Behind Barbour's Prison RhetoricTo hear Gov. Haley Barbour tell it, if he doesn't get his way, the state's fiscal crisis could force thousands of felons out of jail and into communities. Since his Jan. 13 State of the State address, Barbour has repeatedly …
‘Personhood' Petition FiledPersonhood Mississippi, an anti-abortion organization led by Les Riley of Pontotoc, has filed a petition with the secretary of state's office to put the issue of when life begins on a ballot for voters to decide, reports WXVT. The organization's …
Hinds Pushes Bonds for Sleep Inn, Valley TitleHinds County Supervisors approved using federal stimulus bonds for two private development projects today. Supervisors approved a motion to provide $2 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds to the Jackson-based LEAD Group, LLC, which is constructing a Sleep Inn on …
House Tries Budget Restoration, AgainThe Mississippi House of Representatives has sent the Senate a second proposal to restore some state budget cuts, while negotiators attempt to reach a compromise on an earlier proposal. The House plan passed by a wide margin Thursday morning, and …
Speed to Turn Over Property, Calls Ethics Issue ‘Moot'Jackson businessman and Levee Board member Leland Speed is donating a portion of the property that spurred charges of an ethics violation to Mississippi College. Speed told the Jackson Free Press this morning that he is donating his interest in …
Pearl River-Related BillsLegislators introduced a number of bills during this year's legislative session that would have had some bearing on Pearl River flood control, although a few of the measures are dead.
Barbour Announces $21 Million More in Budget CutsGov. Haley Barbour announced another round of state budget cuts totalling $21 million today. Today's cuts, which represent roughly 0.5 percent of the state budget, bring total cuts for the 2010 fiscal year to $458.5 million. The governor warned that …
Barbour Delays Further Budget CutsGov. Haley Barbour canceled a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. this morning at which he was expected to announce additional state budget cuts for this fiscal year. A press release confirming the cancellation said that Barbour "continues to analyze …
The War on ‘Sudafed' GrowsThe Mississippi Senate passed a bill Tuesday requiring drugs containing pseudoephedrine be sold by prescription only. The bill is a sister bill to House Bill 512, a constitutional amendment authored by Rep. Ed Blackmon, D-Canton, which also targets a common …
Legislature Week 4: Money and MethThe House and Senate were up against deadline yesterday for committees to either approve or reject proposed bills. The next deadline is a Feb. 11 end-date for the House and Senate to act on bills that survived committees. But the …
No Lottery This YearA bill paving the way for a state-run lottery to support education died in committee this week, despite growing popularity. House Gaming Committee Chairman Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, held the last Gaming Committee meeting on Monday without taking up House …
A Lottery for Mississippi?State Rep. Alyce Clarke, D-Jackson, has introduced a bill allowing voters to decide whether the Magnolia state will institute a lottery to help pay for college scholarships, reports WAPT. The House Gaming Committee will debate the bill, HR 337, today.
PSC Asked to Remove Attorney in Kemper County Coal Plant CaseThe Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club filed a motion Friday (PDF, 70k) to remove a Mississippi Public Service Commission attorney connected with the second-phase hearing on the workability of a proposed coal plant in Kemper County because her father …
Budget Woes Overshadow City's Needs at Low-Turnout ConfabState budget woes cast a pall over the Jackson Convention Center yesterday, when city leaders solicited the support of state lawmakers over lunch. Hosted by the city's state legislative delegation and featuring a presentation by Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben …