Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2796, authored by Senator Juan Barnett, and Senate Bill 2797, authored by Senator Joey Fillingane, establish the Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force to study violent crime-solving rates (known as clearance rates) and recommend strategies to improve public safety outcomes.  The task force’s work will help policymakers and law enforcement better understand why violent crimes are not being…

Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2771, authored by Senator Daniel Sparks, updates the Fresh Start Act to clarify how criminal history is used in occupational licensing decisions.   The bill ensures that people are not automatically disqualified from pursuing or holding a professional license solely because of past convictions unless those convictions are directly relevant to the responsibilities…

Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2487, authored by Senator Dennis DeBar, strengthens student outcomes by expanding proven literacy policies into middle school grades. The bill is built on the foundation of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, which focused on Kindergarten through Grade 3 and has widely been credited with jumpstarting the “Mississippi Miracle.”   By requiring individualized reading plans, timely parent notification, and evidence-based instructional supports,…