MS Opens 2012 Legislative Session
The Mississippi Legislature begins its 2012 session Tuesday, with Republicans controlling both chambers for the first time since Reconstruction.
Philip Gunn of Clinton is on track to be elected speaker of the 122-member House, and fellow Republican Greg Snowden of Meridian is expected to be chosen to the chamber’s second-highest leadership post as speaker pro tempore.
Republican Phil Bryant of Brandon presides over the Senate in his final days as lieutenant governor. He’ll be succeeded Thursday by Republican Tate Reeves of Flowood.
Reeves is backing the GOP’s Terry Brown of Columbus as Senate president pro tempore.
Bryant will be sworn in as governor on Jan. 10.
Legislators are scheduled to meet four months, as is customary during the first year of a four-year term. Sessions the next three years will be 90 days each.
The House has 32 new members and the 52-member Senate has 15 new people.
The GOP holds a 21-11 majority among House freshmen and a 13-2 majority among Senate freshmen. That large incoming class, combined with the switch of Sen. Gray Tollison of Oxford to the GOP from the Democratic Party, gives Republicans a 31-21 margin in the Senate. That’s enough to pass tax and revenue bills without any Democrats.
Among the big issues that Bryant, Reeves and lawmakers have identified for the coming year are:
– Crafting a state budget challenged by tight revenues.
– Broadening the state’s charter school law.
– Examining new state restrictions on illegal immigrants.
– Considering changes to the state’s public employee pension system.
– Drawing new districts for lawmakers.
– Restricting Attorney General Jim Hood’s ability to hand out lucrative legal work.
