Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Reeves signs final component in 2021 criminal justice reform
Governor Tate Reeves has signed the last and largest piece to the criminal justice reform effort of the 2021 Legislative session.
On Thursday, which was deadline day for the remaining 12 bills on Governor Reeves’ desk, he signed SB 2795 the “Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act.” This piece of legislation allows for non-violent offenders and some violent offenders to be eligible for parole after completing a certain portion of their sentence…
…The bill was authored by Senator Juan Barnett, who proposed similar legislation last year. While the previous bill passed both chambers it was later vetoed by Gov. Reeves. After the Senate passed the 2021 bill, Barnett said he felt they make the compromises on both sides necessary to get it to law.
“I was just glad to get a phone call from the Governor letting me know that he did sign the bill. I thought that meant a whole lot more for him to sign it than to veto it or just let it become law,” said Barnett.
MSDH daily COVID-19 reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 319 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 10 deaths, and 25 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The state's total of #covid19 cases is now 310,137, with 7,173 deaths. More on case details, vaccinations and prevention: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/rM2ieH9hUf
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) April 22, 2021
YP – Hosemann wants unified effort from Legislature, Cities, Counties in spending billions of federal dollars
A major part of Hosemann’s message to local elected officials and business leaders is the need for cities and counties to begin now in planning how they will spend the federal dollars coming from D.C.’s recently passed $2 trillion American Rescue Plan.
“The state is going to get $1.8 billion, whether we asked for it or not. It’s coming in two traunches. We’ve got about 3 years and a half to spend it,” the Lt. Governor told attendees at a stop in Pascagoula on Wednesday. “Cities got $932 million. It is direct check payments to the entities I’m describing.”…
…The Lt. Governor wants to see the Legislature working closely with their local officials to make the biggest combined impact for the people.
“All of them [legislators] will be deciding how to spend this $1.8 billion and they need to do it in conjunction with what the cities have got planned for their money,” Hosemann said. “We will have a lot of immediacy needs. I want a park bench or something. That’s not long term.”
YP – Auditor White shows possible savings in Columbus School District
Audit Shows Opportunity to Eliminate Outside-the-Classroom Spending at Columbus Municipal School District @shadwhite READ MORE>> https://t.co/HZUudHH4LE
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) April 22, 2021
YP – Earmarks coming back to D.C.? Republican Senators say No.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate had been holding talks over whether to embrace the return of earmarks, a practice that for generations allowed members to direct spending to specific projects within their districts.
The practice of earmarks, often referred to as “pork projects,” was banned in the U.S. House in 2011. It wasn’t until 2019 that the U.S. Senate put the ban into their rules.
House Democrats have now changed their chamber’s stance, again allowing specific requests for funding in individual districts. The House Republicans followed suit, allowing their members to request such funding…
…On Wednesday, Senate Republicans huddled and, without fanfare, maintained their collective position on earmarks, upholding their caucus’ ban on the practice. As one insider told Y’all Politics, the votes to make a change were obviously not there, making it a non-issue among members.
This caucus decision included both Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith.
YP – AG Fitch and 19 State AGs Reject Court-Packing Scheme
Attorney General Lynn Fitch has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in sending a letter to President Joe Biden and congressional leaders to voice strong opposition to the recent steps taken towards packing the U.S. Supreme Court, including the establishment of a Presidential Commission and coordinated introduction of legislation to create a 13-judge Court.
“Packing the Court is about putting political gain above the law. It’s a bad idea,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “President Biden and liberals in Congress should shelve it and get back to doing meaningful work for the people.”
The letter describes serious concerns about Washington’s intent to pack the U.S. Supreme Court with four additional Justices. Congressional leaders filed a bill to pack the Court just days after President Biden announced his Executive Order to create a Commission to explore court packing. This is clearly a coordinated effort to grab political power with additional Biden appointments to the bench, jeopardizing the integrity of the highest bench in our Nation.
YP – Congressman Guest Opposes D.C. Statehood Power Grab
Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03) voted against H.R. 51 – Washington, D.C. Admission Act. The legislation would admit Washington, D.C., as the 51st state of the Union.
“The attempt to add D.C. as the 51st state is simply a power grab to add Democratic seats to the House and Senate. I have joined an alternative bill that would grant Washington residents citizenship in Maryland. This solution is simple and maintains the balance of power between the parties. Unfortunately, Democrats have not shown an interest in this common-sense approach. Their goal is to expand Democrats’ majorities in Congress.”
Congressman Guest cosponsored H.R.472 – District of Columbia-Maryland Reunion Act, which would cede neighborhoods and residential areas to Maryland, establishing current residents of D.C. as citizens of Maryland with federal representation without the need to create a new state.
YP – Hyde-Smith seeks USDA, Forest Service support for SW MS project
Senator @SenHydeSmith looks to next steps to facilitate forest service Okhissa Lake Land Transfer #mssen READ MORE>> https://t.co/JAvQVtOqmG
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) April 22, 2021
YP – Wicker Urges Support for Gulf Coast Passenger Rail
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today shared his strong support for restoration of passenger rail service along the Gulf Coast in a letter sent to the chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The STB, which is an independent federal agency that oversees railroads, is currently considering a petition from Amtrak to restore service to the route between New Orleans and Mobile that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“Implementing twice-daily service between New Orleans and Mobile would provide a huge economic lift to Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, and other cities along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. It would serve as the culmination of Mississippi’s efforts to recover from Hurricane Katrina,” Wicker wrote.
YP – SOS Watson presents NASS Medallion to MS Power Companies
Secretary @MichaelWatsonMS Presents NASS Medallion Award to Mississippi Power Companies READ MORE>> https://t.co/MseGhhIWbN
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) April 22, 2021
WLBT – ‘Nobody will be indicted’: Canton mayor says election results accepted by Miss. secretary of state
Days earlier, on April 16, Watson had contacted Democratic Executive Committee Chair Natwassie Truly saying he would not accept the results until they were signed off on by proper members of her committee.
He said that at least two individuals who had signed the recapitulation report had not been properly appointed and that only those who had been properly appointed could sign…
…“I’m not going to get into all of the history and differences and fights and how this emerged and how this was created,” he said. “I can say to you that the certified committee is the one who signed off … That committee has satisfied the requirements as mandated and dictated by the secretary of state’s office.”
Meanwhile, the mayor said he wants people to know that their votes will count and worked to instill trust with the voting public.
“The point of the matter is, in this election, in the primary, there has been no fault,” he said. “Nobody will be indicted … I don’t anticipate anybody being indicted.”
Magnolia Tribune
