Ellington

The Mississippi House of Representatives has sent the Senate a second proposal to restore some state budget cuts, while negotiators attempt to reach a compromise on an earlier proposal. The House plan passed by a wide margin Thursday morning, and the full Senate could take it up when it reconvenes tomorrow.

The bill draws $79 million from state reserve funds to restore cuts to K-12 education, state universities, community colleges, district attorneys and other state agencies. Unlike previous House plans, this one would not take any money from the state's rainy-day fund, instead drawing $69 million from the health-care trust fund and an additional $10 million from two other reserves.

By sending its second offer to the full Senate, the House circumvented a conference committee that is currently wrangling over differences between previous plans, said Nancy Loome, executive director of the Mississippi Parents' Campaign.

"I think that the House believes that it's got a better chance with the whole Senate voting on it, than it does trying to get the support of the three Senators that are on that conference committee," Loome said. "I think we've got a pretty good chance of getting the votes on this bill, if they bring it up."

A similar plan nearly passed the Senate two weeks ago, she noted. Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, offered a proposal to use $45 million of the state's health-care trust fund to shore up K-12 education. The Senate approved Hopson's plan by a 32-15 vote on Feb. 4, but it was held on a motion to reconsider. The next day, seven Republican senators switched their votes, resulting in a tie that Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant broke, killing Hopson's plan.

The more recent House proposal devotes only $38 million to K-12 education, less than Hopson's offer and previous House plans. Still, Loome said, the extra money is essential for school districts.

"School districts are really struggling, and they need to get those cuts restored just as soon as possible," Loome said. "Certainly education will still absorb massive cuts even with having this restored. But school districts are really in a terrible position right now."