Mississippi Legislature files over 2,000 bills by Tuesday deadline. See what they are

Just short of two months into the 2024 legislative session as of Tuesday morning, Mississippi legislators had filed 2,085 pieces of legislation, including bills and constitutional amendments looking to reform, add to, repeal or create state laws.

Earlier this year, Republican and Democratic leadership set several priorities for the new session, including making changes to the Public Employment Retirement System of Mississippi, increasing workforce development and labor participation, expanding health insurance coverage to the working poor and possibly changing the funding formula for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

The deadline for lawmakers to file bills with the Senate and House was Midnight Tuesday morning.

State retirement system

Earlier this year, Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann spoke publicly about his support to reform the state’s public retirement system, which is currently $25 billion in debt, and serves 118,301 retirees.

As of Tuesday morning, about 20 bills had been uploaded onto the Legislature’s website, but none sought to change the funding formula.

Of the proposed laws several would establish the ability for current members to receive early benefits five years before retirement, and others would give county and city attorneys, as well as bus drivers for public schools the chance to join PERS as members and eventually receive benefits.

Several other bills would also take away retirement benefits from those convicted of felonies until terms of their sentences are carried out.

Workforce development

Earlier this year as the Legislature voted to approve $12.5 billion in private investment projects in Marshall and Madison counties, Republican leadership set a high priority to continue improving the state’s workforce development in K-12 schools, as well as in community colleges.

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About 45 bills have been sent to the House and Senate’s Workforce Development Committee, focusing on a range of topics to possibly increase workforce participation and development.

More than five bills that were filed would increase the state’s minimum wage to between $10 and $15 per hour. Others would establish income tax credits for employers to hire previously incarcerated people.

One bill would encourage people to pursue-college level nursing programs by providing unspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to students' cost of attendance. A program also was proposed that would start a retention and recruitment effort for paramedics in the state.

Earlier this year, State Health Officer Daniel Edney told lawmakers said a shortage of paramedics and ambulance workers exists throughout the state.

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Another bill would also establish a ban on employers using criminal history as a barrier to hiring prospective employees to encourage ex-cons to stay in the state upon release.

Other bills filed would establish financial aid toward parents with small children who have chosen to stay in the workforce.

Medicaid expansion

As late as January, both House Speaker Jason White and Hosemann publicly announced support for expanding health insurance coverage through the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to the working poor of the state, which could give upwards of 250,000 people the chance to have health insurance.

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The House has also passed a bill to establish prenatal care for pregnant women, which would, if passed by the Senate, give women assumed eligibility for Medicaid and let them have those insurance benefits for 60 days while their application MDM is processed.

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According to MDM, those who receive full coverage must make no more than between 135% and 250% of the state’s poverty rate, depending on the coverage sought. According to the Hope Policy Institute, the state's poverty rate is $24,000 for a family of four and $19,000 for an individual.

As of Tuesday, more than 40 bills had been filed into both the Senate and House, seeking to expand, restrict or add services on the state’s Medicaid program.

About seven of those bills would directly expand the state’s program using federal dollars to anyone that is eligible.

Another one, House Bill 379, would establish a ballot initiative through the Legislature to federally expand MDM.

Other bills would also establish Medicaid benefits to people who are incarcerated needing specialized treatment.

As of Monday, the Senate introduced a bill to expand Medicaid coverage in the state, but it would only cover working adults who would otherwise already be eligible based on the federal poverty rate. If passed, it could establish health insurance coverage for about 300,000 people in Mississippi who currently do not have it.

Education funding formula

House Education Chair Rob Roberson, R-Oktibbeha, told the Clarion Ledger earlier this month he intends to bring forward a bill to completely redo the current funding formula, which was established in 1997. His bill was not filed as of noon Tuesday.

The formula as it stands allows for school districts to pay up to 27% of the overall cost of providing education to students and is calculated based on operating costs and attendance, among other things.

Two of those bills would increase the student-base cost of attendance for at-risk students, and two others seek to open conversations about completely reforming the formula.

House Speaker Jason white has also spoken publicly about his desire to reform the funding formula.

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Disclosure: As of Tuesday afternoon, 2,085 bills had been filed into the Legislature’s website, but that number could dramatically rise as Senate and House Clerk’s Offices continue uploading bills in the coming days.

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS legislature files 2,000 bills by Tuesday deadline