Education, health care tops in 2008 session, Sen. Hopson tells Lions|[05/08/08]

Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 8, 2008

Sen. Briggs HopsonEducation and health-care highlighted a legislative session with a few more pluses than minuses for taxpayers, state Sen. Briggs Hopson said.

Addressing the Vicksburg Lions Club, the first-term Republican legislator for Warren, Issaquena and southwest Yazoo counties counted fully funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program and restoring millions to trauma care as successes.

“The big winner was education,” Hopson said, adding bills he supported to add more pay tiers for experienced teachers are important first steps to retaining talent in the state’s public schools.

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“It will help us keep a lot of our veteran teachers,” Hopson said.

Now, the state’s teacher pay table tops out at 25 years, with no tenure raises thereafter. Under the legislation, teachers with 25 to 35 years experience will receive raises after a two-year phase-in period, Hopson said. Other parts of legislators’ efforts for MAEP, the formulas geared to ensure school districts meet midlevel accreditation, included more than $1 million for dyslexia programs and a state match for the Teach for America program.

Higher fines and car tags will defray some costs for the renewed trauma care commitment. The assessment that is part of DUI tickets will triple to $30, while moving violations will jump by $10 for every 10 mph over the speed limit. Tags will increase $4.

A hospital tax will be among issues considered when lawmakers convene a special session in the coming weeks. The fee will be assessed to hospitals capable of providing trauma care but choose not to participate in the system. Hopson sits on the Public Health and Welfare Committee.

The tax is expected to cover debts in the state’s Medicaid budget, said to be about $90 million. A spending plan totaling $5 billion was approved during the regular session.

Another topic during the extra session will be reauthorizing the budget of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. During the regular session, lawmakers feuded over its advertising dollars going to conservative radio talk shows.

“It was a political game that was played,” Hopson said.

He also touted the Legislature’s passage of an open records measure ensuring reports compiled by law enforcement are public records. Basic information such as the principals involved in an alleged crime and where and when they are arrested is to be given.

“We’ve got more openness in government than we’ve ever seen,” Hopson said.

Failed bills this year included perennial topics, such as raising the cigarette tax and allowing sheriffs to use radar equipment. Others that Hopson said earned his displeasure were bills that reduced sentences by 25 percent to some offenders and one that would have pooled resources of small businesses to maintain employee health-care plans.

Also, efforts to increase excise taxes on tobacco should be renewed, he said.

A bill awaiting an expected green light from Gov. Haley Barbour is one to allow utilities such as Entergy and Mississippi Power to seek rate increases to pay for facilities as they are built instead of after they are operating.

Hopson voted for the measure, then supported an amendment that would have refunded the construction surcharges to ratepayers if planned facilities aren’t built. The amendment failed as lawmakers deadlocked 25-25. Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, was absent and president pro-tem Billy Hewes, R-Gulfport, voted present.

“It was a good amendment,” Hopson said.

As sent to the governor, the bill allows utility companies to receive such permission only if deemed in the public interest by the three-member Public Service Commission, the final deciding panel in requests for utility rate changes.

Debate on the legislation coincided with two large-scale, projects in Mississippi — a second reactor at Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station in Claiborne County proposed by Entergy Nuclear and a lignite coal plant in Kemper County planned by Mississippi Power.

The plan has the support of business interests and economic development entities and is opposed by consumer advocates. Hopson said the long-term benefits of building a second reactor at Grand Gulf will benefit ratepayers in terms of jobs and economic activity.

“I think it’s good for our economy. It’s good for Warren County. A lot of jobs and development will end up here,” Hopson said.

Hopson’s other committee assignments included vice chairmanship of Judiciary A, Appropriations, Environmental Protection Conservation and Water Resources, Judiciary B, Ports & Marine Resources, Tourism and Universities and Colleges.

Hopson succeeded former state Sen. Mike Chaney, who was elected state commissioner of insurance.