The deadline for committees to report on general bills that passed the other chamber was Tuesday, Feb. 27. The Legislature is now taking up the bills on the floor that made it out of committee with a Deadline for original floor action on March 7.
Here’s the status of bills impacting various small businesses, and, where applicable, our NFIB position.
HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS
HB 1196: Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool Association; require Commissioner of Insurance to make certain approvals if the association ceases operations. The effect of this bill is to give the Insurance Commissioner ultimate authority to make sure remaining Risk Pool funds (approximately $19 million) will be returned to the insured and not insurance companies. (HB 1196 Passed House: 112 to 2; Now on Senate Floor for Consideration, having Passed both Senate Insurance and Appropriation Committees)(NFIB SUPPORTS)
JOBS INCOME TAX CREDIT:
HB 175: Income tax; authorize a credit for taxpayers that employ persons convicted of certain nonviolent offenses. (HB 175 Passed House: 110 to 5; Referred to Senate Finance) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
REDUCING EXCESSIVE REGULATIONS
HB 1122: & SB 2610: Agricultural operations; exempt from local regulations under certain circumstances. (HB 1122 Passed House: 115 to 0; Now on Senate Floor for Consideration, having Passed Senate Ag Committee) (SB 2610 DIED on the Senate Calendar without a vote since the House had already passed HB 1122) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
HB 1500 & SB 2570: Counties and municipalities; prohibit certain regulation of the use, disposition, sale or taxing of disposable plastic bags and certain other containers. (HB 1500 Passed House: 110 to 2; DIED in Senate Accountability, Efficiency & Transparency/“AET” Committee, since SB 2526 is up for floor consideration in House) (SB 2570 Passed Senate 37 to 15; Now on House Floor for Consideration, having Passed House AET Committee) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
REGULATORY REFORMS
HB 1175 & SB 2526: Occupational licensing boards; require to review rules every three years and submit a summary to Occupational Licensing Review Commission. (HB 1175 Passed House: 109 to 6; On Senate Floor for Consideration, having Passed Senate AET Committee) (SB 2526 Passed Senate: 51 to 0, and Passed House 96 to 23; will now go to the Governor for approval) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
LIMITING LIABILITY
HB 901 & SB 2918: Agri-tourism; delete repealer on statutes limiting liability and establishing requirements for professionals engaged in. (HB 901 Passed House: 117 to 0, and Died in Senate Agriculture Committee due to SB 2918 having already passed the House) (SB 2918 Passed Senate: 52 to 0, and Passed House 110 to 4; Due from the Governor for Approval March 5, 2018) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
TRANSPORTING TIMBER & CONTAINERIZED GOODS
SB 2418: Motor vehicles; increase weight limit tolerance for harvest permit vehicles and vehicles loading and unloading at state ports thru July 1, 2022. This does NOT increase total weight restrictions, but does increase from 5% to now a10% tolerance on any tandem or axle weight of harvest permit vehicles; and the same increase of tolerance above the gross weight, tandem or axle weight of vehicles hauling prepackaged products unloaded or to be loaded at a state port, which are containerized — thus helping reduce the number of required loads and saving businesses money. (SB 2418 PASSED Senate 37 to 11) (On House Floor for Consideration, having Passed House Agriculture Committee) (NFIB SUPPORTS)
General Bills’ and Constitutional Amendment Deadlines
Mar. 7: Deadline for original floor action on general bills originating in other house
Mar. 22: Deadline to concur/not concur in amendments from other house to general bills
Mar. 26: Deadline for conference reports on general bills to be filed
Mar. 28: Deadline for first consideration of conference reports on general bills
Mar. 30: Deadline for final adoption of conference reports on general bills
Apr. 1: Sine Die (Session formally ends)
Revenue (Tax) and Appropriations Bill Deadlines
Mar. 13: Deadline for original floor action on revenue bills originating in other house
Mar. 16: Deadline to concur/not concur in amendments from other house to revenue bills
Mar. 24: Deadline for conference reports on revenue bills to be filed
Mar. 26: Deadline for final adoption of conference reports on revenue bills
