State of Mississippi Archives: on Technology
Mike Espy:
Ensure quality broadband access for every Mississippian
Quality, affordable health care and access to high-speed internet are desperately needed across the rural areas of our state, that's why my first two priorities in office will be to shore up our rural hospitals and health clinics by expanding
Medicaid and ensuring quality broadband access to every Mississippian. As your senator, I will continue to push for innovative solutions that support investment and development in our rural communities.
Source: 2020 Mississippi Senate campaign website EspyForSenate.com
Jun 25, 2020
Tate Reeves:
Invest in critical infrastructure, including internet access
We must continue to invest in critical infrastructure. Mississippi's roads and bridges need our attention. From ports to potholes, we must continue to be intentional about improving our infrastructure. And we cannot forget the
next great generational infrastructure issue: internet access. We must continue to find innovative ways to allow all of Mississippi to connect. No one should be left behind.
Source: 2020 Mississippi State of the State address
Jan 27, 2020
Bill Waller:
More funds to take care of our crumbling roads and bridges
Mississippi's roads and bridges are in critical need of improvement. They are a key factor for public safety and economic growth--now and in the future.We can't stick our head in the sand and hope these problems will go away. We've got to address
this issue in a long-term, sustainable way that protects taxpayers, whether it be through a tax swap or some other mechanism that generates adequate funds so we can take care of our crumbling roads and bridges.
Source: 2019 Mississippi Governor campaign website BillWallerJr.com
May 2, 2019
Robert Foster:
Resist flashy projects, but must do critical infrastructure
Mississippi has found itself in a difficult situation when it comes to infrastructure, not only because of the neglected maintenance of our crumbling infrastructure, but because we have one too many times raided the coffers of other funds to support
the deficiencies in MDOT funding.As a result, a special session was needed this summer to address these deferments in maintenance, a painful mistake that has put our economy and safety at risk. We cannot do that again.
While investing in our
future infrastructure is a must, we need to resist adding flashy projects, and turn our focus to our most critical needs. It's a hard decision at times, but, as with any business, you must be able to manage your vital assets so you are prepared when the
times inevitably get tough.
That's why infrastructure funding must be a focal point of our future budget talks. If we do not look into restructuring how we fund infrastructure, we're destined to find ourselves in the same predicament again.
Source: 2019 Mississippi Governor's race website, governor.ms
May 2, 2019
Cindy Hyde-Smith:
Favors regulation of lab grown meat products
Hyde-Smith introduced the Cell-Cultured Meat and Poultry Regulation Act of 2019 that would codify the responsibilities of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over food products grown in laboratories from animal cell cultures. "Our federal food safety laws need to be updated to address the scientific effort to create imitation meat in laboratories," said
Hyde-Smith. "American consumers deserve to know the food they eat is unadulterated, wholesome, and properly labeled,
and the federal agencies responsible for these guarantees deserve clear direction from Congress over jurisdiction.
Source: News Mississippi NewsMS.FM on 2020 Mississippi Senate race
Apr 14, 2019
Bill Waller:
Fixing roads and bridges so far? A raindrop in a puddle
State Rep. Robert Foster and former Justice Bill Waller Jr. faced off in the first debate. Foster has painted himself as a "conservative outsider," sought to align himself with President Donald Trump on many issues.Waller, meanwhile, has long avoided
partisan politics because of his time on the Mississippi Supreme Court. He left the court in January. He's sought to portray himself as a steady, more traditional Republican candidate. He's said he's not interested in courting Trump and has a better
chance of beating Democrat Jim Hood, the current attorney general, in the November election. Waller's late father served as governor from 1972 to 1976.
Despite their contrasting backgrounds, Foster and Waller came together on a number of issues.
Both agreed not enough has been done to fix the state's roads and bridges, with Waller saying a special legislative session to address the problem last summer had only been a "raindrop" in a problem the size of a "puddle."
Source: Clarion-Ledger on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Apr 2, 2019
Robert Foster:
Gas tax instead of income tax, for infrastructure
Mississippi's growing infrastructure problems were a recurring point during the debate with both candidates agreeing that something needs to be done. Both candidates said that something along the lines of a gas tax would be
something they would consider as a way to fight the road and bridge issues Mississippi is dealing with."We have got to get away from a personal income tax," said Foster. We are a state with a lot of people living in poverty that are not
paying a personal income tax. If we ever want to catch up on our infrastructure needs we are going to have to move to a flat tax system that everybody that uses it helps to pitch in. The people that are driving through as tourists, the
people that are getting paid cash for their business on the side, the people that are selling drugs on the street corner are even going to have to help pitch in to maintain the infrastructure that they are using."
Source: NewsMS.FM on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial debate
Mar 26, 2019
Bill Waller:
Tax swap to fund infrastructure
Infrastructure funding and education were other areas Waller said he'd focus on as governor. He called an infrastructure funding proposal approved in a 2018 special session inadequate and indicated interest in a tax swap
of some kind--perhaps an increased gas tax offset by an income tax reduction. "We need to be creative," he said.
Source: Tupelo Daily Journal on 2019 Mississippi governor's race
Mar 12, 2019
Jim Hood:
We need to get back to swinging hammers and building bridges
Mississippi needs to get back to swinging hammers and building bridges--that's how we grow our economy and build stronger communities. As your governor I will:- Stop the Legislature from running up our debt
- Create high-paying jobs
-
Put money in Mississippian's hands, not out-of-state corporations
- Support our main street merchants
- Put working people back to work by building highways and bridges
- Support workforce development programs
Source: 2019 Mississippi governor campaign site HoodForGovernor.com
Dec 31, 2018
Jim Hood:
Put some money where your mouth is on infrastructure
[At the annual business "Hobnob",] Jim Hood argued a larger push to repair roads and other infrastructure by the state would help get the economy moving at a more rapid pace. "You're going to have to put some money where your mouth is,"
he said, "and they haven't done that at the Legislature."Hood also took a direct swipe Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, the front-runner for the Republican nomination for governor, saying, "we need to pave public roads,
and not someone's private driveway." The comment was a reference to a road project, now halted by transportation officials, that would have primarily served Reeves' gated neighborhood.
Gov. Phil Bryant [responded at the same event that] the state was spending roughly $200 million per year improving roads and infrastructure.
Source: Mississippi Clarion Ledger on 2019 Mississippi governor race
Nov 1, 2018
Jim Hood:
Focused Attorney General's office on cybercrime
Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood will announce on his plans to run for governor in 2019, he confirmed. The four-term attorney general is the state's lone statewide Democratic elected official
Hood has focused on cybercrimes during his tenure as attorney general. His use of outside legal counsel, particularly to pursue lawsuits against large corporations, has been controversial at times--particularly among Republicans.
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Oct 1, 2018
Tate Reeves:
Diverting $600M to Strategic Infrastructure Investment Fund
In order to create $600M over 5 years for the Strategic Infrastructure Investment Fund legislative leaders are contradicting their stated commitment to growing the state's reserve fund. "The goal is to reinstate the 2% set aside such that we only spend
98%," Lt. Gov. Reeves said in late November. "We also want to maintain and build our state's financial reserves." Reeves' new infrastructure proposal would accomplish the opposite. The new proposal would divert that entire 2% to the new fund.
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
Jun 30, 2018
David Baria:
Day one he will focus on repairing national infrastructure
Our crumbling infrastructure is a quality of life and safety issue for Mississippians. In April, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, announced the closure of more than 100 roads and bridges. This is unacceptable.
Congress needs to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that revitalizes our national infrastructure. I will be focused on this issue from day one.
Source: 2018 MS Senate campaign website, BariaForMississippi.com
Jun 26, 2018
Jensen Bohren:
Net Neutrality is fair to all, keeps manipulators at bay
The internet should not have sectioned gatekeeping, or fast lanes. This is known as "Net Neutrality," and it keeps companies from manipulating the data-rates given to their customers based upon the websites visited, and from breaking down
portions of the internet. The internet has become critical to us as a society. I believe that as part of our infrastructure overhaul, we need high speed internet infrastructure, just like repairing our bridges, roads, and utility lines.
Source: 2018 Mississippi Senate campaign website vote4jensen.com
Jan 1, 2018
Jim Hood:
Sued Google for data mining & marketing student information
Hood said, "Through this lawsuit, we want to know the extent of Google's data mining and marketing of student information to third parties. I don't think there could be any motivation other than greed for a company to deliberately keep secret how
it collects and uses student information." The complaint claims that through a child's educational account, "Google tracks, records, uses and saves the online activity of Mississippi's children
Source: ARS Technica on 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Jan 18, 2017
Robert Gray:
Invest the Rainy Day Fund on infrastructure
Democratic nominee Robert Gray believes the time has come for lawmakers to start spending from the so-called `rainy day fund.` Bryant and the GOP leadership tout filling up the fund as symbolic of their party's championship of conservative fiscal
principles. Gray wants to spend some of the roughly $400 million in the account in order to grow and strengthen the state.`Every penny from that rainy-day fund, if he invested in the state, it would make money,`
Gray said. `If we spent it on infrastructure, people from the materials (industries) are going to make money, The trucking industry is going to make money because you need trucks to haul it. The food industry is going to make money.
Every penny we invest in our state is going to come back to us as profit.`
Should he defeat Bryant, he said, `I can explain how it's going to help our economy and make them look better.`
Source: Jackson Free Press on 2015 Mississippi gubernatorial race
Oct 28, 2015
Phil Bryant:
Diabetes Telehealth Initiative for complex coordinated care
I am very pleased to announce a revolutionary health care effort tonight.
Through a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, , GE Healthcare, North Sunflower Medical Center, and C Spire, we are launching the Mississippi Diabetes Telehealth Initiative.
This groundbreaking pilot program will use telehealth technology to pair resources from the University Medical Center with health care providers and 200 of the most complex diabetes patients in the Mississippi Delta.
This coordinated care approach will improve disease management and health outcomes for generations to come.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature
Jan 22, 2014
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021