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Mississippi Legislative Branch

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Mississippi Legislative Branch Mississippi Legislative Branch The Mississippi Legislature is made up of Volume of Legislation: During each Regular a Senate and a House of Representatives. Session, the Legislature typically sends more At present, there are 52 senators and 122 than 600 bills to the Governor to be signed representatives. into law. Frequently, more than one-fourth of those bills involve the finances of state Powers: The state Constitution places law- government (appropriations). Typically, twenty making authority in the Legislature which also to twenty-five percent of all bills introduced has the power of the purse—a constitutional in a session become law. The Secretary of provision that no money can be spent from State’s Office assigns chapter numbers to the state’s treasury unless the Legislature the bills, distributes copies according to law, passes a law to do so. The Senate has advice and certifies the bills for legal proceedings as and consent over appointments made by requested. the governor. The power of impeachment Rules: The Constitution stipulates that is vested solely in the House; the power to bills may originate in either chamber of try impeachment lies in the Senate. The the Legislature. It empowers each chamber House has the duty to elect the governor if to determine its own rules of procedure, no candidate receives a majority of both the although each is prohibited from adjourning popular vote and the electoral vote in the for more than three days without the consent general election. of the other chamber. Adjourning to places Qualifications: A senator must be at least other than the House and Senate chambers is 25 years of age at the time he or she takes prohibited as well. office, a resident for two years of the district Each body adopts its own rules, although to be represented, and a qualified elector of joint rules are adopted to govern legislative the state for four years. procedures that affect the orderly flow of bills A representative must be at least 21 years between the houses. of age at the time he or she takes office, a Length of Session: The Constitution resident citizen of the state for four years, a provides for legislative sessions to last no resident of the district to be represented for more than 90 days except for the first session two years immediately preceding the election, of a new term, which may not exceed more and a qualified elector of the state. Senators than 125 days. Sessions may be extended and representatives are elected for four-year when necessary by two-thirds vote in both terms. houses. The governor may call a special Officers: The president and presiding officer session whenever he deems it necessary. of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor; Numerous legislative committees also work the second in command is the President Pro between sessions on a wide variety of Tempore. The presiding officer of the House of proposals. In addition, individual legislators Representatives is the Speaker of the House, often use the interim months to research and a state representative who is elected to the prepare bills for the next session. Members position by House members. The Speaker Pro also work to help the citizens they represent. Tempore is the second-ranking representative. Accountability: Legislative accountability Terms and Sessions: Legislators are to the people of Mississippi is provided by administered the oath of office by the publication of all proceedings in Senate and Secretary of State on the first day of the House journals which are published by the regular session of the year following election. Secretary of State. Moreover, the Constitution The Constitution requires the Legislature to requires that the doors of each chamber shall convene yearly on the Tuesday after the first be open “except in cases which may require Monday in January. secrecy.” 17 Mississippi Legislative Branch Lieutenant Governor Speaker of the House TATE REEVES PHILIP GUNN Duties: As President Duties: He shall be of the Senate, the elected by a majority Lieutenant Governor of the members of presides over the the House to a term Senate, rules on points of four years. The of order, nominates Speaker is responsible standing committees for preserving order of the Senate, and and decorum in the appoints all select and House. All committees conference committees of the House, except as ordered by the Senate. The Lieutenant the Rules Committee and the Management Governor is a member of the Senate Rules Committee, are appointed by the Speaker Committee and directs authority over officers unless otherwise specifically directed by the and employees of the Senate. The Lieutenant House. He serves as an ex-officio member of Governor votes only in cases of ties, the Rules Committee and the Management speaks from the floor while the Senate is in Committee. Committee of the Whole, and signs all finally All questions on which the House votes are approved bills and resolutions. put up by the Speaker, and he shall determine if the proposition has carried. Besides these President Pro Tempore of the Senate duties, he is a member and alternating GRAY TOLLISON Chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Duties: He shall be elected to a four-year Speaker Pro Tempore of the term by a majority vote House of Representatives of Senators, and shall GREG SNOWDEN be ex-officio member and Chairman of the Duties: He shall Senate Rules Committee. be elected by the In the absence of the members of the House Lieutenant Governor for a term of four years. or at his request, the He serves as an ex- President Pro Tempore shall act in his stead. officio Chairman of the House Management Committee and as an ex-officio member of the House Rules Committee and leads the House in the Speaker’s absence. 18 Mississippi State Senators (In Alphabetical Order) Juan Barnett ......................................................District 34 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 Barbara Blackmon .............................................District 21 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 Kevin Blackwell ..................................................District 19 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 David Blount ......................................................District 29 ...................................................... 1305 Saint Mary St., Jackson 39202 Jenifer B. Branning.............................................District 18 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 Nickey Browning ................................................District 3 ................................................................P.O. Box 1051, Pontotoc 38863 Hob Bryan ..........................................................District 7 ....................................................................... P.O. Box 75, Amory 38821 Terry C. Burton ..................................................District 31 .................................................................. 101 Rew St., Newton 39345 Albert Butler ......................................................District 36 ........................................................... P.O. Box 614, Port Gibson 39150 Videt Carmichael ...............................................District 33 ...................................................5396 Springhill Loop, Meridian 39301 Joel R. Carter Jr. .................................................District 49 ...............................................................P.O. Box 1300, Gulfport 39502 Chris Caughman ................................................District 35 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 Lydia Chassaniol ................................................District 14 ..................................................................P.O. Box 211, Winona 38967 Eugene S. (Buck) Clarke .....................................District 22 .............................................................P.O. Box 668, Hollandale 38748 Deborah Jeanne Dawkins ..................................District 48 .................................................111 Lang Ave. #3, Pass Christian 39571 Bob M. Dearing..................................................District 37 ................................................................P.O. Box 1018, Jackson 39215 Dennis DeBar Jr. ................................................District 43 .............................................................P.O. Box 1090, Leaksville 39451 Sally Doty ...........................................................District 39 .........................................................P.O. Box 4662, Brookhaven 39603 Joey Fillingane ...................................................District 41 ............................................................ 8 Westbrook Dr., Sumrall 39482 Hillman Terome Frazier .....................................District 27 ................................................. 2066 Queensroad Ave., Jackson 39213 Tommy Gollott ...................................................District 50 ............................................................. 235 Bayview Ave., Biloxi 39530 Josh Harkins .......................................................District 20 .......................................................... P.O. Box 320374, Flowood 39232 Angela Burks Hill ................................................District
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