MHA's Legislative Liaison

Session ends without solution on redistricting

Lawmakers voted to go home and to end the session without any agreement on the House and Senate  redistricting maps for elections.

Some Democrats in the Senate pushed for another vote on a new Concurrent Resolution approved by the House the day before, but the Republican leadership would not allow it.

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Newly mapped strategy knocked

Lawmakers recently took a break from arguing the benefits of their Senate and House proposed redistricting maps, and chose instead to debate the new vehicle in which those maps were being brought up for discussion.

Mississippi 's Constitution mandates that the new district maps must be done through a "joint resolution," a process that has been delayed. In an attempt to force a vote in the Senate, the House breathed new life to the maps recently by attaching them to a "Senate concurrent resolution" vehicle.

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Legislators approve $5.5B state budget

With a compromise on a $5.5-billion state budget, Mississippi lawmakers will be have their hands full over the next few days working out details on budget-tied bills that are set to move. The budget agreement came after Gov. Haley Barbour urged lawmakers to complete work before the regular session’s end, which was set for Saturday.

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Deal OK'd on $5.5B budget

State House and Senate budget negotiators reached a deal late Wednesday night, ending days of contentious talks. Lamakers emerged from the talks to greet many lobbyists and agency heads to report on the roughly $5.5 billion budget deal.

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Mississippi redistricting suit moved to new judge

A federal judge removed himself from the Mississippi legislative redistricting lawsuit, and the case has been reassigned to a new judge.  U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan  removed himself from the case because he learned that one of his relatives intends to run for the Legislature.The case was moved to U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, who was confirmed to the bench in December.

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Gov. Haley Barbour gives legislators a revised Executive Budget Recommendation for FY 2012

Governor Haley Barbour recently gave legislators a revised Executive Budget Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2012.  His budget would spend $5.447 billion in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

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