Bills in the 2009 Regular Session, Senate.
Billy Hewes
Sponsored
Became law3
Mississippi "Country Music Trail" program and historical markers; MDA Division of Tourism to establish.
Homestead exemption; extend time certain dwelling houses destroyed in certain counties by Hurricane Katrina are considered homes.
Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration Commission; establish.
Passed the Senate8
Ad valorem tax; require millage rate reduction for purposes of calculating proposed increase where assessed value increases.
Distinctive motor vehicle license tags; authorize for various organizations.
MS Telephone Solicitation Act; apply to cellular telephones.
Tort immunity; include food donated to needy.
Workers' compensation; increase certain death benefits, authorize interested party to request an autopsy.
Workers' compensation; provide for admissibility of drug and alcohol testing.
Memorial highways; designate portion of US Highway 49 in the City of Gulfport as "Lieutenant Robert J. Curry Memorial Highway."
Inventory tax; authorize a tax credit for.
Out of committee1
Animal cruelty; revise.
In committee32
Hospital acute care services; Division of Medicaid to implement DRG payment methodology for.
Mississippi Public Records Act; remove exemption of Legislature.
Public housing authorities; authorized to establish for-profit subsidiary corporations.
Bonds; authorize issuance to provide funds for improvements to the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi.
Elections; require voter to present I.D. prior to voting.
Compulsory school attendance requirements; child with 30 or more excused/unexcused absences not allowed to advance or graduate.
Automatic transfer of students residing in annexed territory of municipality; provide for.
Auto liability insurance coverage; require before receiving tag.
Mississippi Civic Literacy Act; enact.
Department of Public Safety; authorize privatization of Driver License Examining Bureau.
School term; cannot begin before the 4th full week in August.
Workers' Compensation Law; define purpose to be impartially construed.
PERS; increase the number of years required for retirement at any age for persons hired on or after July 1, 2009.
Tourism Project Sales Tax Incentive Fund; revise definition of "tourism project" to include enterprises owned by gaming licensees.
Income tax; provide a credit for certain energy efficiency improvements to homestead property.
Ad valorem tax, homestead property; exempt portion of increase in assessed value above assessed value for preceding year.
Bad check law; revise.
Workers' compensation; preexisting conditions do not have to be occupationally disabling for apportionment to apply.
Residential homebuilders/remodelers and State Board of Contractors; revise and extend repealer.
MS Telephone Solicitation Act; revise provisions and increase penalty.
Inventory tax; provide a rebate to businesses that pay ad valorem taxes on inventory.
Teachers salary; authorize performance based pay for teachers with 30 or more years of service.
Retirement; PERS members with 30 years' service may receive 48 months of maximum benefit.
School teacher health insurance premium assistance account; establish to pay premiums of school teachers with 30 years of service.
Retirement; increase PERS formula to 2-3/4% for 30 years or more of creditable service.
Mississippi Buildings Code Council; reduce membership of.
Retired teachers; may draw retirement and be reemployed as teachers under certain circumstances.
Occupational diploma; State Board of Education to develop criteria and options for students to receive competencies.
Cell phones; prohibit texting while driving.
Certificate of merit; require for filing of negligence suits against engineers, architects or surveyors.
Bonds; authorize issuance to provide funds for reconstruction and repair of Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi.
Appropriations; Department of Insurance, Windstorm Reinsurance.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 4
MS Major Economic Impact Act; revise definition of the term "project" & authorize the issuance of bonds for a project.
Sales tax; revise rate on certain sales of tractors, farm implements, logging/pulpwood equipment, repair parts and labor.
Failing schools and school districts; enact "Children First Act of 2009."
Scenic highways; rename "Highway 67 Scenic Byway" as the "Biloxi D'Iberville Scenic Expressway."
Passed the Senate · 5
Rape or sexual battery of a child; mandate life without parole for.
Auto liability insurance coverage; require before receiving tag.
Charter schools; authorize additional open-enrollment public charter schools with certain requirements.
Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act; create.
Bonds; increase amount authorized for the Supplementary Rural Fire Truck Fund and the Rural Fire Truck Fund.
Out of committee · 1
Retired teachers; may draw retirement and be reemployed as teachers under certain circumstances.
In committee · 9
2009 First Extraordinary Session · Eminent domain; restrict to direct public use.
Mississippi "Country Music Trail" program and historical markers; MDA Division of Tourism to establish.
MS Telephone Solicitation Act; revise provisions and increase civil penalty.
Retirement; PERS members with 30 years' service may receive 48 months of maximum benefit.
Retirement; increase PERS formula to 2-3/4% for 30 years or more of creditable service.
School teacher health insurance premium assistance account; establish to pay premiums of school teachers with 30 years of service.
Teachers salary; authorize performance based pay for teachers with 30 or more years of service.
Entertainment districts; authorize creation by counties and cities, confer tax benefits to businesses in, authorize levy of tax for.
Bonds; authorize issuance for certain state highway and infrastructure projects.