Legislative Update 13

April 14, 2008

Dear Friends,

As we enter the last week of this legislative session I want to thank you for your interest in the process and helpful advice. Please continue to call or write with your comments and questions.

Veto Override Fails

Last week, the Governor vetoed the “Children’s Product Safety Act of 2008.” The bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate and with only 3 dissenting votes in the House, would require the Attorney General’s office to maintain a list of children’s products deemed “unsafe.” The Attorney General would be required to provide this list to the general public at no cost. Violators of this act would be prosecuted under the existing Mississippi Consumer Protection Act.

As many of you know, millions of contaminated toys entered the stream of commerce in our country last year. Mattel alone recalled 1.5 million toys with 110,00 parts per million of lead content (twice the amount allowable in house paint 30 years ago). In our house, Laurie and I have a high shelf where we keep all the toys given to our daughter Ellen that are later recalled. The shelf is becoming crowded and contains such toys as a plastic Winnie the Pooh, a Mattel farmer and a little horse that was one her favorites a year ago.

A recent article in U.S.A. Today noted that lead poisoning has been linked to learning disabilities, brain damage and even death. Each year 400,000 new cases of lead poisoning are reported among American children.

Our state needs this legislation because the agency charged with protecting our children from poisonous toys at the federal level, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is underfunded, inadequately staffed and, frankly, too cozy with the industries it is supposed to regulate. An example of the CPSC’s ineptitude is their standard for lead content in toys. Current federal regulations allow 600 parts per million of lead in toys even though the American Pediatrics Association has repeatedly said that no parts per million is the only safe number.

Our Governor has a well deserved reputation as a friend of business and economic development. However, his political and legal calculus on this issue was incorrect. While our effort to override the Governor’s veto fell short by 8 votes, this is not the last time you will see legislation aimed at protecting our children from poisonous toys.

House Bill 520

The Associated Press and Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal are among the media outlets that have provided coverage of the dust up surrounding House Bill 520 (HB 520), a bill that has been dubbed the “abortion bill” of the 2008 legislative session.

HB 520, in its original form, was intended to punish individuals who would make false reports of neglected or abused children. When the bill was submitted to the Mississippi Senate for its approval, the Senate added an eight (8) page amendment which would criminalize health care practitioners, members of the clergy, school employees, police officers and photograph processors who fail to report instances of sexual abuse.

When the amended bill was presented in the House, Judiciary B Chairman Willie Bailey asked that the bill be sent to conference so that it could be studied in greater detail and possibly amended. I supported this motion because I wanted to see ministers and doctors taken out of the bill. However, when this motion failed, I voted to concur with the bill despite my objections. Now the bill is being held on a motion to reconsider.

In responding to this bill and its attendant reports, let me say that I, like many members of the Mississippi Legislature, oppose abortion and want to see a reduction in the instances of false reporting of child abuse. While I am proudly pro-life, I have serious reservations about any bill that would place criminal penalties on ministers and doctors who keep their private consultations with pregnant young girls confidential.

As I have said on the floor of the House, I question the sincerity of people who claim to be pro-life but would discourage young women who become pregnant from having conversations with their doctors, ministers, teachers and police officers. The so-called “abortion bill” before the Mississippi Legislature does just that. If we truly care about the decisions young pregnant women make, don’t we want them to talk to the people who are most likely to provide them with sound advice?

As with any issue before the legislature, I would encourage concerned citizens to go online, read the bill and draw your own conclusions. If you do this, I suspect you’ll see this issue for what it is—a political ploy by disingenuous politicians. Certainly, an issue as serious as abortion deserves more.

“Sunshine” Legislation

I want to thank those of you who have voiced your support of legislation that would bring more “sunshine” to the process of state legal contracts.

I strongly believe that Mississippians have a right to know about the private attorneys who do work on behalf of the state. That’s why I support a “sunshine” plan that would require 1) contracts for legal services to be kept on file with the Secretary of State and 2) attorneys to maintain open and available records relating to legal services provided.

I voted for an amended version of SB 2188 when it was presented in the House and will vote for it again if given the opportunity.

My belief in government transparency also led me to co-author the Mississippi Taxpayer Transparency Act, a bill that would require the state to create and maintain a website that would make government contracts, subcontracts, grants and bonds available for public review. I’m proud to report that the language in this bill was amended into House Bill 101, passed both chambers and is on its way to the Governor.

Brett Favre

Last week, we honored Kiln native Brett Favre with a resolution for his long career in pro football. The former Southern Miss star recently retired from the Green Bay Packers.

Final Week

In this final week, our work will be dedicated to hammering out a budget, funding Medicaid and addressing remaining general bills. In next week’s update, I will try to summarize the highs and lows of the 2008 session.

House Webcasting

Don’t forget that you can follow floor debates by going to www.mpbonline.org and clicking on “House video.”

How to Contact Me

If you have any questions or concerns, I invite you to call me on my cell phone at 228-326-7649 or e-mail me at bjones@house.ms.gov. Please feel free to forward this report to folks in our district and let me know if I need to add someone to my list.

I will also be posting my updates and House related news on my campaign website at www.electbrandonjones.com.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Brandon