Mississippi Senate approves broad package of bills on appropriations, workforce and memorial designations

The Mississippi Senate met in floor session and adopted a wide-ranging set of conference reports and appropriations, advancing economic development projects, workforce initiatives and multiple memorial highway designations while confirming several executive appointments.

Senators approved supplemental appropriations and a package of capital and special-fund items, including funds channeled through Gulf Coast Restoration programs and site-development and industry incentive accounts. "This bill would add the ability for us to bond to give them money," Senator Johnson said describing changes to the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund conference report that clarified bonding language had been removed and capped administrative expenses at $300,000 to safeguard the state budget.

Lawmakers also moved on health- and education-related measures. A tax-credit enacted to encourage voluntary cash contributions to rural hospitals carries a per-hospital cap of $100,000 and a statewide cap of $1 million, with credits limited to 50% of the donor's tax; "we do…