Over the last few weeks, BIPEC has released their yearly Scorecard and Best for Business and Jobs report. This years Scorecard not only included Legislators grade for the 2019 Session but an overall four year average as we approach a new election cycle.
BIPEC (Business and Industry Political Education Committee) has released its Legislator “Business & Jobs” Report Card for the 2018 legislative session. The BIPEC Report Card recognizes “Business & Jobs Champions” for their work supporting economic growth, job development, and business-related issues for the legislative session this year.
“It’s a tool for accountability and a way to evaluate what votes were important to the business community during the Legislative Session,” said President Derek Easley. “It gives us an opportunity to evaluate each legislator on those votes and then ultimately give the business community the opportunity to evaluate how their legislators are voting.”
BIPEC membership is made up of a diverse group of business interests around the state. Ultimately they are looking at scoring votes that have an effect on doing business in Mississippi.
“This year we had the Landowner Protection act which ultimately passed and will help businesses from frivolous law suits. Those are the type of things we are looking at during any given year,” said Easley.
This Scorecard is unique as it also includes legislators four year averages, which is different since scores do not compound year to year. They start over every legislative session. However, having the four year averages allows voters to see what their legislators did the last term.
Shortly after the Scorecard was released, BIPEC also released the Best for Business and Jobs list.
BIPEC has released its Legislator “Business & Jobs” Report Card for the 2019 legislative session. The BIPEC Report Card recognizes “Business & Jobs Champions” for their work supporting economic growth, job development, and business-related issues for the legislative session. This year’s Report Card is also a special election-year edition that includes each legislator’s 4-Year grade average for the legislative term.
“Someone who looks at our scorecard may say it appears partisan, but my answer to that is two things,” said Easley. “First of all, for the past eight years our state leadership at state government has been controlled by republicans… and it just so happens that that agenda lines up with what we think is best for the business community. My second answer is that all the bill we score, every legislator in that chamber has the same two buttons infront of them and they can chose how to vote.”
Easley said however, this isn’t about party lines, it is about advancing legislation that can help businesses in our state grow.
Sarah Ulmer
