[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6362006,"mediaKeyId","2169071-9f5826bc7492e60f25243ca9020f66ec","parentId",2169071,"title","Votes at a glance: committee advances investigator pay raise, changes to judge per diem and repeals reenactment provision","audioSeconds",75,"startMs",1543000,"endMs",1618000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169071-9f5826bc7492e60f25243ca9020f66ec&start=1543&end=1618","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169071-9f5826bc7492e60f25243ca9020f66ec/thumbnail_1543000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6362006/Mississippi/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-advances-investigator-pay-raise-changes-to-judge-per-diem-and-repeals-reenactment-provision","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362006-1d267f8c6c943f22d72100b63c420e21/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137276&Signature=Ao5sPUut-j2WfCHmrIfMMOBkXkz6ptiadIqWkd18R5AzFZ2-Q7IfGSYY4OkEDmD9hMKYTSa6RED7Ku3uo9vBt46zUmrBFydPaxxdaETRs1pIpCEkQWalmKoOrPGWawQ-xQDIw7k-w-RdcRbA9S5JsvFJ05H-V92hgUIAowLAN1ysUrksYivnPByzNyQ1kHULEp2NAhvgZRUtaCMOntdTfHGuiWZVwoMpWoRGGYrK8DL6~e9fgYATYaINUUJOZw32duEMFL~pzR7rTTG1PdOeGBJpyVvnwsnXwujlCZWw~v6RjMX8Iy1kZ9IlF65dV8WvVEcDWkHk0mzbzvpzEqGOtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mississippi Legislature","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","Judiciary Division A approved multiple measures in a single meeting session and forwarded one to the appropriations committee.

Senate Bill 2479: The committee voted to pass and refer the bill to appropriations. Committee discussion described SB 2479 as raising the pay of district‑attorney investigators to a salary level “not more than $75,000” with a supplement of up to $10,000; a participant in the meeting asked whether the prior supplement had been $6,500. The motion recorded was \"title sufficient; do pass,\" and the measure will move to the appropriations committee for fiscal review.

Senate Bill 2489: The committee passed SB 2489. Members said the bill adjusts per‑diem rules for judges not residing in Jackson; the language discussed capped per‑diem eligibility at 12 days per year and stated that in no case could a judge receive per diem for more than 20 days, as described by the chair during debate. The motion carried by voice vote.

Senate Bill 2787: The committee considered language in section 5 to repeal a prior repealer and, noting no problems reported with the underlying statute, voted to pass the bill. The motion was taken by voice vote and carried.

All three measures were advanced by voice votes with no roll‑call tallies recorded in the transcript. The chair closed the session and said the committee will meet again on Thursday.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Judiciary, Division A - Room 409, 28 January, 2025; 2:00 P.M.","oneSentenceSummary","Judiciary Division A approved several measures: it advanced Senate Bill 2479 (raise pay for district attorney investigators) to appropriations, passed Senate Bill 2489 (limits judge per diem outside Jackson) and passed Senate Bill 2787 (repealer repeal). Actions were taken by voice vote.","taxTitle","Judiciary Division A, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Mississippi","taxId",29468,"location","Mississippi","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6362011,"Committee advises confirmation of Andre DeGree as state defender; nominee outlines youth-court, backlog and rural public‑defender plans",1131,303000,1434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169071-9f5826bc7492e60f25243ca9020f66ec&start=303&end=1434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169071-9f5826bc7492e60f25243ca9020f66ec/thumbnail_303000.jpg","/articles/6362011/Mississippi/Committee-advises-confirmation-of-Andre-DeGree-as-state-defender-nominee-outlines-youth-court-backlog-and-rural-publicdefender-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362011-7921e840f3d42cf1dc547a6f92221729/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137276&Signature=Wx~Ox9Ft6cy-tOPDMKRwaejVsVePrp4L7Q63oCx3IubsXyFk-zM5ASUg~ctAwytO1LIMi6NKQNBePzZPiGdiiiXUOOd9NXLNXRIpE1YF~HoulTangTgUxJOY6NZOPkayy4~y-e24DHIaZhJHvL3HMqrSrKwwDYvfO4YxCA2G2cm9PcTulcO7u3HtSjXjfO2ytSrgeLvXs4ke~ascpoSFpkymEpfvOHtdX-nFC6HkfM-Nv5xfSZfEAqqjKq7jyTFyGO~Xr~kg3md3WZW0JyYhl8MMpSvwY4TmIQhq63VvjdTYzpM8egp5veXoTEMZsp~lwE6UgPJ2RBMKLfwt4TMk9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Judiciary Division A voted to advise and consent on Senate Nomination 59, advancing Andre DeGree for a four‑year term as state defender after a confirmation hearing in which DeGree outlined plans to expand youth‑court representation, address a backlog of cases in Hinds County and launch a rural public‑defender pilot.

DeGree, who said he has lived in Jackson about 37 years, traced his public‑defense work from a federally funded death‑penalty resource program at Mississippi College Law School to the Hinds County Public Defender’s Office and the Capital Defense Council. He said those offices were merged into the state public defender office and that he was first appointed state defender by Gov. Phil Bryant in 2016 and later reappointed by Gov. Tate Reeves.

The nominee described three current initiatives. First, he said the office is building on last year’s mandate to provide parents counsel before children are removed, contracting with legal‑services providers and private practitioners to expand representation where counties currently shoulder most of the work. Second, DeGree said the office has been involved in Hinds County through an ARPA‑funded backlog project and work tied to HB 1020 to provide counsel in the CCID court; he told the committee the office is requesting an expansion of that arrangement to match the growth in arrests and geographic footprint of the CCID. Third, he outlined a proposal for a rural “day‑one” public‑defender pilot in the 5th Judicial District (seven counties in north‑central Mississippi) and said the office is requesting an appropriation to launch it — “about $840,000,” he said, to hire four lawyers paid at a mid‑level assistant district‑attorney salary.

Senator Simmons asked for the size of the appropriation request; DeGree answered it is “about 840,000 dollars,” and said the office planned to hire some younger lawyers with the hope they would stay in rural communities. Senator Boyd asked about variation across the state’s 82 youth courts; DeGree said the number of separate youth dockets is a problem, and that commission recommendations to reduce the number of youth courts (for example to 44 or 20) reflect efforts to make representation practicable. He said access to youth‑court files and courts is limited by statute: access to the case management system is governed by Section 261 of the Youth Court Act, and entry to courtrooms is controlled under Section 203, though he told the committee his office has been granted access for trainings and file review.

A committee peer report noted DeGree had not filed a statement of economic interest since 2020; the chair asked him to submit the backlog of filings if he is confirmed. After questions, Senator Barrett moved to advise and consent on the nomination; the committee approved by voice vote and the nomination will be taken up by the full Senate.

DeGree described the office’s work and partnerships repeatedly during his presentation, including collaboration with a technical advisor, Pam Metzger, who has conducted site visits for the rural pilot. He also emphasized the office’s continuing capital‑defense and appeals work while pursuing statewide public‑defender reforms.

The committee’s action advances DeGree’s confirmation to the Senate; the nomination will next appear on the full Senate calendar.","Judiciary Division A voted to advise and consent on Senate Nomination 59, advancing Andre DeGree to the full Senate after he described three initiatives: youth‑court counsel expansion, an ARPA‑funded backlog project in Hinds County, and a rural day‑one public defender pilot for the 5th Judicial District.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: committee advances investigator pay raise, changes to judge per diem and repeals reenactment provision

Committee advises confirmation of Andre DeGree as state defender; nominee outlines youth-court, backlog and rural public‑defender plans