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Rep. Noah Sanford
Thursday, February 9, marked the deadline for House general bills—those not dealing with money—to be passed out of the chamber.
After approximately five hours of debate, the most for any bill in a few years, House Bill 1020 passed by a 76-37 vote margin. The bill would expand the territory of the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID)—an area within the city of Jackson created in 2017 over which the Capitol Police could patrol and make arrests. Originally inclusive of the downtown area around the State Capitol and up to UMMC and Jackson State University, the CCID would now be expanded to include much more of East and North Jackson. House Bill 1020 would also provide for a court system within the CCID to hear civil and criminal cases arising out of that area, with judges appointed by the Supreme Court and prosecutors appointed by the Attorney General. Many Jackson and Hinds County legislators opposed the bill as a move to take power from local residents, while those in support argued that Jackson has a serious crime problem that—because it is the capital city—the state has an obligation to address.
House Bill 1276 would provide a runoff three weeks after the general election for state officials, where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast. Under current law, runoffs are required in party primaries, but not in general elections. The bill passed 75-39.
In an effort to deter high-speed chases, House Bill 402 would increase the maximum penalty from 5 years to 10 years imprisonment for fleeing from law enforcement. It would also set factors that courts could consider in finding whether a law enforcement officer acted reasonably in pursuing a fleeing felon. The bill ultimately passed 85-31.
In addition to general bills, the House passed numerous appropriations bills, which will provide funding for all the state agencies. All of these bills contained a monetary figure that is essentially a filler until the end of session, when the full budget is put together and new numbers are inserted into these bills before being considered again by the House and Senate.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to serve. Please contact me if I may be of assistance or if you have questions or concerns.
Noah Sanford represents parts of Covington, Simpson, and Jefferson Davis Counties in the Mississippi House of Representatives. He can be reached at NSanford@house.ms.gov.
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