YP – Income tax phase out proposal from House set to die in Senate, but survives in bond bill
“The bill is not going to be brought up this year, but we are going to be studying it over the summer,” said Harkins. He said he will bring forward a resolution which would implement the study committee later on Tuesday…
…After adjournment in the Senate, the House took up SB 2971, a bond bill for institutions of higher learning. Chairman Lamar inserted the language from HB 1439, the Mississippi Tax Freedom Act, into the bill.
Changes made to the original language included the removal of the tax increase that was previously placed on farmers, loggers and manufactures. In order to make up the difference financially, Lamar said the overall phase out process would be extended by roughly a year or two.
The amendment to the strike all was passed and the bill passed on the floor by a vote of 89 to 22.
YP – State Sen. Wiggins on where the income tax phase out, Medicaid Tech bill stand
State Senator Brice Wiggins joined Y’all Politics for a Facebook LIVE on Tuesday morning to discuss where the Mississippi Legislature stands on a few of the hottest issues facing lawmakers late in the 2021 session.
YP – All Mississippians now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine
On Monday, Governor Tate Reeves took to Facebook to announce that beginning on Tuesday, March 16, all Mississippians will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
10,000 new appointments were made available for Mississippians for the next three weeks through the Mississippi State Department of Health. Mississippi also has access to all three COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson’s single shot vaccine.
MSDH daily COVID-19 reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 369 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 27 deaths, and 47 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The total of #covid19 cases for the year is now 301,250, with 6,929 deaths. Case details and prevention guidance at https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/lTLkOB4J3i
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) March 16, 2021
WLOX / WLBT – Party lines may play role in who’s getting the COVID-19 vaccine
According to the Associated Press, NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, 42 percent of Republicans say they probably or definitely will not get the COVID-19 vaccine compared with 17 percent of Democrats, a 25 point difference.
Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Tyree Irving said Democrats are following the science and not basing their decision on political views.
“It’s not surprising given the fact that, for the last four years, Republicans have been fed misinformation headed by the misinformation-in-chief person, Donald Trump,” said Irving.
Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Frank Bordeaux was not available for an on camera interview. He released this statement.
“We encourage all residents who are interested in the vaccine to consult with their health care providers”, said Bordeaux. “Research has shown that public hygiene, including immune defenses like those provided by vaccines, help reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
YP – Senate revives Medicaid Tech language through resolution
On Monday, the Mississippi Senate convened two hours earlier than their usual 4:00pm start to the session. Almost immediately Senator Dean Kirby motioned to suspend the rules to bring up a new resolution offered by Senator Kevin Blackwell.
UPDATE: On Tuesday March 16, the House took up the resolution to reconsider SB 2799. They also added an amendment, inserting the House’s version of the legislation.
The resolution passed bringing the Medicaid tech bill fully back to life.
YP – Hyde-Smith introduces bill to help fix Jackson water woes
In response to the recent collapse of the water system in Mississippi’s state capital, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today introduced legislation to authorize a multipronged federal approach to help the City of Jackson overcome long-neglected water infrastructure upgrades.
The Emergency Water Infrastructure Improvements Act would provide the city with assistance to repair its failing drinking water infrastructure through a combination of loans, loan forgiveness, and grants. The bill also requires a percentage of funds to be used for purchasing and installing new water meters and modernizing water-billing systems.
WLOX – CMR talks Bonnet Carré Spillway, CARES Act funding
Many coast fishermen got some help from that $1.5 million of CARES Act money that was granted to the state of Mississippi, with most of that going to the seafood industry.
$734,222 of that money went to local commercial fisherman, $451,284 went to seafood dealers and processors, and $239,179 of it went to the charter boat fleet.
The seafood industry has had to deal with a litany of issues, most notably the 2019 opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway, where freshwater intrusion destroyed the ecosystem in the Mississippi Sound. Then there was COVID-19 and last summer’s very busy 2020 hurricane season.
