Mississippi lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Wednesday, April 15, to try to override several vetoes by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves but left without overturning the governor’s actions, legislative records and lawmakers said.
The Republican-led House unanimously voted 110-0 to override Reeves’ veto of a provision sending $1.55 million from an opioid settlement to three nonprofit groups, the roll call shows. The Senate later defeated an override of that veto, 31-19, with nearly all Democrats voting against it, according to the Senate tally.
Attempts to override other vetoes stalled as Senate Democrats staged a protest, lawmakers said, blocking consideration of a joint resolution to extend a sunset on youth courts. With no extension, lawmakers said the state Supreme Court will likely need to issue interim administrative orders to guide youth court judges.
Senate Democrats said they withheld support to protest Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann’s refusal to allow a vote on Sen. Hob Bryan’s bill to add legislative oversight of the federally funded Rural Health Transformation Program. Bryan, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Public Health Committee, said overriding Reeves’ veto would have increased transparency and helped struggling rural hospitals.
“Every single decision has been made in private,” Bryan said, adding that insiders would benefit while rural communities would be left out. House Speaker Jason White, a Republican, said he was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the Senate’s actions and suggested political pressure from Reeves influenced some senators. Hosemann’s office did not respond to a request for comment. In an April 2 veto message, Reeves warned that the oversight changes could jeopardize the state’s access to rural health funding and potentially cost up to $1 billion over five years, his message said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
