2016: February 8th-12th
*Each day's House Business is provided in the hyperlinks below.
Monday, February 8 th
I meet up early with my nephews Andrew and TJ, and headed down with them to Jackson. I got them checked in with the Page Station. I picked up the last of my bills. I had been waiting for over a month, and
got them back the afternoon they were due. They had asked me if I wanted to just have them drop the Bills for me, which I told them no. After reading them, I was very glad I did. One of them titled “Birth Gender Privacy Act” was established to protect the gender privacy rights of the majority over the subjective decision, and often abuse, seen as a result of an individual claiming they feel like something other than their birth and biological sex. At what point does a person’s feelings trump the rights and liberties of others? This bill hoped to accomplish some protection in this area. You can read it here: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2016/pdf/HB/1200-1299/HB1258IN.pdf The Bill I received back somehow was messed up completely when handed off to another lawyer. It basically wrote pro Transgender legislation that would trump the rights of the majority.
Whew! Glad I caught it. One of the other bills needed some minor corrections. Headed to a Performance Based Committee meeting at 2. Afterwards, I went down to Legislative Services to express my concerns with the Bills, and see if they could make immediate corrections. We gaveled in at 4, and after adjournment went to my office to work. Afterward, I went back to Legislative Services to go over the original intent of bill, they got right on it. I picked up my nephews when their duties were finished, and we all went to the Mississippi Manufacturers Association for a bill signing party. Anyone who wanted could go to this event, share their bills with the group, and look for co sponsors. Afterwards, we headed back to the Capitol and dropped our bills before the deadline.
Tuesday, February 9th
Got up early, got my nephews to check in as pages, then headed off to the Legislative Bible Study. Off to an Agriculture Committee meeting at 9am, Youth and Family Affairs at 11am, Caucus meeting at 12pm. Headed to Insurance at 1pm, when it broke ran to Public Health. Gaveled in at 2, took care of business, and then headed Banking and Financial Services after adjournment.
Here are a list of bills that I either authored or co sponsored:
Wednesday, February 10th
Energy Committee meeting at 8:30 am. Went to lunch with my nephews at the capitol grill at noon. Neat
fact about the Capitol Grill, it is a very cool space that once was used as a horse stable. After lunch, we then went around to watch some of the animal rights folks protest, and got into an intense discussion with another guy that was there promoting Veganism. He gave us a lively debate on the rights of all living creatures. Gaveled in at 2. Had some lively debate about an Insurance Bill in the House: HB 93 dealing with assignment of benefits. Had a Constitution Committee meeting after we adjourned.
Thursday, February 11th
Met and spoke with the Desoto Economic Council who were down from Desoto County. Watched the Senate debate on SB 2438 regarding the appointment of all School Superintendents after January 1, 2019. This issue will prove to be a very hotly debated one this session. It passed the senate. Public Health and Human Services Committee at 1pm. The majority of my bills were assigned today. Spend the afternoon working on letters to committee chairs and vice chairs explaining my bills and asking for an audience to pitch and answer any questions they might have. Gaveled in at 2pm, adjourned after business until 4pm on Monday. My wife and son came down to stay the weekend and go to the dixie nationals parade and rodeo on Saturday. This evening, I got word that my Gender Privacy Act Bill was dead before it ever got started, and that no pitch would save it. I was pretty discouraged about it the whole evening.
