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

There was breaking news tonight!  The House and Senate conferees have agreed and signed the 2010 Budget Restoration bill that has been in conference.  The most important information in SB 2495 for us is that the Highway Patrol originally had only $765,198 in the bill to help finish out the budget year which runs through June 30. Tonight, that amount now stands at $1,765,198!  Now that the conferees have done an incredible job of putting this conference report together, the bill must be passed by both the House and Senate!  It then will go to the governor.  Hats off to Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and Speaker of the House Billy McCoy and the following conferee members as their names appear on the conference report for SB 2495:  Senators Alan Nunnelee,  Doug Davis, and Terry Burton; House of Representatives Johnny Stringer, Cecil Brown, and George Flaggs, Jr. Be sure to call your House and Senate member to ask them to support the bill, and THANK THEM for their support of Mississippi Troopers.  Please click on the bill number at the end of this article to read the bill in its entirety.    SB 2495

Today, Governor Barbour presented his executive budget for 2011.  The budget recommendation for the state’s top law enforcement agency:  MHP - $45,434,998 FY11 request, ($3,950,869) reduction from 2010 budget, 8% less than last year; DPS - $3,526,425 FY 11 request, ($480,876) reduction from 2010 budget, 12% less than last year; MBN - $10,900,450 FY11 request, ($947,865) reduction from 2010 budget, 8% less than last year.  Here is a snapshot of what is outlined in his 27 page report that was presented to the legislature and public; much of what is requested requires legislative approval.   “…agency heads (given) maximum flexibility to manage and right-size their agencies including lump sum budgeting for all. State agency heads need the ability to streamline their departments free from the encumbrances of the State Personnel Board for two years.” “We can save up to $18 million by suspending for one year the “STEP” salary increase teachers automatically receive based on years of service. …Also by holding STEP pay for a year, we can continue to fund the National Board Certification program ($60,000 over 10 years for teachers who pass the boards) to prevent those teachers from taking an additional pay cut.” “The Department of Public Safety will reduce its non-law enforcement workforce and contract employees. I propose shifting the Department of Transportation Enforcement Division to DPS. Officers in both agencies perform similar functions, and there is no reason for such duplication. This will improve the public’s safety on the state’s highways and roads. We have as many troopers at the highway patrol as when I took office in 2004. As much as I would like to increase the number of new troopers, I do not believe the state can afford a trooper school in the coming year.” “My budget exempts district attorneys and trial judges from any cuts…  we cannot shortchange the state judicial system and its mission to help law enforcement entities put criminals behind bars.”  “To weather these budget constraints, every agency should be allowed out from under the restrictions of the State Personnel Board for at least two years, which will allow directors to right-size their organizations.”  Also included in the report were school district consolidations, university consolidations, suggested changes to PERS employee contributions, Medicaid, Mental Health, and other recommendations.  Please keep in mind that the budget and most all other recommendations will require legislative approval.

On Wednesday, September 23, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) appeared before legislative leaders to present their budget requests to be considered in the upcoming legislative session.  Commissioner Steve Simpson told legislators at the budget hearing that he wanted a shortened trooper school so that former law enforcement officers could go through an abbreviated trooper school.  According to the Clarion Ledger article “Tight Budget Stumps Leaders,” on September 24, Simpson said, “about 70 troopers have retired or left since the state last held a trooper school in 2007. He said a new trooper school is ‘very badly needed.’  Simpson said he’s discussing the possibility of allowing certified, trained law enforcement across the state to join the Highway Safety Patrol without participating in the required 22-week training class.” He is also requesting an additional 30% increase in the DPS budget, more PINS for the Bureau of Narcotics, and more funds to hire a state medical examiner.  According to the same article referenced above, Simpson also said “an increase on fees for driver’s licenses, gun permits and registration for sex offenders also would help the department. The number of hours that troopers spend on the road would be ‘the last measure to be affected as a result of a budget cut.’”