Archive for April 2019
Empower Mississippi Supports Fresh Start Act
Empower Mississippi joined a number of organizations in thanking Governor Phil Bryant this week for his support of the Fresh Start Act which was passed in the 2019 legislative session. SB 2781, the Fresh Start Act, was created to provide the thousands of Mississippians released from prison each year with the tools they need to…
Read MoreThe ESA Program Is Working. Why Is It So Small?
Just before the end of the 2019 legislative session, the state legislature acted on its 2015 promise to offer Education Scholarship Accounts (ESA) to more students with special needs. Funding for the program, which has received a $3 million appropriation for the past four school years, was increased to $5 million due to waitlisted families…
Read MoreThe 2019 Criminal Justice Reform Bill: What’s in It?
The legislature passed a criminal justice reform bill this session. Here’s what’s in it and why it’s important. Before adjourning to end their 2019 legislative session, the Mississippi legislature approved HB 1352, the Criminal Justice Reform Act. This bill, authored by Rep. Jason White, focuses on barriers that make it harder for people leaving our…
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