Brandon Jones - House District 111

Dear Friends,

Today’s Mississippi Press featured a front page article on the possibility of bringing the U.S.S. Ticonderoga home to Pascagoula. This is an exciting project that could provide an enormous boost to local tourism. I appreciate Doctor Jack Hoover, Delores Early and Pat Keene for their leadership on the Ticonderoga Task Force.

Special Session Update

As the Special Session moves into its third week, two issues hold center stage: reauthorization of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission and the $90 million deficit facing Medicaid.

As I mentioned last week, the question is no longer whether the Employment Security Commission will be reauthorized but for how long. The House position calls for a one year repealer which would allow the Commission’s advertising practices to come under examination during the 2009 Regular Session. Senate conferees have backed off of the Senate’s position to completely remove the repealer but would prefer reauthorization to come in 3 or 4 years. Also under consideration is a House bill which would increase unemployment benefits. House and Senate Conferees were planning to continue their work over the weekend in hopes of reaching an agreement on these issues when the Session continues on Tuesday.

A Medicaid solution, however, appears to be less eminent. While the Senate has passed a bill reflecting the Governor’s plan to levy a hospital tax, the same measure failed to gain majority support in the House. The House plan, which calls for a tobacco tax increase failed to gain the necessary 3/5ths margin by three votes. Recognizing the potential for prolonged disagreement among the chambers, the House passed an appropriation bill which would allow next year’s Medicaid deficit to be covered by money in the “Rainy Day Fund.” During House debate, this plan was referred to as a “spare tire” intended for use only if a Medicaid solution is not reached.

The problem that many of us in the House face is that we do not feel that all options have truly been on the table during the Medicaid debate. The House, acting on what I believe is the wishes of many of our constituents, has passed a tobacco tax increase twice. Both times, committee leaders in the Senate have prevented this option from being considered on the Senate floor. Another troubling fact is that while the Governor has touted his plan as an “agreement” his office has reached with the Mississippi Hospital Association, hospital executives from across the state have indicated that they would much prefer a tobacco tax to a hospital bed tax. In the Report of the Governor’s Advisory Committee for Medicaid, Chairman Chip Denton wrote, “The Governor’s Advisory Committee feels that as a matter of policy full funding for Medicaid services should come from a tobacco tax or general tax receipts—not from Hospital taxes. Absent full funding from general state revenues, community hospitals will be required to pass increased tax cost and payment shortfalls on to other insurance companies and/or reduce services or jobs.”

On a more positive note, three measures have passed both chambers and await the Governor’s signature. In addition to the toll road bill which was passed during the first day of the special session, the Legislature has approved an incentive package for the MDA to utilize in attracting a multimillion dollar laboratory to Flora and a bill that closely resembles the copper theft bill which was passed during the regular session.

How to Contact Me

If you have any questions or concerns, I invite you to call me on my cell phone at 228-326-7649 or e-mail me at bjones@house.ms.gov. Please feel free to forward this report to folks in our district and let me know if I need to add someone to my list.

I will also be posting my updates and House related news on my campaign website at www.electbrandonjones.com.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Brandon