Bills that passed the Senate and move to the House for more work:
FARMER’S MARKET — Senate Bill 2887 would allow the University of Mississippi Medical Center to take over land near its campus that is now occupied by an old farmer’s market. Only a few vendors have continued to work at the site since the Department of Agriculture and Commerce opened a newer farmer’s market near the State Fairgrounds. The House has passed a similar measure, which goes to the Senate.
BUREAU FLEET — Senate Bill 2699 would authorize a pilot program for the state Department of Finance and Administration to track some of the state’s fleet of vehicles.
CHILD PROTECTION — Senate Bill 2549 would require people in authority, including teachers and police officers, to report to suspected cases of child abuse with 48 hours of discovering the abuse. The officials would have to report the name and address of the child to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety or the Department of Human Services. Failure to do so would be a misdemeanor.
Bills that passed the House and move to the Senate for more work:
DNA — House Bills 389 and 391 would require DNA testing in death-penalty cases.
MILITARY FAMILIES — House Bill 664 would waive community college or university tuition and fees for the children of military personnel killed in the line of duty.
OPEN MEETINGS — House Bill 792 would allow the state Ethics Commission to handle disputes over public meetings that are closed. Under current law, a person challenging a closed meeting of a city council or other public body must file a lawsuit. A comprehensive bill with a similar Open Meetings provision passed the Senate earlier this month.
TOYS — House Bill 1240 would require the state attorney general’s office to create and maintain a list of children’s products that have been recalled or have otherwise been found unsafe. The list would be available free to the public.
BURIAL — House Bill 608 would establish procedures for close relatives to move a body from one grave site to another. The state Department of Health would have to issue a certificate before the remains could be moved.
INMATES — House Bill 747 would make it illegal for inmates to possess any component of a cell phone or for a person to provide any of those phone parts to an inmate.
————
On the Net:
Mississippi Legislature: http://www.billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
