The Senate Judiciary A Committee has passed a strike-all amendment that would reshape House Bill 1020. The version that passed the House would create an inferior court system of appointed judges for the Capitol Complex Improvement District. Republican Senator Bryce Wiggins says the Senate’s position will be one that codifies temporary judicial relief that has been in place for two years.
"I personally have spoken to the District Attorney from Hinds County who I will state I think is doing a good job," says Senator Wiggins. "I have data from them, and what has been shared with me is that with the assistance that has come forward from the state to this point, the case loads and the criminal cases in particular are being addressed. And it's working."
The amendment removes the expanded boundaries of the CCID, the appointment of judges, and has a repealer to make the measure temporary. It does expand the jurisdiction of state law enforcement to include the entire City of Jackson.
Democratic members of the Jackson delegation have taken a strong stance against the House version, but with this amendment, attitudes are possibly shifting. Senator Sollie Norwood says the expanded jurisdiction could present problems but agrees with some of the major changes.
Senator Norwood says "At the end of the day, we got a crime problem in Jackson. We all know that. And this hopefully will provide an avenue which we could work with the District Attorney, judges, and public defender. I'm glad to see they added that the public defender would receive additional money and personal made available to the public defender's office."
Jackson’s elected representatives say they are hopeful the bill can continue to improve as it moves through the legislative process.
