Lawmakers return to Jackson today for a special session to deal with unresolved budget issues.

Spending plans for the attorney general’s office and the Department of Transportation were incomplete when the legislature adjourned its regular session in April. The governor, who sets the session’s agenda, is also proposing an increase to the amount of money flowing into the state’s rainy-day fund.

Lawmakers hope to complete their work in just a day or two, with the first day costing taxpayers more than $70,000, and each additional day costing nearly $50,000.

Gov. Phil Bryant has set a special election to fill a vacancy in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

Rep. Mark Formby vacated the District 108 seat to become chairman of the state Workers Compensation Commission.

The election is set for July 25, 2017, with a runoff, if necessary, on August 15.

The qualifying deadline for candidates is June 5.

Gov. Phil Bryant announced a special session of the state legislature will begin on June 5, 2017. Lawmakers will continue work on the budget for fiscal year 2018 left unfinished at the end of the regular session.

Gov. Bryant, who has sole authority to call special sessions and set the agenda, will announce other issues, if any, the session will cover closer to June 5.

The Mississippi Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session sine die on March 29, 2017, days before its anticipated adjournment date of April 2.

Gov. Phil Bryant is, however, expected to call a special session before July 1, the date a new budget is needed for the next fiscal year.

The House and Senate reached a stalemate over infrastructure funding and an internet sales tax. Gov. Bryant said he would call the special session when lawmakers reach an agreement.

The Senate unanimously passed a campaign finance bill prohibiting the personal use of campaign funds. Senate Bill 2689, passed with little debate, is nearly identical to a House-Senate conference measure from last year.

The House, earlier in this legislative session, passed a similar bill; however, the Senate version leaves oversight of campaign finance with the Secretary of State, whereas the House version gives enforcement powers to the state ethics commission.

Additionally, the Senate version does not require itemization of credit card payments. Currently, lawmakers must itemize any expenditure over $200, but are able to bypass this by only listing payments to the credit card company.

Each house can pass the other’s version and send it to the governor, or meet in a conference committee to work out the differences.

Two House district special elections will take place on November 8, 2016. Gov. Phil Bryant announced elections for House Districts 89 and 106 will coincide with the general election.

The District 89 seat became vacant when state Rep. Bobby Shows retired.

State Rep. Herb Frierson left his District 106 seat to become commissioner of revenue.

If no candidate receives a majority on November 8, a runoff election will be held November 29.

A special election has been called to fill the vacant House District 72 seat. The election will be held on August 23, 2016.

Rep. Kimberly Campbell left the position at the end of May to become the state director of AARP. Candidate qualifying ends on July 25.

The House agreed to a bill allowing the governor to dip into the state’s rainy day fund to fill a deficit in the budget.

Lawmakers returned for a special session on Tuesday, June 28, to take up the issue, and the Senate quickly passed the measure. The House, however, required a second day but eventually agreed to the plan and adjourned the special session on June 29.

The deficit was the result of tax collections falling below expectations since the fiscal year began last July.

Gov. Phil Bryant has called a special session for June 28, 2016. The Governor is asking lawmakers to give him authorization to use the state’s rainy day fund, known as the Working Cash Stabilization Reserve Fund, to cover the nearly $75 million budget deficit.

If approved, it will be the third time Bryant has had to take such action. The shortfall has been blamed on lagging tax collection so far this year.

Photo of the Mississippi State Capitol by Shawn Lea on Wikimedia Commons.

A special session could be looming in Mississippi as the state continues to deal with budget woes.

Gov. Phil Bryant is currently considering calling lawmakers back into session to balance the budget. This may require the use of back-up funds and could cause a protracted fight to rework the current budget.

This would be Bryant’s sixth special session since taking office.

Photo of Gov. Phil Bryant by U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wikimedia Commons.

The Mississippi Legislature has adjourned its 2016 legislative session sine die today, April 21, 2016. The Senate concluded its session yesterday, but a House member held a bill on a motion to reconsider, forcing the House to convene once more.

The adjournment comes several days early, having originally been planned for April 24.

Photo of the Mississippi State Capitol by Shawn Lea on Wikimedia Commons.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Mississippi campaign finance law requiring individuals or groups to report expenditures of $200 or more to support or oppose a ballot measure.

Five residents of Mississippi sued the state in 2011, claiming the reporting requirement was too burdensome and infringed on their rights of free speech and association.

A federal judge agreed, stating such requirements overly burdened smaller groups, but was overturned on appeal.

Gov. Phil Bryant has set a special election to fill a vacant seat in the state House. The election for the District 29 seat will be held June 7, 2016, with a runoff on June 28, 2016, if necessary.

The position opened last week after Rep. Linda Coleman accepted an appointment as a circuit judge. She had served as District 29’s representative since 1992.

Gov. Phil Bryant has announced a special session of the legislature to consider economic incentives to bring two development projects to the state. The session, running concurrently with the regular session, began today, February 4, 2016.

During the special session, lawmakers will be exclusively considering the construction of a tire plant outside of Jackson and a project to help a Gulfport shipyard.

Photo of the Mississippi State Capitol by Shawn Lea on Wikimedia Commons.