A packed agenda awaits legislators who return to the Mississippi Capitol to convene the 2022 Legislative Session at noon on Tuesday, January 4.

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann expects the biggest challenge to be overseeing the expenditure of the $1.8 billion allocated to the state from the American Rescue Plan Act. The broad categories the federal funds must be spent on include water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure; tourism; and programs related to healthcare and combatting and recovering from the continuing Covid pandemic.

“Challenges always come with significant opportunities and responsibilities,” Hosemann said. “There will be many proposals to use one-time money on fleeting items. My hope, however, is we will stay organized and focused on generational change. Years from now, we want to be able to point to the positive difference this influx of resources has made in our state.”

Hosemann has proposed a program to match the millions of ARPA dollars cities and counties received for water and sewer projects with state money to stretch the funds available and complete necessary projects.

Aside from ARPA appropriations, legislators will likely grapple with several other general bills, including a teacher pay raise, the rehabilitation of the state’s public parks, and tax relief amid an increase in state revenue.

“One of my biggest concerns is the increased cost of living for working Mississippians,” Hosemann said. “Senate leadership continues to explore options to ease the burden inflation has placed on families.”

This year Senators and Representatives will also redistrict Mississippi’s state legislative and Congressional lines.  Over the summer, the committee held nine public hearings, which are webcasted and archived on the Mississippi Legislature’s YouTube page.

To view the legislative deadlines, or otherwise track the progress of the Legislature over the next three months, visit www.legislature.ms.gov.

To learn more about Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, visit https://ltgovhosemann.ms.gov/.