Mississippi News
5 reasons lawmakers might not want to restore the ballot initiative
5 reasons lawmakers might not want to restore the ballot initiative
Mississippi is the only state in the modern era to rescind its initiative process that allowed voters to bypass the Legislature and place issues directly on the ballot.
In 2021 the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the signature-gathering process as spelled out in the Constitution to place issues on the ballot. The ruling resulted in a medical marijuana initiative approved by voters in November 2020 and the entire initiative process being found to be invalid.
The Legislature could not agree during the 2022 session on language to revive the initiative process.
If the Legislature did restore the initiative, there would be at least five issues that could be the subject of initiative efforts. Those five issues, all opposed by many of the state‘s political leaders, might be the reason legislators are reluctant to revive the initiative.
Those five initiatives would:
- Expand Medicaid.
- Allow early voting.
- Approve recreational marijuana.
- Restore abortion rights.
- Allow people convicted of felonies to regain their voting rights at some point after they complete their sentence.
No doubt, there are other issues that most likely would be the subject of initiative efforts if the process was restored. Generally, initiatives are undertaken when legislators refuse to act on issues, such as on medical marijuana recently and on voter identification in 2011.
Medical marijuana was being rejected by the Legislature as a whole. In 2011, one chamber of the Legislature โ the Democratic-controlled House โ was blocking the enactment of a voter ID requirement.
Just like with medical marijuana and voter ID, the five issues cited above are currently being blocked by key legislators.
Medicaid expansion
Mississippi is one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid to provide health insurance for primarily the working poor. The two biggest obstacles to Medicaid expansion have been House Speaker Philip Gunn and Gov. Tate Reeves, who argue the state cannot afford to cover Mississippi’s share of the costs. Various studies have concluded that the expansion would actually be a boon to state coffers since the federal government would pay the bulk of the costs.
Various diverse groups ranging from the Mississippi Hospital Association to the Delta Council have endorsed expansion.
Early voting
Despite the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump and many of his supporters bemoaning the evils of early voting, 46 states allow no excuse early voting and 27 permit voting by mail. And most states were allowing the various forms of early voting long before the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
And truth be known, early voting has long been popular. Still, Reeves and other Mississippi politicians proudly proclaim they will block any effort to place Mississippi within the mainstream of states by enacting no excuse early voting.
Recreational marijuana
Like with early voting and Medicaid expansion, there was a recreational marijuana initiative being considered when the Mississippi Supreme Court shut down the initiative process.
And granted, it might be a long shot that Mississippi voters would approve recreational marijuana. But marijuana supporters in Arkansas garnered significantly more signatures than needed to place the issue on the November ballot.
If Arkansans approve or come close to approving recreational marijuana in November, that could be a sign that Mississippians also are willing to consider the issue.
Felony suffrage
Mississippi is one of a few states (less than 10) that do not restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies at some point after they complete their sentence. The felony suffrage provision was incorporated into the 1890 Constitution by those attempting to prevent African Americans from voting.
Voters in Florida recently voted via ballot initiative to restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies.
Abortion rights
Granted, it has long been perceived that Mississippians as a whole are staunchly anti-abortion. But after the June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Mississippi decision โ Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization โ overturning Roe v. Wade and rescinding a national right to an abortion, there has been a hue and cry by some to let Mississippians vote on the issue. After all, people who support abortion rights figure they have nothing to lose since existing Mississippi laws ban most abortions.
And there are a few reasons to give abortion rights supporters hope. For instance, in Kansas, a conservative state like Mississippi, voters recently rejected an anti-abortion proposal at the ballot box.
In addition, when Mississippians voted on abortion in 2011, they overwhelmingly defeated the โPersonhoodโ initiative that defined life as beginning at conception. Plus, recent polling indicates that a vote on abortion in Mississippi might be close.
But unless the Legislature restores the initiative, we may never know how Mississippians feel about these issues and others.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo
SUMMARY: In Tupelo, Mississippi, 19-year-old Joshua James and a juvenile face charges related to a police pursuit and the theft of a police car. James is charged with Directing a Felony to Be Committed by a Person Under Seventeen, Grand Larceny, and Felony Fleeing, with a bond set at $100,000. The incident began on November 1 when police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle. After a chase that ended when the stolen truck crashed south of Verona, James was apprehended, while his juvenile passenger fled in a police car, which was later found wrecked. The juvenile’s case will be handled in Youth Court.
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The post Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas
SUMMARY: The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has secured funding to construct storm shelters in Crawford, Artesia, and Plum Grove, areas lacking local shelter during severe weather. Each community will receive four FEMA-funded shelters, accommodating up to 20 people each, on government property at a total cost of $103,692, with FEMA contributing $93,000. The supervisors anticipate these shelters will significantly enhance safety for residents during storms. Vice President Jeff Smith highlighted their importance, expressing relief for community members who have long awaited a secure refuge. While installation timelines remain unclear, the project is expected to proceed soon.
The post Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, donโt vote’
SUMMARY: David “Dave” Elliott, a local news anchor for WLOX in Biloxi for nearly 40 years, was fired after expressing political views on social media. He revealed on Facebook that his termination was due to his political opinions, specifically mentioning a video where he advised people not to vote out of hatred for Donald Trump. Elliott characterized his social media posts as satire, distinguishing them from his professional work. He noted that the discussion with his station’s general manager about his dismissal was brief, and the topic of social media was raised. WLOX’s management declined to comment on the matter.
The post News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, don’t vote’ appeared first on www.foxnews.com
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