Huggins Act UNANIMOUSLY PASSES in both the House and Senate!

We told you at the beginning of the Mississippi Legislative session that the MSTA was going to ask lawmakers to codify the David R. Huggins (DRH) Act of 2002.  This year’s attempt is unique in that it would take the Huggins Act out of the appropriation bill for DPS and move it into general law.  By having the DRH Act in general law, it prohibits any one single person from ever removing it.  We are thrilled to tell you that the Mississippi Legislature has UNANIMOUSLY PASSED the “David R. Huggins Act of 2002″ as a general law as opposed to a section in our appropriation bill.  On Saturday, March 27, the Senate passed HB 1159 by a vote of 52-0.  A few minutes later, the House passed this measure by a vote of 119-0.  Mississippi Troopers extend a huge, heartfelt THANKS to all members of the legislature for their support in passing this landmark bill.  We also wish to extend our humble thanks to the the following conferees on HB 1159:  Representatives Johnny Stringer, George Flaggs, Preston Sullivan, and Senators Alan Nunnelee, Perry Lee, and Willie Simmons.  In a nutshell, HB 1159 codifies the “David R. Huggins Act of 2002″ into general law.  It gives Mississippi Troopers credit for working 171 hours.  This bill DOES NOT provide a pay increase for troopers; instead, it provides supplemental pay that legislators have intended for troopers to get since the inception of this act back in 2002! Please click on the bill number at the end of this article to read the DRH Act of 2002 as it was passed in HB 1159; the underlined language is what was voted on.  We are hopeful that Governor Haley Barbour will sign this bill into law.  A tremendous debt of appreciation goes out to David R. Huggins – the namesake of this act, the former trooper, the former chief of the Highway Patrol, and the former commissioner of DPS – for his role in providing insight, leadership, advise, and helping to broker a deal with legislators.  Again, on behalf of all Mississippi Troopers, we wish to THANK the members of the House and Senate for unanimously passing this this legislation!  HB 1159