Areas of Discussion Include Mental Health Issues, Medicaid and Income Tax Adjustments
Every January, the state of Mississippi Legislature gathers to start a new session with goals of presenting and passing bills that will benefit the state’s residents. Delta area senators and representatives are working on issues regarding their districts and beyond.
Senator David Jordan, District 24 representing Leflore, Panola and Tallahatchie Counties, has been working in Jackson since 1993. His plans include a long look at getting Medicare to more Mississippi residents and school training for children.
“Extending Medicaid is a major issue for me,” says Jordan. “There are simply a lot of people out there who need this and want to know what we’re going to do about Medicaid. We thought we had things resolved last year, but at the 11th hour, we had a switch.”
He notes the state received around $14 billion dollars of federal monies so hopefully we can get the extension passed this year.
“The sky won’t fall if we do it,” says Jordon.
As a former schoolteacher and also a City of Greenwood Councilman, Jordan is looking to help school-age children and their parents in different ways.
“I want to build character classes in the public school system,” he says. “We’ve got to reach our young people. They’re out in the streets killing each other. We need to teach the principles of good basic character and they need to be taught in school so students can learn early how to belong and how to work together.”
Jordan is also concerned about rising inflation.
“Eliminating the state income tax will certainly help because, let me tell you, some people can’t afford the basics that we need,” he says. “I hear people talking about they can’t pay for eggs, medicine, and the basic items we all need just to exist.”
Mental health issues are a focal point for Senator Sarita Simmons who took her father’s seat, former Senator Willie Simmons, in 2020 when he “retired” from the senate and became a Mississippi Transportation Commissioner. Serving District 13 that includes Bolivar, Sunflower and Tallahatchie Counties, Simmons is focused on mental health issues and helping small towns receive grant money matches.
“I would like to see us create a match fund for small municipalities with a population of less than 3,000 citizens,” says Simmons. “The funds would be appropriated to and administered by DFA. The funds will be used by the eligible municipalities to match up to twenty percent required by the federal government for grants or discretionary federal funds allocated to the municipalities by Congress or other Federal Government entities.”
In looking at mental health, Simmons would like to write into law requiring every school district to employ a mental health counselor and support staff proportional to the size of the district.
“These professionals would develop a comprehensive mental health program and provide training to all teachers on identifying and supporting students experiencing mental health challenges,” she says. “The goal is to prevent harmful or dangerous behaviors, fostering a safer and more supportive school environment.”
Also on the education front, Simmons would like to provide funding to school districts to hire trained professionals (therapists and support staff) focused on supporting students with dyslexia, ensuring they receive the specialized care and education needed to succeed academically.
“I would like for the state to develop programs and resources tailored to the needs of students with dyslexia, including specialized teaching methods and interventions, enhancing their academic performance and ensuring equal opportunities for success in the classroom.” she says.
Representative Robert Sanders of District 29 has represented Bolivar and Sunflower Counties since his election in 2021.
“There is a major project at Terrene Landing in Rosedale to add more dock area to accommodate tourist when they come in,” says Sanders. “I want to help get more grant money for that project and to the Mississippi Delta in general. This will help with needed infrastructure projects and I want to get more money for our police departments and other agencies as well.”
Representative Tracey Rosebud from District 30 which covers portions of Bolivar, Quitman, Sunflower and Tallahatchie Counties is looking to help find ways to uplift smaller communities.
“We have a lot of land and good hard-working people and our area is in great need of resources that aid the average citizen,” says Rosebud. “And I’m working to get our state agencies to be more responsive to each and every Mississippian. I should not have to be the person to call a state agency to get a true response for a constituent.”
Rosebud is also searching for more economic development for the smaller communities in his district.