JACKSON, Mississippi – Mississippi lawmakers have voted to override a partial veto from Governor Tate Reeves.
The bill in question is an education budget bill which was passed by state legislature in March. Governor Reeves said that he vetoed only a part of that bill, and that he did so because it did not provide incentives for schools that maintain a high level of academic performance, or schools that showed significant progress toward that goal. His suggested incentive was a bonus pay program for teachers in the aforementioned schools, the funding for which he believed should be added to the bill.
Some lawmakers, however, felt Reeves’ veto had further reaching consequences. Republican House leaders sued the Governor last week over partial vetoes of bills related to school funding (House Bill 1700) and distribution of money from the CARES Act fund (House Bill 1782).
It is the first time in almost twenty years that Mississippi legislature has voted to override a veto by the governor. The last time was in 2002, when Democrat Ronnie Musgrove held the position and state lawmakers overturned not one, but four of his vetoes that year. In 2002, just as it does today, the conflict revolved around the state budget.
The resolution passed the House 109-7, and the Senate 41-1.
Aleigh Farris is a writer, performer, and small business owner from Tupelo, Mississippi. You can hear her work on the upcoming podcasts Radio Analekta and Once Shattered.
