BOBBY HARRISON:Hopsital fee

JACKSON – While the Democrats hold a slim 27-25 advantage in the state Senate, they are essentially the minority party because Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who presides over the chamber, and his key lieutenants are Republicans.

The Senate Democrats either have not learned to or do not want to use their numbers to the same extent the Republican minority in the House uses its power to exert its will on the Democratic House leadership.

The Republicans in the House make the Democratic leadership work to carve out its position. For instance, the House Democratic leadership was successful in passing legislation to state the chamber’s position is to fund the current Medicaid shortfall by raising the cigarette tax. But Republicans who oppose that position made the leadership work to pass the tax.

The position of the Senate leadership is to fund the shortfall through cuts in the program and a tax/assessment on hospitals.

On Tuesday when the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, was taking up the Medicaid funding bill it was explained part of the shortfall would be dealt with through the hospital fee. Many Democrats in the Senate have gone on record as opposing using the hospital fee at the total exclusion of the cigarette tax to deal with Medicaid.

Yet, with only limited opposition, the Democrats joined the Republicans in approving the Medicaid funding bill that included the hospital fee, but not cigarette tax. If the bill is later approved by the full Senate, the leadership can rightfully say it is the chamber’s position to partially fund the Medicaid shortfall through the hospital fee and not cigarette tax.

Republicans in the House would have fought tooth and nail under similar circumstances. They recognize that in the negotiations process that comes at the end of the session, the position of a chamber, determined by the vote of that chamber, is important. For instance, if the Democrats could garner the votes to block the funding bill with the fee, that would place Senate leaders in a weaker position and might force them to consider the cigarette tax, which the Democrats say they support.

Generally speaking, there is more collegiality in the Senate and less of desire to be seen as rocking the boat. That is not to say the House is not civil. Members are just more prone to take sides on key issues.

Read Bobby Harrison’s coverage from Jackson each day in the Daily Journal.

BOBBY HARRISON: Good Friday at Capitol

JACKSON – The Mississippi Legislature is dealing with less controversial bills this year.

The process is moving so smoothly that both the House and Senate left early Thursday and is taking off Good Friday. No complaints here. Nobody should complain that the Legislature is
taking off a Friday.

But at some point soon, the Legislature is going to have to address the about $90 million shortfall facing the Division of Medicaid. Many believe that sometimes as early as in April Medicaid will run out of money unless a funding source is found to make up the shortfall.

So, the Legislature should enjoy the long holiday weekend with family and friends.

While the controversy has been limited thus far, legislators will face some tough decisions this term. And in the political process, tough decisions spur controversy.

Read more of Bobby Harrison’s coverage in Jackson each day in the Daily Journal.