Legislative Update 44

January 24, 2009

Dear Friends,

I hope you will indulge a personal note before I review activity in the House of Representatives.

The most difficult aspect of service in the Mississippi Legislature has been the days and nights spent away from family. Leaving my two year old (she’ll be three on Wednesday) and pregnant wife each Monday morning has been, far and away, the worst part of my week for the past year. That’s why it was a tremendous boost to have Laurie, Ellen, and my mom in Jackson this past week. Just as I expected, leaving the Capitol each day to spend time with family gave me a tremendous lift.

I mention this in an effort to give some credit to my family, who has allowed me to miss many important moments so that I could represent our district, and also because this week has reminded me how important it is to spend time with the people we love. While the steep economic downturn has put a tremendous burden on both our personal and state budgets, we can all still spend time catching up with our families free of charge. Perhaps taking seriously the importance of investing in the lives of our family members can help lessen the public burden our children could pose in the years to come. At any rate, that’s a little of what I’ve been thinking about this past week.

Education Funding

Since the session began, the House of Representatives has worked to restore education funding at two levels impacted by recent cuts. First, the House, by a vote of 87 to 34, passed an appropriation bill that would restore $17.2 million to our state universities and colleges, community colleges, and junior colleges. Second, the House, by a vote of 82 to 37, passed an appropriation bill that would restore $68 million to our public school districts.

I recognize that these tough economic times have necessitated unpleasant cuts to our state’s budget. I do not believe, however, that we improve our long term economic prospects by taking money away from our cash strapped schools. The recent education cuts have made it more likely that our state college students will be faced with higher tuition costs and that many of our K through 12 schools will be well into the red before spring exams.

I do not want it be said that Mississippi panicked during a time of national financial crisis and short changed our young people. While our investment portfolios reflect that now may not be the best time to put money in the stock market, it is, as always, a good time to invest in our children. That is why I co-sponsored the bill restoring funds to our state’s public schools and will continue to look for ways to find funding for all levels of education.

Healthcare

In addition to passing measures that would restore education funding, the House has passed three important bills impacting healthcare in Mississippi. First, the House approved a bill to provide free transportation for several hundred kidney dialysis patients. If not approved, funding for this important program will run out early next month. Second, the House approved a bill that would raise the cigarette tax to $1, a measure endorsed by nearly every healthcare provider in the state. Finally, the House passed a bill reauthorizing the state’s Medicaid program.

While each of these measures will require approval by the Senate, and will almost surely need changes before they reach the Governor’s desk, I am glad that the House has prioritized education and healthcare. As always, I will be interested to hear what you think.

House Web casting

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