Speaking at MAIN Conference
I enjoyed the opportunity to speak at the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) conference last week! I've talked a lot about AI this year and have worked closely with education and industry leaders to learn more about it. We've got a huge opportunity in Mississippi to be a leader in utilizing this emerging technology to complement existing efforts in education, business, and government. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature to craft policies around AI that will allow us to take advantage of the technology for the betterment of our state.
Photos of Senator Chris Johnson at the MAIN conference
Sumrall Lady Bobcats and Soccer Team Honored
Sumrall High School's Cheer and Girls Soccer teams joined us in the Capitol last week where they were honored for their championship seasons. The Lady Bobcats cheer team were presented with Senate Resolution 69 for winning their second Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) national championship in a row. We presented the girls soccer team with Senate Resolution 70 for winning their first state championship last year. Congratulations to these girls for their great seasons - we're proud of you!
Senator Chris Johnson with Sumrall's Lady Bobcats Cheer and Soccer Teams
Friends at the Capitol
I was excited to see some friendly faces at the Capitol last week! My friends Matt and Rachael Mayo and their daughter Anna Ryan visited the Senate and got to watch us work through some legislation on the floor. I enjoyed catching up with my friends and helping them get caught up on everything going on in Session this year. If you'd ever be interested in visiting the Capitol and learning more about the work we do in the Senate, please let me know!
Senator Chris Johnson with friends Matt & Rachael Mayo and their daughter Anna Ryan
Senate work
We're getting closer and closer to Sine Die, which marks the end of the legislative session. Last week, Senate and House conferees met to work out the final details on a number of bills that have made it through the legislative process. We continued to work on finalizing the state's budget through the appropriations process, examine outstanding tax bills, and work on legislation involving the issuance of bonds. We also advised and consented on several appointments to state boards and agencies.
Here are some of the bills that we passed last week that were sent to the Governor's desk:
SB 2727 creates the Mississippi Youth Mental Health Task Force to help tackle the increasing challenges young Mississippians are facing with mental health.
HB 1984 creates a tax credit program for the oil and gas industry.
HB 1378 increases the homestead exemption for honorably-discharged veterans who are 90 years of age or older.
SB 2196 increases penalties for those who make threats of terrorism against airports.
I want to hear from you!
As we approach the end of Session, let me know if there are any questions you have regarding the process or any specific legislation. For general thoughts or questions, you can email my senate email: chjohnson@senate.ms.gov. For anything involving the new Government Structure committee, you can email msgovernmentstructure@gmail.com. I would love to talk with you about issues that directly affect you, and emailing me is the best way I can do that.