On January 4, 2022, the Mississippi State Legislature began the third session in its four-year term. Though it is early in the session, there were a few items taken up and passed on the House floor. House Bill 384 was introduced on Thursday morning. The bill contains the new Magnolia 1 Plan for congressional redistricting as proposed by the Joint Redistricting Committee. The plan would most notably extend Congressman Bennie Thompson’s District 2 into Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Wilkinson Counties in the southwest corner of the state. Representative Robert Johnson (D-Natchez), the House Democratic Caucus Leader, introduced Amendment 1 to HB 384, which proposed a different plan giving District 2 all of Hinds County and a portion of Madison County, while leaving the southwest four counties in District 3. After much debate, the amendment was defeated 43-76, and HB 384 passed by a vote of 75-44 with the Magnolia 1 plan. House Bill 1413, the 2021 appropriations bill for the Mississippi Department of Transportation, was reintroduced on Wednesday after receiving a partial veto from Governor Tate Reeves. It has been re-referred to committee. The House has added a new member to its roster since the 2021 Legislative Session as the result of a special election. Representative Robert Sanders (D-Cleveland) fills the seat left open by former Representative Abe Hudson, who resigned in August. Next Wednesday, January 12, is the deadline to request legislation, and Monday, January 17, is the deadline for filing bills. More than 500 House bills have already been filed and referred to committees. For the first time since March 2020, junior pages have returned to the House of Representatives. Pages are junior high and high school students from around the state who are sponsored by House members and staff.
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