Mississippi State News

Ban Extended On Abortion Law

A federal judge here in Mississippi has extended his temporary block on the most restrictive abortion law in the United States. The Mississippi Law Bans Abortion after 15 weeks. Governor Bryant signed it March 19th. The law took effect immediately,…

House Bill 1264 Killed Mississippi

Mississippi lawmakers are concluded their 2018 regular session Wednesday by killing a bill that would have set a prison sentence of up to 10 years for making terroristic threats. House Bill 12-64 defined them as threats of violence made with…

Chris McDaniel In Harrison County

Term limits, Obamacare and balancing the budget ... Just a few topics discussed by state Senator Chris McDaniel in South Mississippi Wednesday. McDaniel was the guest speaker at D’Iberville Business Club Meeting at the Scarlet Pearl Casino. He's recently been…

BP Oil Spill Money Mississippi Gulf Coast

The fate of more than 700 million dollars in BP damages money is still up in the air. A six-person committee of state house and senate members had a deadline of Monday at 8 pm to create a bill but…

Senator Thad Cochran says farewell

Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi has given a farewell speech in the U.S. Senate where he’s the longest-serving current member of Congress. The 80-year-old Cochran is retiring April 1st because of poor health. He says he’s “optimistic about the…

Farewell statement of U.S. Senator Thad Cochran

The U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued his farewell statement to the Senate during time set aside by the Senate Majority Leader for Senators to recognize Cochran’s service. Cochran (R-Miss.) will retire from the Senate on Sunday, April. 1.…

Federal judge blocks Mississippi abortion law

Governor Phil Bryant is not happy about a federal judge’s decision to temporarily block a state law banning abortion after 15 weeks, the most restrictive abortion law in the United States. Bryant signed the law Monday and it took effect…

Governer Bryant will name Hyde-Smith to Senate vacancy

Three Mississippi Republicans tell The Associated Press that the state's governor will appoint Cindy Hyde-Smith to fill the Senate vacancy that will soon be created when veteran Sen. Thad Cochran retires. Hyde-Smith is the state's agriculture commissioner. She will be…

Governor Bryant will not appoint McDaniel

Governor Phil Bryant announced Thursday he will not be appointing state Senator Chris McDaniel to succeed long-time Republican Senator Thad Cochran. Governor Bryant said his decision to appoint a new U.S. senator will not be influenced by Republican lawmakers in…

Cigarette tax legislation is dead

An effort by Mississippi lawmakers to raise tobacco taxes is on its deathbed. Senate Bill 3048, which could have been used to raise taxes, is dead after the House Ways and Means Committee didn’t take it up before Tuesday’s deadline.…

Hosemann will not run for Secretary of State Office again

Today, Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said he is not running for his current office again. Hosemann, speaking to the Capitol Press Corp and Mississippi State University’s Stennis Institute of Government, said that after three terms in office he…

Mississippi State lottery: Senate Bill 2976

A longtime proponent of Mississippi setting up a state lottery is trying to pressure leaders of the legislature to move in that direction. Today, Rep. Alyce Clark successfully amended Senate Bill 2976 to say the state gaming commission wouldn’t get…

Senate makes strides towards stricter abortion laws

The Mississippi Senate moved one step closer yesterday to passing a law that would prevent women from getting abortions after they are 15 weeks pregnant. Currently Mississippi prohibits abortion after 20 weeks of conception unless the woman is in danger…

School staff firearm training bill passed

Schools across the state of Mississippi could be offering firearm training to staff in order to strengthen campus security under a bill passed by the Senate today. The plan proposed by Vicksburg Republican Senator Briggs Hopson would apply to public…

Gay Pride Parade will take place in Starkville

It was a packed house inside and out at Starkville City Hall last night as aldermen revisited a move denying a parade permit to an LGBT group. After hearing public input from both sides of the issue, a motion was…

Pro-Life Mississippi responds to HB 1510

Pro-Life Mississippi applauds the passage of HB 1510 in a statement that reads in part: “This bill recognizes the biological reality that babies in the womb at 16 weeks have a heartbeat and DNA unique from the parents.” They go…

Mississippi Senate shake up

Governor Phil Bryant announced today he will not appoint himself to succeed longtime Senator Thad Cochran. Roger Wicker is already up for re-election. Eighty-year-old Thad Cochran announced Monday that he is resigning April 1st because of poor health. Cochran is…

Proposal to strengthen school safety

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation today to add security to school campuses and offer training for staff in Mississippi. The proposal was placed into House Bill 1083 by Senator Briggs Hopson. The amendment allows school leaders the option to…

Cigarette tax increase option

A pack of cigarettes at a convenience store near the Mississippi capital costs about $4.99 including tax. If the legislature chooses one possible option for a cigarette tax increase the same pack could run $5.31. The pressure for a state…