Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Attorney General Fitch recaps abortion case at SCOTUS, looks ahead to 2022 session
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined Y’all Politics this week for a look back at the oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court defending the state’s 15-week abortion ban.
Fitch’s office is also actively involved in other litigation on behalf of the state and its citizens, namely the cases challenging President Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine mandates. In the interview, she talks about why those are important for Mississippians.
YP – Mississippi Joint Legislative Redistricting Committee proposes new Congressional maps
Today, the Mississippi Joint Legislative Redistricting Committee met to discuss Congressional redistricting and adopt its proposed maps.
The Committee held a meeting in November at the Capitol to discuss its recommendations to the full Legislature on the redistricting plan for the state when the 2022 session begins in a couple of weeks. Today, the group moved the proposal forward…
…Rep. White explained that as a result, District 2 had to gain a significant population to the tune of over 65,000 people. At the same time, the Committee has to ensure that they are in compliance with the Voting Rights Act as it pertains to the black voting age population, or BVAP.
In an interview with the Speaker Pro Tem, White discussed the proposed changes and the push by the Mississippi Legislature not to rely on the courts to redraw Mississippi’s congressional districts this coming session as has been done previously.
YP – State Sen. DeBar outlines the proposed changes for Mississippi’s Congressional Districts
Following the joint Mississippi Senate and House Congressional Redistricting meeting today, State Senator Dennis DeBar talked with Y’all Politics about the proposed maps that were adopted by the committee and that will now head to the full Legislature for adoption during the first week of the 2022 session.
In addition, Senator DeBar is the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. He says there is momentum behind another round of teacher pay raises during the upcoming session. The only question is how the plan will look coming out of both chambers.
YP – One Republican joins Congressional Democrats in raising the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion
On Tuesday, U.S. Senate and House Democrats passed S.J. Res. 33 that raises the nation’s debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion.
One Republican voted with the Democrats to allow the U.S. government to extend its borrowing authority. That was Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger, an often outspoken critic of his own party who has announced he will not seek reelection in next year’s midterms.
All Mississippi Republican delegates voted in opposition to the measure while the state’s lone Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson supported it.
YP – Mississippi First Responders and Legislators Team Up to Form Caucus
Mississippi’s local and state public first responders, representing firefighters, law enforcement and EMTs, announced today a coalition of State Senators and House Representatives working alongside members of their groups. The caucus will have an organizational meeting the first week of the 2022 session.
Named the Mississippi Legislative First Responders Caucus, the purpose of the organization is to foster an open and transparent, reciprocal dialogue between the first responders and legislators…
…The group will hold a series of events, lunches, coffees and meetings to foster the intended open communication and to keep the group’s issues top of mind. The hope is that legislators will learn and be in a position to gain more knowledge by attending additional first responder events along with memorials for those lost in the line of duty.
YP – Wicker, Hyde-Smith vote for FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act
Mississippi U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker voted to approve the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a military and national defense policy measure that authorizes crucial funding for the U.S. Armed Forces.
“This legislation authorizes crucial funding for our national defense, while providing our men and women in uniform with assets and tools necessary to perform their function in defending our nation and its interests,” said Senator Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senator Wicker, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been an advocate for the the bill, S.1605, which passed the Senate Armed Services Committee in July.
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 575 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 7 deaths, and 44 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 520,834 cases, 10,347 deaths, and 1,433,210 persons fully vaccinated. Full COVID-19 information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/hwkkno9P40
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) December 15, 2021
WJTV – Lawmakers disagree on Jackson split in new congressional map
Magnolia Tribune
