Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Mississippi abortion ban case has its day at the U.S. Supreme Court
Y’all Politics followed the events of the day as Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and her staff appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the state’s 15-week abortion ban.
Click here for audio, video and transcripts of the historic day that unfolded in Washington D.C.
Governor Reeves defends MS law on GMA
“I believe very strongly that abortion kills innocent, unborn children and it would be my ultimate goal that we wouldn’t have abortions in this country.”
Mississippi Gov. @tatereeves weighs in on the Supreme Court abortion case that could challenge Roe v. Wade.#GMA3 pic.twitter.com/qCjs7bj05u
— GMA3: What You Need To Know (@ABCGMA3) December 1, 2021
YP – Injunction granted in MS case against President Biden’s federal healthcare workers COVID vaccine mandate
On Tuesday afternoon, Judge Terry Doughty in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granted a motion for preliminary injunction in a case filed by Mississippi and 13 other states challenging President Joe Biden’s federal COVID vaccine mandate on healthcare workers. The Biden Administration has said it has the authority to impose this mandate since hospital systems received federal funds through Medicaid and Medicare.
Judge Doughty’s order temporarily halts the Biden mandate nationwide, expanding on an order earlier this week a U.S. District Judge in Missouri granting a halt in ten other states who filed for relief.
In granting the injunction in the Mississippi-related case, Judge Doughty outlined a timeline of actions on behalf of the Biden Administration, which call into question the emergency nature of the federal mandates, and restated the case made by the states. He then offers his conclusion.
YP – Senate Medicaid Committee meets to discuss Medicaid delivery options
On Tuesday, the Mississippi Senate Medicaid Committee heard from eight speakers in a discussion of different Medicaid delivery options…
…The Mississippi Division of Medicaid is a state and federal program created to provide health coverage for eligible, low income populations. All 50 states, five territories of the United States and District of Columbia participate in this voluntary matching program.
“A decade ago, advocates of reviving the mandated care delivery model in Medicaid may have sold managed care as a way to save money for cash-strapped Medicaid programs. But over time, Medicaid managed care has become more effective in serving other purposes,” said Snyder.
Snyder emphasized that Medicaid Managed Care does not result in national cost savings, but is providing a financial benefit to Mississippi’s General Fund. He stated that Medicaid managed care has been criticized by provider trade associations but it has been the vehicle used to preserve billions in supplemental funding to Mississippi hospitals.
Ag Commissioner Gipson talks with EPA about Yazoo pumps
Participated today in a roundtable discussion with the EPA regarding issues affecting MS Agriculture. Discussed the EPA’s recent withdrawal of the Yazoo Pumps project and I personally invited them to visit the South Delta and follow through on the commitment to #finishthepumps. pic.twitter.com/PeCt61XYSH
— Commissioner Andy Gipson (@CommAndyGipson) December 1, 2021
YP – Hyde-Smith cosponsors bill linking more U.S. energy production to Strategic Petroleum Reserve
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) has joined fellow Energy and Natural Resources Committee members in introducing the Strategic Production Response Act. This legislation would require more U.S. energy production when the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is tapped.
The Strategic Production Response Act (S.3287) would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from tapping the SPR for any reason other than a severe energy supply interruption until the Secretary of the Interior issues a plan to increase oil and gas production on federal lands and waters.
Last week, President Biden announced his plan to have the Department of Energy release 50 million barrels of oil from the SPR to lower gas and oil prices for Americans. The U.S., India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom have coordinated concurrent releases.
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 468 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, two deaths, and 31 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 514,639 cases, 10,287 deaths, and 1,409,865 persons fully vaccinated. Full information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/FHJZZqc3Nv
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) December 1, 2021
WLOX – More change to come to help decrease violent crimes in Mississippi prisons, Commissioner says
Over the last year and a half, Mississippi Department of Correction Commissioner Burl Cain said he has been working on cutting down violent acts in the state prisons through new programs, new facilities, and rehabilitation programs.
However, because East Mississippi is a private prison, those improvements haven’t arrived.
“We’re trying to work with out private partners in every way we can but they are going to have to measure up. I feel great compassion because we fail miserably whenever we have a grandmother, a mother, or family member that comes here and losses their life. It’s horrible and that’s not what we’re about,” Cain said.
Cain said now that Walnut Grove is open again, he will be using methods used at the Louisiana State Penitentiary to punish those who are violent in both state and private prisons.
WJTV – MDHS announces transition from pandemic-related emergency SNAP benefits
Magnolia Tribune
