JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – You’ve probably heard the saying, There are two things you don’t want to see being made… sausage and legislation.
As this year’s legislative session began to wind down, there was a lot of sausage making taking place in the halls of the state capitol. At the end of the day, however, the state legislature accomplished quite a bit.
· Medical Marijuana will now be available for people who are suffering from significant illnesses
· Mississippi teachers will get a well-deserved pay raise – increasing their compensation above the southeastern average – which will hopefully lead to improved teacher recruitment and retention
· The state will construct a new alcohol distribution center and move operations to a private third-party contractor
· More than $240 million was approved to go towards road and bridge repair
· Many state law enforcement officers will get much-needed pay increases
· And $1.5 billion of the $1.8 billion in American Rescue Plan Act money will soon be distributed, going towards projects that will benefit nearly every area of the state
The one item that did not happen… rolling out a new citizen led initiative process.
Mississippians deserve to have a mechanism to propose legislation when the legislature fails to act. That needs to be a top priority in 2023.
When you look back over the past few years, our state leaders have done some good work. From a very successful state lottery, to a new state flag, to the Capitol Complex Improvement District. Those are just a few reasons to be optimistic that Mississippi is headed in the right direction.
Hopefully the progress will continue, and our state will be more appealing for people and businesses who want to call the Magnolia State home.
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