Gov. Tate Reeves issued an executive order today to waive the waiting period for unemployment benefits and the work search requirement. He is also suspending collection activities.
Reports last week showed that the number of Americans filing for unemployment jumped 33 percent over the previous week to 281,000. This was the biggest weekly jump since 1992. Economists expect the numbers to surge to over 2 million next week.
Under this executive order, Mississippians filing unemployment claims will no longer have a one-week waiting period for benefits. Further, work search requirements that are required for benefits have also been temporarily suspended.
Also, all collection activities, including the interception of state tax refunds, payment agreements, enrollment of liens, tax garnishments, and claimant overpayment garnishments are suspended.
Each of these orders lasts through June 27.
An analysis of coronavirus cases nationwide shows that rural states with much smaller population densities and less international travel also have much fewer cases of the virus at this time.
According to federal data, New York has the highest number of confirmed cases at more than 10,000, while Washington and California both have more than 1,000. West Virginia, South Dakota, Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming are the least impacted at this time.
As testing continues to ramp up, Mississippi continues sees the number of positive cases increase. There are now 140 positive cases in the state as of Saturday morning, with one death. There have now been 775 individuals tested from the Department of Health’s Public Health laboratory.
There is also the toll that the coronavirus is having on the economic wellbeing of the country, and individual states.
As for which states will bear the brunt of the financial impact, those with the most employment in leisure and hospitality and manufacturing will be hit the hardest. Mississippi is a big player in both employment sectors, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The leisure and hospitality sector includes lodging, food and beverage, recreation, and other travel-related fields.
All casinos in Mississippi are closed and restaurants are switching to a takeout or delivery only, or are closing entirely. This has an outsized effect on the state’s economy as Mississippi has the 11th largest leisure and hospitality sector nationally, with 11.6 percent of its workforce in the industry.
Nevada (nearly 25 percent of their workforce), Hawaii (19.52 percent), Florida (13.92 percent) and Montana (13.38 percent) have the highest employment in the hospitality sector.
Another employment sector heavily affected by COVID-19 is manufacturing. Major automakers are shutting down their factories, including the Nissan plant in Canton and the Toyota plant in Blue Springs. These shutdowns will also affect suppliers as well.
Mississippi has the seventh largest manufacturing sector nationwide as a percentage of its total workforce at just under 13 percent. Indiana (17.06 percent), Wisconsin (16.34 percent), Iowa (14.37 percent), Michigan (14.27 percent and Kentucky (13.13 percent) are the nation’s leaders in this category.
One area that likely won’t be as affected by the economic shutdown, government. This is especially true at the state and local level. State lawmakers have already adopted legislation to ensure they will receive paid leave during the shutdown of the state. Mississippi has the ninth largest public sector employment as a percentage of its population at nearly 21 percent.
Alaska (more than 25 percent), Wyoming (24.1 percent), New Mexico (22 percent) have the largest public sectors as a percentage of their total employment.
Following a recommendation from the Department of Health, the Gulf Coast cities of Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, and D'Iberville all moved to close bars and restaurants Friday.
Under a new recommendation from the department, restaurants should close dining facilities and move to take out and delivery only in an effort to ease the spread of coronavirus. Last night, the cities of Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, and D'Iberville joined Jackson, Tupelo, Oxford, and Moss Point in making such a move.
Even without an official statewide ban, most restaurants had already made this move. Thanks to the innovation of food delivery apps, the ability to get food without having to leave your house is a reality. Many of the apps have responded to the crisis by waiving delivery fees. And as the demand has increased, so has the opportunity for gig work delivering food.
The department is also recommending gatherings should be 10 people or less, which is in line with the CDC guidance. Residents are advised not to attend weddings, funerals, or church services, for example. Many churches have moved to live-streaming services, if they had not already done so.
Three states – California, New York, and Illinois – have moved forward with “shelter in place” orders that require all residents to stay home, except for essential workers who must go to work and those purchasing essential supplies, such as groceries.
As of Friday, Mississippi had 80 positive cases of COVID-19 and one death.
The Mississippi Department of Health is now recommending that all restaurants and bars close their dining facilities in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Currently, four cities in Mississippi – Jackson, Oxford, Tupelo, and Moss Point – have enacted ordinances or orders requiring restaurants to close and move to take out or delivery orders only. But the nationwide movement is toward closing restaurants, or any facility where large groups gather.
Even without an official statewide ban, most restaurants had already made this move. Thanks to the innovation of food delivery apps, the ability to get food without having to leave your house is a reality. Many of the apps have responded to the crisis by waiving delivery fees. And as the demand has increased, so has the opportunity for gig work delivering food.
The department is also recommending gatherings should be 10 people or less, which is in line with the CDC guidance. Residents are advised not to attend weddings, funerals, or church services, for example. Many churches have moved to live-streaming services, if they had not already done so.
Three states – California, New York, and Illinois – have moved forward with “shelter in place” orders that require all residents to stay home, except for essential workers who must go to work and those purchasing essential supplies, such as groceries.
As of Friday, Mississippi had 80 positive cases of COVID-19 and one death.
The Department of Revenue has updated multiple regulations to make it easier for consumers to purchase alcohol as residents deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related self-quarantine.
Earlier in the week, DOR began allowing liquor stores to take orders online or over the phone, while providing curbside delivery rather than having to enter the retail establishment. This was previously illegal.
Now, as many restaurants are shutting down dining halls either voluntarily or via local ordinance or order, DOR will allow customers to purchase a sealed bottle of wine with their to-go order. To-go sales of mixed drinks remain prohibited. As does the delivery of alcoholic beverages.
Many states have begun to ease off similar alcohol prohibitions, but some have moved further. In Texas, an order from Gov. Greg Abbot allows restaurants to deliver alcoholic beverages with your meal delivery.
For years, supporters have pushed for direct shipment of wine to their house. The proposal was loudly defeated in the Senate last week, killing its chances for another year.
Senate Bill 2534, authored by Sen. Walter Michel (R-Ridgeland) and carried by Sen. Josh Harkins (R-Flowood) on the floor, would have made Mississippi the 44th state in the country to allow consumers to purchase wine and have it shipped directly to their house. Currently in Mississippi, a control state, you are limited to what the state has in stock, limiting your freedom to choose the wine you prefer. If ABC doesn’t have it available, you don’t have the option.
On deadline day, the bill came to the floor and was defeated 32-13. Thirteen Republicans voted for the bill, and two others that would have supported the bill paired their votes with opponents. Every other Republican voted no, as did the entire Democratic caucus.
This is the latest defeat this session, though we don’t usually see floor votes showcasing the opposition from legislators. Earlier this session, bills to allow wine in grocery stores died in committee without a vote considered in either chamber.
House Bill 981, sponsored by Rep. Brent Powell (R-Flowood), and Senate Bill 2531, sponsored by Michel, would have allowed wine to be sold in grocery stores, while providing up to six permits. You are currently limited to one permit. Wine sales in grocery stores are legal in 39 states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee. But it will remain illegal in Mississippi, at least in 2020.
Some new establishments, including Costco in Ridgeland, Whole Foods in Jackson, and Sam’s Club in Madison, have separate establishments that sell alcohol – essentially their own liquor store attached to their main store, but not a place you can access without leaving the main grocery store. Most grocery stores can’t or won’t take on what is an unnecessary burden.
The opposition to alcohol freedom is very loud, and obviously influential with legislators.
And they don’t even hide what they are trying to do. It is liquor stores who don’t want competition, and everyone in Jackson knows that. But it shouldn’t be the job of the legislature to pick winners and losers. Coupled with the Department of Revenue who says we can’t handle the capacity of the wine needed to stock Kroger and Walmart (maybe we should remove the state from the alcohol distribution business), you have a pretty dangerous one-two punch that has outgunned citizens who overwhelmingly favor these ideas.
It is abundantly clear that most Mississippians who don’t have a vested interest in the status quo want change. They are tired of having the government make life decisions for them and would prefer that they have the ability to decide if, when, and where they purchase wine, and how it is delivered.
But for now, Mississippi will have these small regulatory changes. For at least a couple months.
The Mississippi legislature gaveled out of session for at least two weeks and probably more on Wednesday, with much of its business left unfinished.
The legislature, according to the state constitution, has an August 30 deadline to put together a new budget before the appropriations for fiscal year 2020 are exhausted. The fiscal year ends on June 30.
According to the state constitution and legislative rules, the only requirements on the session are that the state capitol be open to the public and that a session can last up to 125 day (post-election years) and 90 days in other years, unless extended by a resolution approved by both chambers. The governor also has the power to call a special session and set a limited agenda for that session.
Before the legislature left the capitol, there were no appropriations bills filed for state agencies, which is the final step in the budgetary process. This isn’t unusual considering that the session’s adjournment for sine die (which means with no appointed date for resumption) was still a month and a half away.
One critical obligation is a budget or, in the least, a continuing resolution that allows funding to critical agencies to continue at what would likely be the same level as last year’s appropriations. In section 64 of the state constitution, appropriations run out two months after the end of the fiscal year. Normally, appropriations bills take effect on July 1 and supersede the previous appropriation before the deadline.
If the legislature decides to just hold appropriations at this year’s level, that would add up to $5.75 billion in general fund spending. Of course, we don’t know the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on state revenues.
The way the budgetary process works in Mississippi is that agencies provide the Legislative Budget Office with their funding requests in August. The LBO, which is composed of members from both chambers, conducts hearings in September to hear from agency heads on their budgetary needs. The LBO then drafts a budget in November that provides a blueprint for the appropriations bills. The governor’s staff also drafts a budget during the same time that gives the legislature a sense of their budgetary priorities.
The appropriations bills are the primary task for legislators in the final month, along with finishing up work on general bills. The final weeks of the session are spent in conference committees as the two chambers attempt to compromise on appropriation and general bills.
If legislators are able to return to the capitol by April 1, the date for them to adjourn sine die under House Concurrent Resolution 65 would be June 9. If the legislature hasn’t returned, completed its business, and adjourned sine die by June 9, the final day of the session could be pushed back to July 9.
We certainly live in unique and challenging times. This pandemic is real. But, it’s helpful to remember that our forefathers lived in really tough times too, and endured even more uncertainty.
With raised concern for our families and loved ones over the Coronavirus and worry over the related economic fallout, we all have a lot to stress about. We pray that you and your family are safe and healthy. If you want to let us know your status through an email, phone call, or social media post, we would love to hear from you and know that you are safe.
As we all do our part to help each other in this strange time, I wanted to let you know that MCPP and MJI are continuing to advance our important mission every day. For the safety of our employees, we have given everyone the option to do their jobs remotely for the time being. Wherever we work, we will continue to make the urgent case for limited government, strong families, free markets, and personal responsibility. Doing so is now more important than ever. We have cases to litigate, opinions to write, and bills to advance. Liberty needs to continue to expand so that Mississippi can be on the high road to freedom.
While there is an important role for government to play in times like these, MCPP and MJI have an absolute obligation to protect your rights and ensure state and local policies are appropriate, sensible and limited. And while we certainly need the flexibility to address difficult challenges like the COVID-19 virus presents, we also need to remember that the reason we are so strong as a civil society is that we always prioritize liberty and constitutional principles, and we get the best results when we attack these challenges with free enterprise, creativity, and private institutions, and not with excessive government. We will continue to remind our policymakers and our fellow Mississippians of that in the days ahead.
Over the coming weeks, we will witness how innovations like telemedicine play an outsized role in minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus, and how lifting regulations may lead to an expedited vaccine. We will witness how flexible remote work policies and technology allow so many of us to keep our jobs and continue providing services to those who need them. We’ll also witness how disruptive innovations, like in-home delivery, allow consumers to receive food right to our doorstep. We’ll highlight for our readers and supporters how so-called “price gouging” is a fundamental misunderstanding of how markets work. If we want to ensure an abundance of something, we should let suppliers respond to market signals. If we want to ensure the scarcity of something, we should let the government institute price fixing and rationing.
During the next few weeks or months of social distancing, I encourage you to stay in touch with us and contribute to the conversation about the importance of maintaining our shared values and principles during these difficult times. We promise to continue serving as an effective voice for liberty in Mississippi, now more than ever. We appreciate and value your standing with us as our work continues.
The city of Tupelo has joined a small list of cities in Mississippi that has enacted some form of restaurant and bar ban in an effort to fight the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Jackson, the largest city in the state, and Oxford have also moved forward with bans.
In Tupelo, Mayor Jason Shelton issued an order limiting restaurants to either 50 percent capacity, or 20 people at one time, whichever is less. Beyond that, restaurants can only offer drive-thru, curbside, or delivery service. All recreational entertainment facilities must also close.
On Tuesday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution that requires restaurants and bars to shut down common dining facilities.
The resolution also gave the mayor the power to close all liquor stores and to order a general curfew as deemed necessary. The curfew could only last up to five days. The mayor also was given the power to issue additional orders that “are necessary for the protection of life and liberty.”
And last night, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba issued an order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people and closing bars and restaurants in the state's capital city.
Across the country, the number of states that have enacted statewide bans continues to grow. Today, Alabama became one of the latest states with such a ban. Louisiana, which has more confirmed coronavirus cases than all but six states as of Thursday night, has had a ban since early this week.
While Gov. Tate Reeves said he was hesitant about pushing for a ban two days ago, Shelton said he would like to see statewide action. Earlier in the week he said, “[you’re] going to create a lot more problems when you have restaurants closing in one city and not the other one.
“I strongly feel this is an issue the Mississippi State Department of Health should be addressing on a uniform statewide basis,” Shelton added Thursday. “I certainly want to be as polite as possible and as deferential as possible. I’m not exactly sure why there hasn’t been any action yet.”