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Money, Medicaid, Social Justice Dominate Black Caucus' Town Hall
The state budget, expanding Medicaid and social-justice issues were hot topics at a town-hall meeting the Hinds County members of the Legislative Black Caucus hosted Thursday at the Mississippi Capitol. The group focused on key policy issues the caucus hopes to address in the upcoming legislative session.
Panel: Raising Sales Tax, Cutting Business Taxes Options for Increasing State Revenue
The State of Mississippi needs revenue, and lawmakers have three options: increasing the state's sales tax rate, apply sales tax to more items or sell more stuff.
Vulnerable Kids Get Child Care Subsidy Extension
Some of the state's most vulnerable children won't immediately lose their childcare, even if their guardian finds a job and loses support from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Replacing Military-Style Detention
Mississippians who receive earned probation for crimes that do not carry a death sentence or involve deadly weapons will now have access to high-school equivalency education, alcohol and drug counseling, re-entry and employment services—and perhaps, most importantly, "Thinking for a Change," an evidence-based cognitive behavioral-therapy program.
The Murder Trial That Won’t Go Away
To understand the history of Curtis Flowers' case and the claims of racial discrimination in jury selection, it is vital to understand the history of landmark cases in the same vein.
Fair Food: Inspected and Ready to Eat
The Mississippi State Department of Health wrapped up inspections of 130 food booths at the State Fair right before it opened on Wednesday night.
State's High Court May Change Criminal Procedures, Getting Public Comment
After 11 years of review, the Mississippi Supreme Court is seeking public comment on its proposed new rules for criminal-law procedures. The rules reflect changes in several parts of the state's criminal law, from charges and warrants to sentencing and probation.
Lost Revenue: Closing the ‘Amazon Tax’ Loophole
In the state's never-ending search for revenue—and as corporate and individual income-tax cuts loom—lawmakers are looking to shift the state's tax code, all while not losing revenue in the process.
Continental: Conservation, Excavation and New Hires
Zach Morrow was born and raised in Ackerman, Miss., and has been doing construction work since he was 18 years old. He has worked in and out of the state since graduating in 2010 from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in construction management—until now.
MAEP's Future: Legislature Hires New Jersey Firm to Evaluate Education Law
Legislative leaders have hired New Jersey-based nonprofit EdBuild to evaluate the state's school-funding formula, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. The State uses MAEP to appropriate tax dollars to school districts throughout the state.
Governor Owes Apology for 'Racial Reconciliation Month,' Protesters Say
Gov. Phil Bryant should apologize for declaring October "Racial Reconciliation Celebration Month" without acknowledging the dark past of racism in Mississippi or how the state flag plays into that history, protesters said at a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday.
Mississippi Democrats Clap Back on Tax Policy, Wage Gaps
The Mississippi Democratic Caucus held a meeting Wednesday to discuss key policy issues about the state's economy, tax structure, and how certain policies mostly impact women and African Americans in the state.
Mississippi First Lady, Justice Launch Drug Abuse Program
Mississippi's first lady, Deborah Bryant, and Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam launched a program Friday to help parents struggling with drug addiction who have children in state custody.
Mississippi’s Silenced Voters
Thanks in part to Mississippi's antiquated and disenfranchising voting-rights laws, Robert Banks still cannot vote, even though he has been off probation for over a decade.
How State Agencies Dance with Privatization
Mississippi children living in poverty may be among the neediest in America, but last year the State of Mississippi did not allocate $35 million earmarked to help poor families in the state. That money sat on the table even as many children are on a long waiting list for services.
Judge Blocks Planned Parenthood Medicaid Reimbursements Law
A federal judge has enjoined a Mississippi state law that prevented the Division of Medicaid from reimbursing the state’s Planned Parenthood clinic and the only abortion clinic for offering birth control and cancer screenings for women in the state.
Minor Sex Trafficking Sting Nets 28 Arrests, But No Children
In a national sting operation aimed at recovering children exploited into sex trafficking, the Jackson division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made 28 arrests—but found no children.
Mississippians Give $12.3 Million to GoFundMe Campaigns
Scrolling through Facebook, it's almost impossible not to see a GoFundMe campaign these days. The Internet age has made generosity simple: the click of a button and a few online forms later, you can help a family pay for a child's surgery, a friend go on a service trip or a teacher buy school supplies.
What’s Next in Planned Parenthood Bill Fight?
Mississippi women who use Medicaid can legally continue to get family-planning services like birth control and cancer screenings at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Hattiesburg and at the state's only abortion clinic after a federal judge struck down the Mississippi Legislature's attempt to block Medicaid payments to the facilities.
Electing Justice: The JFP Interview with Judge Kenny Griffis
Judge Kenny Griffis is no stranger to the bench; he has been on the Court of Appeals for almost 14 years and has six years left of his term.