@ISSUE - Week 8 will premiere March 13 at 7:30 p.m. on MPB TV. The episode will be available for online and on-demand viewing at 8:00 p.m.
The legislature has passed the ban on texting and driving. It's now headed to the Governor's desk. We have sound from Senator Willie Simmons.
A group of retirees, who lost their pensions while working for Singing River Health System in Jackson County, rallied at the capitol and urged lawmakers to require all state hospitals to have open meetings. The House amended a watered-down version of a bill that would have only required Singing River to be open. The new bill applies to all hospitals. We hear from the hospital retirees on the issue.
House Republicans passed a bill in support of Mississippi pushing a constitutional convention to mandate a federal balanced budget. House Democrats cried foul when debate was cut off. Democrats say they weren't given enough time to have an open discussion. We speak with Democratic leaders and House President Pro Tempore Greg Snowden.
Kids Count released the results of a study which shows a high number of students in Mississippi are missing considerable instruction time by not showing up for school. The study also shows chronic absenteeism is highest in poor areas of the state. We have sound from State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright and Senator Gray Tollison. Dr. Linda Southward of Kids Count joins us in the studio to talk about the study.
We also talk about special education vouchers and congressional candidates who have entered the race to fill the congressional seat of the late Alan Nunnalee.
Paul Boger and Emily Wagster Pettis of the Associated Press talk about the week and what's coming up.
