By John Mayo

The days are starting to run together.  Yesterday was a looooong day -- at least it seemed liked it.  We cleared 80 bills off the calendar.  Only a few stand out.

One was eminent domain.  There are no real checks on taking your land for economic development for private purposes. 

Over the last several years we have attempted to just block any take over for economic development purposes.  Various entities, including the governor and economic developers throughout the state, have opposed these efforts. 

Yesterday we passed a bill that puts strict restrictions on such a move.  It is House Bill 918.

We passed another HB 704 that would make it easier to obtain income information for gaining back child support from deadbeat parents.

We still have well over 125 bills on today's calendar, including 81 we have not seen before, and 40 held on a motion to reconsider or laid on the table subject to call.

Two education bills will come up.  I will attempt to redeem myself for something I did in a subcommittee meeting.  I believe I mentioned it before. 

In subcommittee we had a bill to allow school boards to furlough teachers for up to three days in a school year.  Those three days would be three of the seven in-service days teachers have. 

I killed that bill, arguing that teachers should be treated like state employees and if state employees cannot be furloughed, either should teachers.

WELLLLLL, a couple days later, I was told that state employees can be furloughed.  So I will try to amend one of two bills dealing with the current economic disaster to allow that to happen.  Furloughing three days is better than laying teachers off, I hope you would agree.

There is a lot of talk on the senate side about a charter school bill which passed.  We (House education committee) will probably have a hearing on it next week when we

take up senate bills. 

I had my own charter school bill in.  My bill would address converting schools either failing or in danger of failing to a charter school.  The initiative to do that would rest in the Mississippi Department of Education and not a local citizens group. 

The bill would allow the department to contract with a regionally or nationally recognized entity that has a history of turning schools around and maintaining a high level of performance over the long term.

All students in the failing school would be the first to have the opportunity to enroll in the charter school.  Also, no person who has been on the board or an administrator of a private school would be allowed to participate in the governing board or administration of the charter school. 

The managing entity would be required to sign a contract with the Department for performance levels and financial accountability.  The local school board would have nothing to do with the operation of the charter school.

If the senate bill does not have these provisions, I will attempt to amend the bill in committee.

By the way, my soda tax bill has gotten a number as did a bill to exempt exercise equipment from sales tax when purchased for home use.  The numbers are HB 1606 and 1602 respectively.  I also have one more to exempt from sales tax fresh fruits and vegetables and canned and frozen ones if a caloric value has not been added.

To see any bill, go to www.billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ and click on "Bill Status" or enter the number in the dialogue box where it says "Quick Look Up."

John

(John Mayo represents DeSoto County in the Mississippi House of Representatives)