The Mississippi Supreme Court is currently hearing a lawsuit about whether Governor. The partial vetoes by Tate Reeves for $6 million to fund the program to address health disparities due to COVID-19, and $2 million to reopen North Oak Regional Medical Center (Senatobia) are constitutional. The law passed this summer required that funds be used by Dec. 15, or the money would go to the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund. This year, the fund was depleted by the record number people who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 epidemic. In August, House leaders filed a lawsuit challenging Reeves’ constitutionality. This is one of many occasions in 2020 where Republican legislative leaders have clashed against the Republican governor. They claim past court rulings have significantly limited a governor’s partial power to veto and that Reeves’ actions were in violation of that authority. READ MORE: Speaker Philip Gunn files lawsuit against Gov. Tate Reeves’ vetoes are ‘unfortunate, but necessary. Reeves’ actions, regardless of how courts rule on the legislation, seemed to be preventing funding for these programs. However, Rep. Robert Johnson (D-Natchez), the House minority leader, and a leading advocate for funding the program to address health care disparities, stated that he believes the money can still be spent if it is ruled by the Supreme Court quickly. He stated that if the Supreme Court decides the partial vetoes are not appropriate, the law will go into effect immediately and Federally Qualified Health Centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers), could distribute the money. Some of the Federally Qualified Health Centers located in the state are running the program to provide health care for those who need it. Johnson stated that he is confident the centers will meet the Dec. 15, deadline by hiring staff and putting in the program. The hospital closed last week and funding was only available if an agreement was in place by October 1st to reopen it. Trey Lamar (Republican from Senatobia) says that an agreement was reached in September to allow a group of people to reopen North Oak Regional Medical Center. However, the current reopening is contingent on Reeves receiving $2 million in state funds. Lamar stated that if the Supreme Court declares the partial vetoes unconstitutional, the money can be transferred into Tate County for use by the hospital. “Obviously timing is becoming an issue.” Lamar added. The $91 million allocated to the Department of Health for the hospital and the health care disparities program was to be used by hospitals across the state as well as other health care providers in the fight against the coronavirus. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) provided the money. READ MORE: Gov. Tate Reeves rejects the education budget, criminal justice reforms and COVID-19 spending. Federal legislation stipulates that the state must spend the funds by December 30 on projects to fight the pandemic. Lamar argued that the hospital could still receive the funds at this late date, as reopening the hospital in the event of a pandemic is more expensive. Therefore, the money would go to COVID-19-related costs. Last month, oral arguments were heard by the Supreme Court in the case. Chief Justice Michael Randolph stated that he understood the urgency of the state’s highest court acting as soon as possible. Randolph stated at the conclusion of oral arguments that he would render a decision in due course. He acknowledged that you requested that due course be expedited and that he would make every effort to do so. These are difficult decisions. “These are difficult decisions. They claim that the Legislature was not present in other cases where the Supreme Court ruled that governors’ partial-vetoes were inappropriate. READ MORE: Supreme Court justices failed to provide certain facts during oral arguments regarding the governor’s partial-veto. The truth is that the Legislature was still in session when Ronnie Musgrove vetoed a portion of the budget for Department of Corrections. Ronnie Musgrove vetoed money that was to be used for private prisons in a portion of the Department of Corrections budget. In one of three landmark decisions on the partial-veto issue, the Supreme Court ruled that the partial veto was unconstitutional. According to the Senate Journal and the news articles, Musgrove issued the partial-veto on April 9. According to the Senate Journal and House Journal, the Legislature didn’t end its session before April 12. Bentley claims that the language in the Senate Journal placed above the partial Veto but offset with bars from it, indicates that the Legislature closed the session for the year (sine-die) prior to the partial Veto. People familiar with the compilation said that the language was a mistake. It is because both the Senate and House journals clearly show that both chambers were present on April 12. A resolution passed by the Legislators earlier in April required them to return on April 12 for any gubernatorial vote. On April 12, the Legislature overrode two Musgrove partial vetoes. Supreme Court Justice Bobby Chamberlin (then a state senator) voted with the majority to override governor. Both chambers debated multiple issues on that day, but they did not vote to override Musgrove partial Vetoes. The journals indicate that the journals do not reflect their validity. Even the opening prayers of April 12 are recorded in the journals. The Senate and House journals reflect that the 2002 legislative session ended at 5 p.m., April 12. The 2002 legislative session ended sine die at 5 p.m. on April 12.