The 2020 Mississippi legislative session began earlier this month and with it came new appointments to House of Representative and Senate committees on Jan. 10.

Three of the five area representatives for the LOU Community were appointed to serve on several committees that cover many of the issues affecting Lafayette County.

In the House, Representatives Steve Massengill and Jim Beckett are serving on a combined 15 committees and both are members of the House Appropriations Committee and the Public Utilities Committee.

Beckett, who is the District 23 representative, is a member on eight other committees: Apportionment and Elections; Banking and Financial Services; Insurance; Judiciary A; Judiciary En Banc; Revenue and Expenditure General Bills; Rules; Universities and Colleges.

Representing District 13, Massengill serves on five other committees: Agriculture; Energy; Tourism; Transportation; Workforce Development.

Newly-elected District 9 senator Nicole Boyd is serving on nine committees: Education; Finance; Housing; Insurance; Judiciary, Division A; Technology; Tourism; Universities and Colleges.

All House and Senate Committee meetings are live-streamed and can be watched at legislature.ms.gov.