MISSISSIPPI SENATE WEEKLY REPORT
April 4, 2008
The Senate this week placed a number of bills in conference to work out
differences with the House of Representatives, seeking compromises on
many bills aimed at protecting citizens.
Senators also took time to honor common Mississippians whose
contributions to the state, their communities and to their craft have
brought them deserved recognition from their peers.
Among the bills in conference committee is Senate Bill 2712 – “Miss
Breland’s Law” – that seeks to increase by 5-years the prison term of
persons convicted of using financial information or other documents
obtained from a crime victim. The House amendment seeks to lessen the
sentence.
And the Senate saw some victories when the governor signed several
measures including Senate Bill 2246 that encourages municipalities to
increase the number of drug courts, a move that could help lower the
amount of money the state spends on incarcerating inmates, and Senate
Bill 2124 that makes lawyers in the future disclose that their legal
services do not constitute debt management, which consumers might assume
when dealing with certain attorneys during bankruptcy proceedings.
Senators are still in negotiation over how to fully fund Medicaid and
are in conference on S.B. 3051, which gives the Senate’s desired
breakdown of spending for that division. But the financial forecast is
tough, as The Revenue Estimating Group recommended lowering the state’s
fiscal year 2009 general fund revenue estimate by $18.9 million,
dropping it from $5,076,000,000 to $5,057,100,000.
Medicaid faces an almost $100 million shortfall this fiscal year.
Medicaid will need more than $160 million for fiscal year 2009. Many
senators met across the weekend in conference to figure out how to best
fund it. The session is expected to end April 19.
In the spirit of recognizing community leaders, deserving citizens and
unsung heroes, the Senate presented the following resolutions:
· Senate Concurrent Resolutions 631, commended Brandon King, 12,
of Florence, for being selected the 2007 State Games of Mississippi AT&T
Male Sportsman of the Year. King has exhibited superior skills as a
member of the Richland soccer team “Taz.” Despite being diagnosed in
April 2007 with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, King maintained his courageous drive
and dedication to soccer, averaging eight goals per game and racking up
a career record of an estimated 720 goals.
* Senate Concurrent Resolution 630, commended Andrea Fairchild,
33, of Vicksburg, as the 2007 State Games of Mississippi AT&T Female
Sportswoman of the Year. Fairchild has excelled in volleyball, track and
field events and in swimming among other skills, winning gold medals at
events in Mississippi and in Indiana. The Senate said Fairchild’s
contributions to sports and a healthy lifestyle have been exemplary.
* Senate Concurrent Resolution 588, applauded the achievements of
Harry Breland, the award winning retired baseball coach at Oak Grove
High School. Over a period of 37 seasons (1971 2007), Coach Breland
compiled an impressive career record of 823 wins and 224 losses since
beginning his coaching career at the school. Breland’s leadership has
produced nine State Championships, 11 South State Championships, 21
District Championships and 12 Apache Conference Championships. On six
occasions Breland was named Apache Conference Coach of the Year,
Baseball America’s District 6 National Coach of the Year in 1993 and
2007, Mississippi’s Association of Coaches (MAC) – Coach of the Year in
1993, Mississippi Sports Writers – Clarion Ledger Coach of the Year in
1993, Hattiesburg American Coach of the Year five times, South Section
Coach of the Year by the Federation of High School Coaches in 2004,
District 6 Coach of the Year in 2003, National Coach of the Year in
2005, and All-Star Coach in 1978 and 1996. Breland was inducted into the
Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997 and into the Mississippi Valley
State University Hall of Fame in 2007.
* Senate Concurrent Resolution 628, commended the many sworn
officers and other personnel of the Department of Public Safety who have
served in the United States Armed Services.
· Senate Concurrent Resolution 583 was presented to Mississippi
State University Head Football Coach Sylvester Croom. It praised the
team’s winning season that ended with a Liberty Bowl victory over the
University of Central Florida and its triumphs over such national foes
as Kentucky and Alabama. Croom was the consensus Southeastern Conference
Coach of the Year, named the Grant Teaff National Coach of the Year by
the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the American Football Coaches
Association Region 2 Coach of the Year and finalist for the Paul Bear
Bryant Coach of the Year Award. Croom had several players who likewise
reaped high honors during the winning season.
Magnolia Tribune
