/The 2022 legislative session wasn’t pretty, but it was historic

The 2022 legislative session wasn’t pretty, but it was historic

According to the article, the session would be “a donnybrook” due to the fact that lawmakers have an additional $4.2 billion and Republican House and Senate leaders as well as the governor having difficulty agreeing on major issues. It said that the 174-member, citizen Legislature would have to work hard to reach an agreement on extra spending. It also has to deal with a number of other major issues, such as redistricting and income tax cuts, elimination, medical marijuana, teacher pay, and banning certain things about race not taught in Mississippi schools. Gunn spoke Tuesday night at a press conference that ended after the session’s end. “We addressed every item on this list.” Gunn stated that the House passed a ballot initiative to reinstate voters’ rights to vote. The session was a mess of bitter political fighting, standoffs and fear between the Senate and House Republican leadership. To pass a budget, lawmakers had to extend the session for a week. A few issues remained on the cutting room floor, including the ballot initiative and the Senate push to expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers to combat Mississippi’s high infant death rate. Although it was not pretty and didn’t go smoothly, many were disappointed or mad at the final results. However, lawmakers accomplished unprecedented amounts of work, spending, and policy change between January 4 and April 5. READ MORE: Mississippi Today has full coverage of the 2022 legislative sessions. Although Gunn and the Lt. Governor were often at odds, and sometimes took subtle jabs at one another throughout the session, Gunn and the Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, the Senate’s leader, said that session was productive at its conclusion. Hosemann stated that they addressed all issues, from medical marijuana to funding teachers (pay rise), which was sorely needed for so many years. “… This year’s Mississippi Legislature has passed the largest infrastructure bill ever in the state,” Hosemann stated. “There are many historical things to look back at.” READ MORE. Mississippi legislators pass the largest teacher raise in Mississippi history. READ MORE. Mississippi legislators pass the biggest tax cut in Mississippi’s history. This session Tate Reeves was largely a nonentity, with the exception of threatening to veto the early medical marijuana plans and occasionally taking a political jab at his fellow Republican legislators in the tax cut battle. On Tuesday, Tate Reeves signed a tax reduction bill into law. He praised the work of lawmakers, even though he had vowed to eliminate state income taxes. Reeves stated, “This is an enormous victory and will have a tremendous effect on the average Mississippian as well as a tremendous influence on our state’s economy for many years to come.” The 2022 Legislature passed the state’s largest teacher raise and income tax cut in history. It finally created a medical marijuana program after years of failures. It was finally able to draw new congressional districts after decades of failure. Due to Congress’ COVID-19 stimulus largesse, which directly and indirectly filled state coffers, the 2022 Legislature spent more money than any other state legislature. It had a state budget of $7 billion plus billions in federal funds. READ MORE – Governor and other Mississippi officials are set to get large pay raises READ ALSO: Speaker Philip Gunn reduces his income tax elimination plan. Lawmakers using federal American Rescue Plan Act money provide $750 million in matching funds and grants to cities, counties, and rural water associations to improve antiquated water, sewer, and infrastructure. The 2022 session began with haggling over medical cannabis. The rest of the session was dominated by a standoff over tax cuts. Gunn demanded that the personal income tax be abolished, while Hosemann insisted on more moderate cuts in uncertain economic times. Negotiations on other measures, including on setting a budget or spending federal pandemic funds, were halted or stalled by the tax standoff. Hosemann complained that House leaders wouldn’t agree to the budget until tax negotiations were completed near the end. This caused delays and forced the extension of the session. Rank-and file lawmakers complained that the hasty work at its end made it impossible for them to approve a lot of spending and policy decisions made by leaders without much input. READ MORE: County and cities urge lawmakers to approve federal stimulus spending in the face of a tax cut standoff. But, at the end, Gunn as well Hosemann minimized the tense GOP political battles that had dominated the session. Hosemann stated that there will be disagreements. “We have 172 (sic) people in this Legislature and on any given days they have 200 opinions.” READ MORE. Mississippi Legislature passes equal pay legislation. Advocates call it terrible