Senate committee advises consent for three gubernatorial nominees to Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

A Senate nominations committee on an unspecified July date advised and consented to three of Gov. Tate Reeves’ nominees to the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, sending the nominations to the full Senate for final action.

The committee noted administrative requirements for appointees, including a $30,000 surety bond and filing a statement of economic interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission, and asked staff to confirm record filings before the nominations reach the Senate floor.

Colin Maloney, nominated to a five-year term on the commission, told the committee he is a business owner in Tupelo and “an avid hunter and wildlife” enthusiast who is “very interested in the state parks in Mississippi.” Maloney said he lives next door to a state park and described restoring state-park facilities as a personal priority.

The committee’s staff recommended nominees begin the bond process and file economic-interest statements before floor consideration. The chair said the peer report shows the filing requirement and that committee staff had no record of surety bonds on file for at least some nominees.

Nominee identified in the record as “Mister Hairston,” whose appointment lists a term from June 27, 2024, through June 30, 2028, spoke about promoting Mississippi’s outdoor resources and said he had visited many state parks. A committee member raised language in the peer report that lists the appointee’s residence or seat as the former Fifth Congressional District “as it existed,” which staff said remains in code even though Mississippi now has four congressional districts.

A committee member called attention to “derogatory information” in Hairston’s peer report referencing multiple DUI arrests and asked whether the nominee could “toe the line” and represent Mississippi appropriately. Hairston replied that his life has changed since those incidents and said, in part, “I have all the confidence in the world in myself and not being that person again.”

Mister Saint John, nominated to a term beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030, described his background in business and longtime interest in hunting and fishing. Saint John told the committee he views recent investment in the state park system as “momentum” and urged decisions grounded in science and facts. He said he has supported wildlife research through an endowed fellowship at Mississippi State University’s Deer Lab and serves as chairman of the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund; he said he planned to resign that chairmanship when his term there ends in mid-July to avoid conflicts.

Saint John also discussed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and said hunters and the commission need clear, factual information. He told senators that some communities have experienced regulation changes tied to CWD and urged the commission to consider historical outcomes and local impacts when setting rules.

For each nominee the committee had a short question-and-answer period, and at the end of each hearing the committee moved, voted “aye,” and reported the nomination to the full Senate. The record does not state an exact roll-call tally for any of the committee votes.

Votes at a glance

- Senate nomination 65, Colin Maloney — term listed as 07/01/2024–06/30/2029; committee advised and consented; will be reported to the full Senate. Bond and ethics filing requested before floor consideration (bond amount cited as $30,000; ethics filing: Mississippi Ethics Commission statement of economic interest).

- Senate nomination 84, Mister Hairston — term listed as 06/27/2024–06/30/2028; committee advised and consented; will be reported to the full Senate. Committee noted peer-report references to prior arrests and requested follow-up on bond and ethics filing.

- Senate nomination 95, Mister Saint John — term listed as 07/01/2025–06/30/2030; committee advised and consented; will be reported to the full Senate. Saint John said he will resign his Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund chairmanship when that term ends to avoid a conflict; he emphasized science-based decisions on wildlife issues including CWD.

The committee directed staff to verify surety-bond filings with the secretary of state’s office and to ensure nominees file or update statements of economic interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission before full-Senate consideration.