Mississippi Lawmakers seem to be on a bill-passing roll as the 2022 regular session of the Legislature kicks into high gear. Here are a few of those bills, as reported by Mississippi Today’s Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison, and a regular old fellow’s take on them. That would be my take in italics!
Teacher pay raise. Both the House and Senate passed bills that would increase teacher pay by a substantial amount — one they will actually see in their paychecks — now and in the future.
Senate Bill 2444 would increase teacher pay by years of experience and level of certification. It would raise pay an average of $4,700 over two years and restructure the way teachers are paid to provide them higher salaries in the long-term.
House Bill 530 would increase all teachers’ pay by $4,000 to $6,000 a year and boost starting teachers’ pay from $37,000 a year to $43,125, above both the Southeastern and national averages.
I don’t know what changed their minds in 2022. This is not even an election year! Sure wish they had done this before my wife retired from public schools! It is about time!
Medical marijuana. The Senate passed a medical marijuana bill and the house approved it with some changes so now it is back in the Senate.
The bill, overwhelmingly passed by the Senate, would allow chronically ill Mississippians to use medical cannabis. It would replace a program approved by voters in 2020, but shot down by the state Supreme Court on a technicality.
Seems to me that since 74 percent of the state’s voters approved an initiative version of Medical Marijuana our Legislatures better agree to something, whether the governor likes it or not, or the 74 percenters are going to remember come the next election year.
Equal pay. Senate Bill 2451 and House Bill 770 would prohibit Mississippi employers from paying people of different sexes different pay for the same work. Mississippi is now the only state in the nation without an equal pay law, after Alabama passed one in 2019. Women working full time in Mississippi earn 27% less than men, far greater than the 19% gap nationwide. That gap grows worse for Black and Latina women in Mississippi, who are paid just 54 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
What? Why? How can it be possible we have not already addressed this issue and what were the handful of representatives that voted against the bill in the House thinking. Remember their names come the next election cycle too.
College financial aid. SB2695 would require state financial aid to be based primarily on need.
Isn’t that how financial aid is supposed to be distributed to begin with?
Voting. HC20 is among multiple pieces of legislation that would restore voting rights to people convicted of certain felonies once they complete their sentence.
Agree.
HC16 would move state elections, such as for governor, county offices and others, to presidential election years.
Disagree. Especially if it means some of those folks would remain in office until the presidential election cycle rolls around.
HB377 would restore voting rights to military veterans who were convicted of certain felonies.
Isn’t that the same as HC20?
HB893 would prohibit public officials from changing political parties during their term in office.
I don’t really think you can do that!
HC19 would impose term limits on legislators.
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! See HC16 above. For some of them anyway!
Dang, just getting warmed up and all out of space!
