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Work to revive voter initiative ongoing as session nears close

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Work to revive voter initiative ongoing as session nears close

House and Senate negotiators say they are still working to reach an agreement to restore the state’s initiative process that allows to bypass the legislative process and place issues on the ballot for voters to decide.

Most of the focus as legislators strive to conclude the either this weekend or early next week has been on developing a state budget and spending the bulk of $1.8 in federal relief funds. But negotiators said they are still working on fixing and restoring the initiative process that was ruled invalid this past May by the .

When asked if a deal was still possible, Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, the lead Senate negotiator, replied โ€œabsolutely.โ€

Still, it appears the two sides are far from reaching agreement.

Both Polk and Rep. Fred Shanks, R-Brandon, the lead House negotiator, said the primary disagreement centers on the number of signatures needed to place an issue on the ballot. The House position is that the number of signatures should be equal to 12% of the people voting in the last gubernatorial election.

The Senate wants the number of signatures needed to place an issue on the ballot to be equal to 12% of the registered voters (not those voting) on the day of the last presidential election.

The required number of signatures of registered voters needed under the House plan would be about 100,000 while under the Senate proposal it would be about 240,000.

โ€œI don’t see how a grassroots organization would be able to get that number of signatures,โ€ Shanks said of the Senate proposal.

Polk said he supported the high number of signatures because โ€œit makes sure more Mississippians (at the ballot box) care about the issue being presented.โ€

The state’s previous initiative process that was struck down by the state Supreme Court required the signatures equal to 12% of the voters from the last gubernatorial election. The Supreme Court struck down the proposal because the process required the mandated number of signatures to be gathered equally from the five congressional districts as they existed in 1990. The state lost a congressional seat in 2000.

The new language pending before the would require the signatures to be gathered equally from ever how many congressional districts the state has.

Both sides agree that the new proposal should allow voters to place issues on the ballot to change or amend general law. The initiative adopted in the early 1990s and that was struck down by the Supreme Court last year voters to amend the state Constitution.

Legislative said they would prefer the process be used to amend general law because it is more difficult to change the state Constitution. Changing the Constitution requires the approval of voters.

It is likely that any agreement also would prohibit legislators from changing any initiative approved by voters for two years except by a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the Legislature. Any compromise also might include language requiring initiative sponsors to detail how to pay for any proposal that will cost the state money.

The initiative process was struck down at the same time the initiative that was approved by voters in November 2020 was ruled invalid by the Supreme Court.

At the time House Speaker Philip Gunn asked Gov. Tate Reeves to call a special session the restore the initiative process. Reeves did not. Earlier this session legislators passed a bill legalizing medical marijuana but have been unable to agree on how to restore the initiative.

Any proposal passed by the Legislature to restore the initiative also must be approved by voters.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Danver’s celebrates forty seven years of continued success

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www.wcbi.com – Allie Martin – 2024-11-01 19:01:00

SUMMARY: Danver’s restaurant in , Mississippi, recently celebrated its 47th anniversary, maintaining a loyal customer base since its opening in 1977. General Larry Wade, who started as a cook, emphasized the restaurant’s focus on consistency, quality, and customer service. Despite economic challenges, Danver’s has thrived due to its enduring values and community connections, which patrons appreciate. Regular customers, like Tom Robinson, value the reasonable prices and consistent quality. The restaurant aims to continue this legacy, looking forward to its 50th anniversary in three years as it remains a cherished community staple.

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Mississippi News

Creator Studio at MUW expands opportunities for students

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www.wcbi.com – Grace Brister – 2024-11-01 18:57:00

SUMMARY: The new Creator Studio at the Mississippi for Women aims to enhance student creativity by providing a dedicated for production, podcasting, and audio work. Located in Fant Memorial Library, the studio offers essential equipment and software, lighting, microphones, and green screens. Dr. Bary Smith emphasizes that it enables from various majors to bring their ideas to without the burden of investing in expensive gear. Students can reserve the studio for projects, fostering valuable skills applicable across industries, particularly in effective communication and branding. Reservations can be made online or through the library.

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Mississippi News

New month same temperatures

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www.wcbi.com – Ashleigh Bryant – 2024-11-01 17:33:00

SUMMARY: COLUMBUS, Mississippi will experience a return to warmer weather after a brief dip, with highs in the 80s over the next few days. Friday night will be humid, dropping to the low 60s, with possible patchy fog. Saturday will be mostly cloudy but rain chances are reduced, while Sunday will see a mix of clouds and sunshine, with lows in the 60s. Next starts dry with temperatures in the upper 70s to middle 80s; however, scattered showers are possible on Election Day Tuesday, so should prepare with rain gear.

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