As the new Lt. Governor. Delbert Hosemann tried to make a list of all requests for co-authors for the Senate staff to have a record. He finally gave up and asked for a vote of those who didn’t want to be co-authors. There were no hands raised. Hosemann thanked the Senate for passing the bill, one of only a few that was discussed in this session. Senators then rose to applaud Hosemann, who led on the issue, or to themselves, for passing the bipartisan bill originally authored by Dennis DeBar Jr. (Senate Education Chair), and David Blount (Vice Chair), D-Jackson. The bill was praised by a variety of education advocates and teacher groups. Many education groups were unhappy with the $1500 increase that was granted for the 2019 session. This is not lost in all the praises. Many felt it wasn’t enough. What’s the deal? Many of the same groups and people who were unhappy with $1,500 last years are happy with $1,000 this time. New Gov. Tate Reeves stated recently that most of the criticism directed at him as lieutenant governor during his run for governor was politics as usual. It was coming from a small group outspoken teacher groups. Perhaps, but teachers seem to have more complaints. It could be as simple and straightforward as the fact that teachers will be closer to what they consider adequate by combining the $1500 received in 2019 from the Senate with the $1,000 now pending in Congress. Teachers now have the promise that there will be more. Hosemann stated that he will continue to provide increases to teachers until they are no longer forced to leave the profession for economic reasons. Reeves was facing tough competition from Attorney General Jim Hood for the governor’s seat. He promised a $4,300 multi-year increase. Hosemann stated that it was helpful to meet early with education groups to include them in the process. Hosemann stated, “I believe it was important that we do the teacher pay increase first.” It was not only one of the first bills to be voted on, but also it is being done in the first-year of a four year term. It seems that legislators often consider it important to give teacher raises in election years. In 2000, the $337 million bill was approved. This was the last time that a teacher raise was passed in the first term. Importantly, that raise, which is still the largest in state history, was so substantial that it was passed over six years, thus encompassing another election year. It was not hard to forget that it appeared at times in the four-year period that legislative and education leaders were at war. The initiative 42 proposal was defeated by Speaker Philip Gunn and Reeves, who were active in public efforts to stop it. This would have allowed the Constitution to be amended to guarantee a greater state commitment to public education. To punish school superintendents for supporting Initiative 42, legislative leaders slipped into a bill language that required school administrators to cover their continuing education. Reeves & Gunn had already proposed a new funding formula, which would not provide the same amount of money for public schools in Mississippi as the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. They also inserted funding increases for a program that allows special needs children to access public funds for private schools. Advocates believe that 2019 elections brought more education supporters. Nancy Loome, executive director at the Parents Campaign, stated that she believes the new Legislature is more open to public education. “We are very happy. Many of the new legislators campaigned for support for public schools. “Mississippi voters sent out a strong message to support candidates who support public school and there seems a real optimism among lawmakers about the future public education in Mississippi.” According to public comments Hosemann seems less passionate than Reeves about school choice. Reeves may actually be less involved as governor in passing school choice proposals than he was when he was lieutenant governor. For the moment, it seems that there is a period of good feelings in relation to public education and to the Legislature._x000D