Eliminating the three-day waiting period for weddings and changing requirements for premarital blood tests &045; it’s a marriage made in heaven, according to tourism stakeholders in Natchez.

And that’s just one of many bills&045; other than the overshadowing matters of the budget, education funding and health care &045; that would have a significant impact on Adams County and are pending before committees.

Others include measures to bring a regional prison and a long-term health care facility to the area and allow counties to use E-911 telephone charges to buy civil defense sirens. Protecting money for roads, bridges and solid waste cleanup are also among county officials’ concerns for this session.

Here come the brides

House Bill 886 would eliminate the three-day waiting period between the issuing of a marriage license and the wedding itself.

Under that bill, the state would recognize the results of blood tests done by any certified lab. As it now stands, a person wanting to marry in Mississippi must have a blood test done here, Tourism Director Walter Tipton said.

Eliminating such requirements would make it easier for couples to marry in Natchez on a three-day weekend. &uot;They can go to Louisiana (now) and not have a three-day waiting period,&uot; said Rene Adams of Dunleith, whose business relies to a large extent on weddings.

&uot;It’s not like we want to be like Las Vegas, but (the changes) would mean convenience for the client, who’s already making a big investment.&uot;

With most destination weddings, grooms leave the on-site, in-advance preparation to the bride and her family &045; details that could be tied up the Thursday before the wedding, Adams said.

But with the blood test and waiting period requirements, &uot;they both have to be here the Monday or Tuesday before the wedding,&uot; she said.

Adams also noted destination weddings are a fast-growing segments of the tourism industry, with the bride’s party alone spending $5,000 to $25,000.

&uot;And that’s not counting what the out-of-town guests spend while they’re in town,&uot; said Adams, who will testify on the issue Wednesday before a legislative committee.

Tipton said the bill faces opposition in both houses, and lawmakers are not persuaded by arguments the changes would boost tourism business. &uot;They say they’re not interested in it from an economic standpoint,&uot; Tipton said.

Natchez tourism stakeholders, including the Convention and Visitors Bureau and wedding-related businesses, have been actively courting the destination wedding market for some time.

For example, along with several area businesses, CVB staff attended the Premier Bridal Show in Jackson earlier this month to promote Natchez as a wedding destination. They’ll travel to a similar show in late February in Oxford.

Local lawmakers are backing other bills they say will boost the region’s economy if passed.

Building economic development

Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, introduced Senate Bill 2317, directing the Health Department to issue certificates of need to open long-term care hospitals of up to 35 beds in hospital districts without such facilities, such as southwest Mississippi.

Rep. Robert Johnson III, D-Natchez, said he supports the House counterpart, Bill 803, sponsored by Rep. David L. Green.

Such a hospital &uot;would mean 300 to 400 jobs for this area, jobs we’re working hard to bring,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;Right now, Š we’re shipping people with critical illnesses out of the state to be treated.&uot;

Rep. Sam C. Mims, R-McComb, introduced House Bill 1358, which states the Department of Corrections may contract with Adams County supervisors for a regional prison for up to 750 state inmates.

Meanwhile, Mims said lawmakers are working with Gov. Haley Barbour to address the region’s economic woes. Without giving project details, Mims said Barbour &uot;is well aware of Natchez and Adams County&uot; in terms of economic development.

Safe roads, clean counties

County officials’ biggest concern this session is whether the state will raid State Aid road and bridge money to pay for other needs, said Darryl Grennell, president of the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

&uot;Projects that have already been awarded to contractors aren’t affected, but roads (and bridges) that haven’t gone to contract yet are being taken&uot; as of next month if something isn’t done, Grennell said.

Grennell gave the example of Lewis Drive, which is being improved in part with State Aid funds. With one easement left to acquire through imminent domain, a contract has not been let &045; and can’t be if funds are not there.

Another example is a planned widening and drainage project on Morgantown Road.

&uot;If the state eats away at that money, it could cause that program to be delayed,&uot; said Grennell, who said the issue was discussed in depth at the Mississippi Association of Supervisors’ recent legislative conference.

But Johnson pointed out that all revenue sources are on the table at this point. &uot;State Aid is just as vulnerable as everything is now, and (such cuts) are more likely to happen than cuts in education or health care,&uot; he said.

The amount of money Adams County receives yearly from State Aid wasn’t available as of press time.

Supervisors throughout the state are also concerned lawmakers will raid, to help balance the budget, a Department of Environmental Quality fund.

&uot;Every time a resident purchases a tire, $1 goes into a fund for Š solid waste cleanup, tire recycling and cleanup programs and environmental education,&uot; Grennell said.

&uot;We (as a county) have benefited from those programs, but the state is threatening that that money will go into other programs.&uot;

Other county concerns

Other bills local supervisors are watching closely, Grennell said, are House Bill 1106 and Senate Bill 2842, which would allow Natchez Regional Medical Center to opt out of the Public Employee Retirement System.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to recommend an amendment to the bills that would grandfather into the system vested employees, or those with more than four years of service.

&uot;Well over 200 employees could be affected,&uot; Grennell said.

Johnson said he does not believe bills allowing the hospital to opt out of the system will pass. &uot;It negatively affects too many employees, and I would encourage the hospital and Board of Supervisors to rethink it,&uot; he said.

Another bill involving county government, Mims’ House Bill 1359, would allow boards of supervisors to use funds from a $1 residential and $2 commercial E-911 telephone service charge to buy civil defense outdoor warning sirens.

Bills affecting Natchez

Some perennial bills affecting cities, such as the Municipal Option Sales Tax bill allowing city residents to vote in sales taxes for designated uses, are back before the Legislature this session.

Natchez Mayor Phillip West said he will discuss with aldermen which bills are top priorities for city officials this year.

But Dearing mentioned two bills he is already drafting with Mimi Miller, director of education and preservation for the Historic Natchez Foundation.

&uot;If there’s a bond bill, we’re trying to get Natchez included to get (funding for) renovations to the Institute Building,&uot; he said, referring to the Commerce Street building that houses the foundation.

Dearing and Miller are also trying to get funds for a Natchez museum.

&uot;According to Mimi, there are a lot of documents that need preserving, and people have said they would donate some historical documents to the museum (to) know they would be protected,&uot; Dearing said. &uot;But we haven’t come up with an amount (of funds) to ask for yet.&uot;

Lawmakers have until late next month to introduce those and other revenue bills.

Dearing has already introduced Senate Bill 2128, which would issue $3.5 million in bonds to repair, renovate and improve the city’s Duncan Park golf course. &uot;But,&uot; he said, &uot;that’s something I introduce every year.&uot;

Also before the Legislature

Other bills introduced by local lawmakers include:

4Dearing’s Senate Bill 2091, to allow any city to use radar; Senate Bill 2100, to let community colleges waive out-of-state tuition for students living within 50 miles of campus; and Senate Bill 2025, to provide penalties for cruelty to cats.

4Sen. Kelvin Butler’s Senate 2173, to waive tuition at any community college or university for students with a grade point average of at least 3.0.

Butler, D-Magnolia, whose District 38 includes some of Adams County, could not be reached for comment Saturday.