In the final two weeks of the 2012 Legislative Session, we passed a number of bills designed to help our citizens in greater ways and we passed a balanced $5.6 billion budget.

In the last week of the session, we passed Senate Bill 2761 that will allow school teachers to use debit cards to purchase classroom supplies.

The bill also increased from $6 million, to $8 million, the amount of money available to instructors for their purchases.

We also passed Senate Bill 2934 that will reduce the inventory tax for Mississippi businesses.

It will allow businesses to claim a tax credit on inventory. It is expected to save businesses $7 million in the first year, which they can use to hire employees or finance expansions.

We approved House Bill 1528 that will allow the Rankin County Board of Supervisors to donate land to the non-profit Mississippi Burn Foundation for construction of a Burn Center Lodge to allow families to stay close to loved ones undergoing treatment.

Families of burn patients treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn and Reconstruction Center Inc. at Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon will have access to the facility, which typically charges nightly rates far below the cost of hotels and motels. In some states, the rate is about $10 per night, compared to $69 to $100 per night for a hotel room.

This will help defray the cost for families who want to be near loved ones who are already undergoing expensive, long-term treatments.

We agreed with House amendments to Senate Bill 2494 that create a maximum $5,000 fine for anyone convicted of falsely reporting a crime.

A number of bills were passed to allow cities and counties to fund community improvement projects, like House Bill 1671 that gives the City of Hernando the authority to donate $12,000 a year to Hernando Civic Center Association and Hernando Youth Sports to maintain the Civic Center as a public park for families.

We confirmed all appointments to agencies and boards.

Please feel free to call me at 601-359-3244 or email me at kbutler@senate.ms.gov.

 

Sen. Kelvin Butler is chairman of the labor committee and vice chairman of enrolled bills. He also serves on the business and financial institutions; finance; judiciary, division A; local and private; municipalities; PEER; state library; highways and transportation and tourism committee.