In November, you elected the most pro-public education Legislature we have seen in years, and we were starting to see the fruits of that election before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the current Legislative Session.
The authority of our Legislature is now being threatened. We need your help to keep our voice strong.
Please thank the legislators who voted yes on SB 2772, and ask that they maintain their support for our voice in state government by voting to override the governor’s veto should Gov. Reeves take that action. See the Senate vote here. See the House vote here. The deadline for the governor to sign or veto this bill is this Thursday, May 7, but a veto could come as early as tomorrow.
Ask your legislators to vote to override Gov. Reeves’ veto of SB 2772, should that veto occur.
Find contact information for legislators in your school district
Public schools have been shaken by this pandemic, as have our fellow Mississippians all across this state. They need help, and that requires an open and accountable process to ensure that federal CARES Act funds are distributed equitably and in ways that benefit our whole state, not just a select few.
Gov. Reeves wants sole authority to determine how Mississippi’s $1.25-billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding is spent. He has hand-picked a group of private citizens – a group that is not subject to public oversight – to help decide who gets funding, and he has proposed to hand-pick a law firm that he would pay millions of CARES Act dollars to oversee the expenditure and disbursement of these funds – all outside of the legislative process that gives us – taxpayers – input and accountability.
Thankfully, our legislators put a stop to that when they voted to keep the power with the people by voting for SB 2772. Gov. Reeves is reportedly considering a veto of that measure, and he is working behind the scenes to get the votes he needs to sustain his veto.
Lots of misinformation has been circulated about this issue. Here are some facts:
- SB 2772 does not slow down distribution of unemployment benefits; that funding is and has been in a separate pot and is already available for distribution
- SB 2772 will not hinder the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; state agencies responsible for pandemic relief have told our Legislature they have sufficient funding to provide emergency services until the Legislature appropriates additional funding
Please ask your legislators to stand strong for us! The outcome of SB 2772 will determine the way these CARES Act funds and future emergency funds are expended – and that has tremendous implications for our public schools.
Thank you for standing strong for Mississippi children and our public schools. The next few days are important, but together, we’ve got this!
