned former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps and his wife must pay nearly $70,000 in state income taxes after a court ruling..
In an order issued Tuesday, the state Court of Appeals affirmed a Hinds County Chancery Court ruling dismissing Epps’ and his wife Catherlean’s appeal of a Department of Revenue’s order for the couple to pay $69,489 in individual income tax for 2007-2014 tax years.
Wicker, Hyde-Smith, Palazzo requesting USDA to purchase MS seafood
I join @SenatorWicker @SenHydeSmith in requesting the @USDA Secretary to use his authority to purchase and distribute Mississippi seafood to Americans in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
MORE: https://t.co/2Sfpug8wYl pic.twitter.com/IpgK9ELdgP
— Steven Palazzo (@CongPalazzo) May 20, 2020
