Mississippi Legislature gets back to work

Mississippi Legislature gets back to work

AND AROUNDTHE STATE CAPITOL AS LAWMAKERSRETURN TOTAKE UP SEVERAL MEASURES VETOEDBYTHE GOVERNOR.SEN.

HILLMAN FRAZIER/JACKSON: I FEEL VERY COMPROMISEDCOMING HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE HADSOME MANY MEMBERS AND STAFFMEMBERSEFFECTED BY THE VIRUS, SO THISPUTS US AT RISK AGAIN AND THISSHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.MEMBERS FROM BOTH THE HOUSE ANDSENATE ARE OFF THE FLOOR ANDVIEWING DEBATE FROM THEGALLIERIES OR SIDE ROOMS AS THEYTRY TOIMPLEMENT SOCIAL DISTANCING.MORE THAN 40 LAWMAKERS AND STAFFGOT THE VIRUS DURING THE END OFTHE LASTSESSION...AND STATEREPRESENTATIVE RONNICRUDUP JUNIOR WAS ONE OF THEM.REP.

RONNIE CRUDUP, JR./JACKSON:I HAD A FEW SINUS ISSUES NOCOUGH I HAD SOME BODY ACHES BUTNOT AS BAD AS SOME HADTHEIR'S.LT.

GOVERNOR DELBERTHOSEMANN: IN MY CASE I HAD ACOUGH BUT HAD ABSOLUTE..FATIE AS YOU KNOW I AM A RUNNER RUNTHREE MILES A DAY BUT I WASTRYIGNTO GET UP TO 100 STEPS ...WALK100 STEPS A DAY.NOW LAWMAKERS HAVE THEIRATTENTION SPLITFOCUSED ON A NEW CLIMATE OFSOCIALDISTANCING AND TRYING TO UNRAVELA BITTER BATTLE WITH THEGOVERNOR WHO VETOEDSEVERAL SPENDING MEASURES.

THOSEMEASURES INCLUDE A TEACHER PAYINCENTIVE PLAN THAT WAS NOTFUNDED IN THLAST SESSION...BUT LAWMAKERS SAY..COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED WHENTHEY RETURNED INJANUARY.REP.

PHILIP GUNN/HOUSE SPEAKER:1 OUR POSITION ISTHAT THE VETOES THAT THEGOVERNOR ATTEMPTED TO DO WASJUST INVALID.

THE CONSTITUTIONDOES NOT PERMIT HIM TO DO WHATHE ATTEMPTED TO DO WITH THOSEVETOES.

HOUSE SPEAKER PHILIP GUNN FILINGSUITAGAINST THE GOVERNOR CHALLENGINGHIS "LINEITEM" VETOES AND CONTENDING THATLAWMAKERS DECIDE HOW MANY ISSPENT ANDTHE GOVERNOR'S JOB IS TOADMINISTER THATSPENDING.LAWMAKERS DID MOVE QUICKLY TOADDRESSTHE TEACHER PAY ISSUE ...BUTTHERE COULD BEMORE INCENTIVES TO COME OUT FORNURSESAND SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS.

HARTFIELD