Senator Sampson Jackson Weekly Report
We passed House Bill 1387, that would create the Mississippi Workforce Incentive Act of 2020 by transferring $50 million of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, COVID-19 federal allotment to the Restart Mississippi Workforce Development Act that would provide funding for career and technical training money to community and junior colleges so they can upgrade and expand, pay for facility upgrades and equipment modernization needed for student training. In addition, the bill freezes the employer unemployment contribution rate through the end of the year. This bill would increase the opportunities for Mississippians to learn crafts and trades.
House Bill 1336, the "Mississippi Learn to Earn Act" would give school districts the discretion to create job skills apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to get hands on experience in crafts, trades or businesses that could go towards later obtaining licenses.
Our passage of House Bill 597 would allow the state Department of Revenue to make direct deposit of income tax returns into two bank accounts.
House Bill 1309 would allow the use of "Air Bows," in hunting that use compressed air to drive an arrow or crossbow type bolt.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 69 would allow the extension of the legislative session to handle any changes in regulations to existing programs or any additional programs or new programs made by Congress to legislation concerning federal money given the state under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, or to deal with appropriation of additional federal monies that might be given to the state under the act. The Legislature would reconvene October 5, and Sine Die midnight October 10, 2020.
Other bills passed included:
• House Bill 1176 that would increase from 55 miles per hour to 65, the speed a school bus may travel on the interstate.
• House Bill 940 would allow a bank to delay a requested transaction if officials fear the person withdrawing funds to be a victim of fraud.
• House Bill 1024 would allow prosecutors to use offenses committed over the past 15 years to bring the charge of habitual offender.
• House Bill 1212 would increase from 12 months to a minimum of 36 months the time a realtor needs to work in that field before applying for a broker's license.
• House Bill 273 would allow municipal judges to hold court outside of the city's boundaries, as in allowing travel to a detention center within the county to accept the plea of a criminal suspect.
• House Bill 666 would require school districts to provide gifted education programs for 7th and 8th graders starting in the 2020-2021 school year.
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