Bills in the 2011 Regular Session, Senate.
Michael Watson
Sponsored
Became law2
Feticide; revise killing or injury of an unborn child.
City of Pascagoula; extend the repeal date on city's hotel and motel tax.
Passed the Senate2
Controlled substances; enhance penalty for illegal sale in proximity to drug rehab facility.
Charter schools; authorize open-enrollment and conversion public charter schools in the state.
Out of committee1
Refinery construction sales tax; remove July 1, 2011, repeal date on.
In committee35
Synthetic cannabinoids; technical correction.
Cathinone derivatives; include in Schedule I.
Intercept gaming winnings of parents with a child support arrearage; provide procedures for.
Immigration Reform Act of 2011; enact.
Indecent assault; create crime of unlawful sexual touching.
Local school district budgets; require at least 75% to be expended for instructional purposes.
Recall election procedures for local officials by referendum; specifically include local school board members.
Children's Product Safety; create (AG).
Toys; prohibit sale of those containing lead at toxic levels.
Real estate transactions; require disclosure if meth production occurred on the property.
Landlord tenant relations; require locks to be changed between residential tenancies.
Corrections; prohibit trusty convicted of murder or any other crime of violence from working at Governor's Mansion.
Property insurance; prohibit hurricane deductible unless damages arose from a named storm.
Rating Bureau; shall use Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) published by ISO when rating municipalities or districts.
Sex offense; revise definition (MPA).
Hospitals to require authentication of verbal physician orders; direct.
Unlawful absences from school; no promotion or graduation if student has accumulated 21 or more absences in preceding school year.
Physicians who self-refer diagnostic imaging tests; limit billing options.
Taxation; limit prosecution's authority to plea-bargain.
Health care insurance; no person, employer or health care provider shall be required to participate in any health care plan.
Legislature; reduce size beginning with 2015 statewide general election.
Privatization of school bus transportation; State Board of Education to issue regulations for contracts.
Homestead exemption; increase for persons 65 years of age or older or totally disabled.
Mississippi Department of Insurance Transparency Act; create.
Homeowner's Insurance Cost Disclosure Act; create.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program; require IHL to grant minimum credit to graduates of.
Alcohol-free motor fuels; ensure the availability of.
Public assistance benefits; require applicants to verify United States citizenship and take drug tests to qualify.
Wind Pool Reinsurance Assistance Fund; divert amount of insurance premium tax to the fund.
Municipalities; city attorneys required to carry errors and omission coverage.
Employment Protection Act; revise and clarify.
Alcoholic beverages; allow direct shipment of certain wines, authorize a wine only package retailer's permit and allow wine tasting.
Sales taxation; exempt retail sales of school supplies during the last weekend in July.
Income taxation; allow a deduction for amounts contributed to accounts established to pay for uninsured wind damage to homesteads.
Jackson County and the City of Pascagoula; may jointly create the LaPointe-Krebs Foundation.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 9
All-terrain vehicles; require competency training and helmets under a certain age.
Blue Alert System; create.
"Mississippi Pharmacy Practice Act"; extend repealer on and make technical amendments.
Nathan's law; increase penalty for unlawful passing of school bus.
Memorial highway; designate a certain segment of I-59 as "Mississippi Gold Star Memorial Highway."
Secretary of State; authorize to convey certain buildings in Jackson County to United States Coast Guard.
Career track program for students not pursuing baccalaureate degree; provide certain conditions.
Veterans Day; clarify public observance of.
Mississippi Rating Bureau; shall publish guidelines for the grading of fire trucks.
Passed the Senate · 14
Parole; provide for conditional release of an offender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in certain circumstances.
Income tax; authorize a credit for taxpayers who are first-time homebuyers of a principal residence in this state.
"Mississippi Legislature United States Constitution Study Committee"; create to identify unconstitutional state laws.
Schedule I; expand definition of cathinone derivatives and synthetic cannabinoids.
Concealed weapons; authorize carrying without permit by all prosecutors and coroners.
Assault; create crime of indecent assault.
Concealed weapons; remove prohibition against carrying in certain places.
Income tax; increase credit for ad valorem tax paid on inventory.
Mississippi Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act; create.
Memorial highway; designate certain segment of U.S. Highway 78 as "William R. 'Bill' Minor Memorial Highway."
Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Act; revise certain provisions of.
Sanctuary cities; prohibit.
Public defenders; clarify authority over employees of the office.
Mississippi Health Benefit Exchange Act; create.
Out of committee · 1
State agencies; prohibit from using public funds for procedures that result in destruction or injury of human embryos.
In committee · 13
School board members elected in all districts; superintendents appointed after January 1, 2012.
Manslaughter; revise maximum penalty.
Chancery clerks; authorize, upon request, the redaction of social security numbers on recorded documents.
Disabled veterans; increase for totally disabled veterans and extend to unremarried surviving spouses of such veterans.
Salaries of judges; increase/establish funding.
Mississippi Check Cashers Act; extend repealer on.
Katie's Law; require DNA sample upon all felony arrests.
Mississippi Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act; create.
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act; enact.
Insurance companies; prohibit payment of loss ratio bonus to agents.
Sales tax; exempt sales of tangible personal property made to raise funds for schools.
Public contracts related to a federally declared disaster; grant preference to resident contractors.
Public purchases; revise bid preference law.