We are approaching the final days of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session. This week included a March 21 deadline for each chamber to concur or not concur on amendments from the opposite chamber for general bills and constitutional amendments, along with a March 25 deadline to introduce local and private bills that are not revenue related. Conference weekend begins tomorrow where many legislative bills will be discussed and negotiated between three conferees from the Senate and three from the House of Representatives. Tomorrow is also the deadline for conference reports to be filed on appropriations and revenue bills. Monday, March 28 will be the deadline for each chamber to approve appropriations and revenue conference reports and for conference reports on general bills and constitutional amendments to be filed.
On Tuesday, the House adopted the conference report of House Bill 530, also known as the Strategically Accelerating the Recruitment and Retention of Teachers (START) Act. House Education Committee Chairman Representative Richard Bennett (R-Long Beach) presented the conference report which represents the largest teacher pay raise in state history. The average teacher will receive a $5,140 increase with teacher assistant pay increasing by $2,000. The bill now awaits Governor Tate Reeves’ signature. Upon his signature, the bill would be fully implemented during the 2022-2023 school year.
This week, elimination of Mississippi’s personal income tax continued in the news and at the Capitol. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Philip Gunn (R-Clinton) held a news conference in the Capitol to report that the House was offering another version of the phase out plan to accommodate any Senate concerns. Gunn indicated the state had substantial revenue and feels now is the time to cut taxes. He emphasized the new approach would include a repealer provision, which would require the Legislature to reinstate the tax cut after six years. In a late Thursday news conference, Gov. Reeves reiterated his strong support for eliminating the personal income tax and discussed his plan, which would phase out the tax over seven years.
The debate between the two chambers on the income tax phase out has dominated matters in both chambers this legislative session and will likely dictate how the 2022 Regular Session is concluded. Speaker Gunn said on Wednesday that he would support spending Covid-related relief funds in this Session. He was non-committal on spending the approximately $2 billion relative to the state’s revenue surplus. Regarding an income tax elimination, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann maintained his position that the Senate has the better and “more conservative” plan.
On Thursday, the House unanimously passed HB 1769, authored by Rep. Jason White (R-West). This bill would prohibit the transfer of property to any person, nongovernmental entity, public-private partnership or corporation that was acquired by eminent domain for ten years after its acquisition. After passage, the bill was immediately released and transmitted to the Senate for their consideration.
The Senate is seeking to revive a legislative bill that would have extended Medicaid postpartum coverage up to a full year. Senate Concurrent Resolution 588 was introduced this week, and if approved, would suspend the rules for reconsideration of the original bill, Senate Bill 2033. Suspension of the rules would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Senate Bill 2033, authored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R-Southaven), died on the floor calendar earlier this month in the House.
On Tuesday morning, former governor Phil Bryant and his wife, Deborah, had their official portraits unveiled on the second floor of the Mississippi State Capitol. Gov. Bryant served as governor from 2012-2020, as lieutenant governor from 2008-2012 and as state auditor from 1996-2008. Several guests were in attendance, including many legislators. The ceremony was conducted by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.