Limited Government Archives - Page 23 of 34 - Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Far too many candidates for office, Republicans and Democrats, believe long-term prosperity can be achieved from increased government spending and centralized programs and plans. But the evidence doesn’t support such claims, no matter how passionately or eloquently the campaigner insists.

If prosperity is our goal, we should follow the lead of high-growth, low-tax states in the Southeast that have lower taxes, lighter licensure and regulatory burdens, and a more limited government.

What does that look like?

There are several policy proposals that we would encourage any candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, or the legislature to support.

Eliminate burdensome licenses

Burdensome regulations hurt our economy and reduce employment opportunities. All totaled, there are 66 low-to-middle income occupations that are licensed in Mississippi. According to the Institute for Justice, Mississippi has lost 13,000 jobs because of occupational licensing and the state has suffered an economic value loss of $37 million.

While licenses are necessary for a few industries, the state should expand the use of voluntary certifications, adopt automatic sunsets on all licenses, and allow the Occupational Licensing Review Commission to review current, not just newly proposed, licenses. The reality is that we’ve allowed occupational licenses to become the tool for market incumbents, with lobbying apparatus, to build moats around monopolies and limit free-market completion.

Expand education scholarship account program

Mississippi became a national leader in 2015 in implementing an ESA program. Through this program, families are allowed to use the funds associated with their child’s education (i.e., their tax dollars) to choose the best educational setting for their child. For the first time, families in Mississippi, albeit a limited number of families, had a choice in their child’s education, regardless of their income.

Yet, the program is only available to students with special needs, and it serves less than 500 students per year. We should make this program available to every student in the state. By doing so, we’d be following the overwhelming empirical data that shows the benefits of school choice, saving taxpayer dollars, and putting parents back in control of their child’s education.

Cut red tape

Mississippi has more than 117,000 regulatory restrictions in the state rulebook, according to new analysis from the Mercatus Center. Why is this a cause for concern? There is considerable evidence that regulations slow economic growth and have a negative impact on investment, productivity, wages, and overall prosperity.

To reduce red tape, Mississippi should implement a regulatory cap that orders the removal of two olds rules each time a new one is added. A thriving economy is one with fewer regulations, a lighter government touch, and more freedom for small and mid-sized businesses.

Support the innovative economy

When ridesharing companies entered the market a few years ago as disruptors to the taxi monopoly, the unfortunate response from local governments was largely to regulate and limit the ridesharing economy. The legislature made the correct move in enacting statewide policy that preempts local regulation, and allows Uber, Lyft, and others to provide this new service to customers.

When it comes to other disruptors such as Airbnb or mobile food trucks, local governments are again working to protect the status quo and limit market-driven innovation. The state, through the legislature, should protect consumer choice and ensure that local governments cannot stifle competition.

Provide incentives to all businesses by lowering taxes

Mississippi, like many other states, has taken the approach that the only way to attract businesses to the state is by offering targeted taxpayer “incentives.”

Rather than offering tax breaks to a few, allowing the government to play favorites, and requiring business owners to subsidize their competition, we should lower the tax rates on all businesses and make Mississippi the most attractive state for businesses of all sizes and types.

Do not expand Medicaid

Despite the claim of expansion advocates, there is no pile of money sitting around that states are “leaving on the table” when they choose not to expand Medicaid. The fact is that any expansion adds to our federal debt and will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

Medicaid is already a broken system. Adding more patients to the system will exacerbate things, and the patient outcomes will only worsen the poor quality of care currently being provided to the elderly, disabled, and poor. Furthermore, an expansion of Medicaid will certainly crowd out the essential funding needs for schools, roads, and public safety.

We believe these policy proposals represent the path to long-term, sustainable economic growth. Based on the evidence, public policies of economic freedom, individual liberty, free markets, and limited government will allow the state to experience business growth, entrepreneurship, higher labor productivity and wages, and, as a result, greater economic prosperity for all Mississippians who are ready and willing to prosper.

This column appeared in the Clarion Ledger on March 20, 2019.

Few items can unify Americans more than a universal disdain for the government.

A recent Axios Harris Poll tracked the reputation of the most visible brands in America to find who is the most liked, and the most disliked. The scores were broken down into several categories: affinity, ethics, growth, products/ service, citizenship, vision, culture, character, trajectory.

Wegmans, a supermarket chain in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, topped the list. They were followed by Amazon, Patagonia, L.L. Bean, and Walt Disney.

On the other end of the spectrum? The U.S. government, coming in dead last, behind a tobacco company, a bank with a fake accounts scandal, a bankrupt retail chain, and the Trump organization.

And there is no partisan divide. Republicans ranked the government 95, Democrats ranked it 98, and independents ranked it dead last. Among category scores, the government came in between 96 and 100 on each. Although to be fair, the growth rating of 98th is a little low. If there is one thing the government is doing, it is growing.

The survey represents a national sample, and was conducted from November through January. The first group, 6,118 adults, was asked to identify two companies they believe have the best and worst reputations. Then, the 100 “most visible companies” were ranked by a second group of 18,228 adults.

Wednesday was the fourth big deadline in the Mississippi legislature for general, non-revenue, bills to be approved by the entire opposite chamber.

The next deadline for legislation is Tuesday, the final day for floor action on appropriations and revenue bills from the other chamber.

Here are the some of the bills that survived and others that died:

Still alive

House Bill 1352 is sponsored by state Rep. Jason White (R-West) and is known as the Criminal Justice Reform Act. The bill would clear obstacles for the formerly incarcerated to find work, prevents driver’s license suspensions for controlled substance violations and unpaid legal fees and fines, and updates drug court laws to allow for additional types of what are known as problem solving courts.

The bill passed the Senate by a 49-2 margin. The bill will have to go to conference with the House to iron out the differences between the original and the altered version that passed the Senate.

House Bill 1205 would prohibit state agencies from requesting or releasing donor information on charitable groups organized under section 501 of federal tax law. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Jerry Turner (R-Baldwyn), was passed by a 32 to 18 margin in the Senate margin after being amended to include all organizations covered by section 501 of federal tax law.

SB 2781, known as Mississippi Fresh Start Act, is sponsored by state Sen. John Polk (R-Hattiesburg). This bill would eliminate the practice of “good character” or “moral turpitude” clauses from occupational licensing regulations, which prohibit ex-felons from receiving an occupational license and starting a new post-incarceration career.

The bill was amended with a strike-all that made it identical to the original House bill. The bill was passed by the House by a 114-2 margin and was amended twice more on the floor, meaning the differences between the present guise of the bill and the original will have to be settled in a conference committee later in the session.

SB 2901, known as the Landowner Protection Act, would exempt property owners and their employees from civil liability if a third party injures someone else on their property.

The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Josh Harkins (R-Flowood). The bill has been returned to the Senate for concurrence. If the Senate doesn’t agree with the changes by the House, the two sides will have to settle their differences with the bill in a conference committee.

SB 2603 would reauthorize motion picture and television production incentives for out-of-state firms that expired in 2017.

The bill sponsored by state Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-Sumrall). The bill was passed by the House on March 7 by a 101- 16 margin and has been returned to the Senate for concurrence.

HB 1612 would authorize municipalities to create special improvement assessment districts that would be authorized to levy up to 6 mills of property tax (the amount per $1,000 of assessed value of the property) to fund parks, sidewalks, streets, planting, lighting, fountains, security enhancements and even private security services. The tax would require the approval of 60 percent of property owners in the district.

The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Mark Baker (R-Brandon) and passed the House 93-22 Thursday after failing to get a two-thirds majority on its first pass on the floor. It’s been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

HB 1204 would allow a municipality or county to execute the winning bid in a sealed bidding process if a judge hasn’t ruled on a protection request for bids within 90 days. The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Turner and was passed by the Senate on Tuesday.

More dead than fanny packs

HB 702 would’ve allowed cottage food operators to increase their maximum sales to $35,000 and advertise their products on the web. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Casey Eure (R-Saucier) and didn’t get a vote in the Senate despite passing the House by a 117-0 margin.

HB 1268 would’ve clarified state law regarding constitutional challenges to local ordinances. With local circuit courts acting as both the appellate body for appeals on specific decisions (such as bid disputes) and the court of original jurisdiction, there’s been confusion among judges regarding the law that governs challenges of local decisions, which are required within 10 days.

City and county attorneys have used this 10-day requirement on decisions to get new constitutional challenges — which are new lawsuits and not appeals of decisions — thrown out of circuit courts. This law would’ve added language that would prevent application of the 10-day requirement to constitutional challenges.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Dana Criswell (R-Southaven).

A bill that could protect the donor lists of non-profit organizations was passed by the Senate before deadline on Tuesday.

House Bill 1205 would prohibit state agencies from requesting or releasing donor information on charitable groups organized under section 501 of federal tax law. Some of these groups can engage in political activity.

The bill, which is sponsored by state Rep. Jerry Turner (R-Baldwyn) was originally written to include all of the different 501(c) designations. The bill was amended in the Senate Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee for the bill’s protections to only include 501(c)(3) organizations, which are prohibited from political activity.

A floor amendment changed the bill’s language back to that in the original House language and removed a reverse repealer, which is a legislative tactic on a bill designed to keep alive and invite further discussion by preventing it from becoming law.

“It is an honor to support legislation that prevents corruption and intimidation by protecting the right of people to give to nonprofits of their choice and to prevent the politicization of the right of individuals to give to the causes they hold dear,” said state Sen. Jenifer Branning (R-Philadelphia).

State Rep. Mark Baker (R-Brandon) was one of the bill’s co-sponsors in the House and presented it on the floor. He said it’s an issue that cuts both ways and isn’t aimed at just right-leaning 501(c) groups.

“The right associated to privately contribute to non-profits anonymously, to me, is critical to the exercise of the First Amendment,” Baker said. “Protecting this right is crucial to the health and the freedom of our society. There are groups that do things that I don’t agree with, but I agree that they have the right to keep their donors private.”

Several Democrat senators railed against the amended bill, which passed the Senate on a largely party line vote of 32 to 18.

“If you pass this amendment, you will open the biggest loophole since we passed campaign finance disclosure in Mississippi,” said state Sen. David Blount (D-Jackson). “If you pass this amendment, you are saying that 501(c)(4)s can get involved with your campaign or your opponent’s campaign.

“As long as they don’t expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate, they can do whatever they want and not disclose anything.”

State Sen. David Jordan (D-Greenwood) was even more strident in his criticism of the amendment.

“The only difference between this amendment and Jesse James is you need a horse,” Jordan said. “This really hurts the system. We have enough corruption at the national level and now you want to bring it to the state level and that’s wrong.”

HB 1205 is being held on a motion to reconsider, which means the Senate will have until Friday to send it to the House for concurrence since it was changed.

If the House concurs with the changes, the bill will go to Gov. Phil Bryant. If not, the two chambers will have to settle their differences in a conference committee.

According to federal law, 501(c)(3) groups have to disclose their donor lists to the IRS, which are not disclosed on publicly available tax filings. These organizations are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions, but can’t engage in direct political activity.

The IRS recently changed its regulations in July to remove donor lists from the publicly-available tax forms for 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations. Changing the rules for 501(c)(3) organizations would require action by Congress.

Two days before the Framers signed the Constitution, one delegate noticed a defect in the plan. He rose to point out that under the current proposal, only Congress could initiate the process of amending the Constitution. But if the federal government grew out of control, it could never be counted on to rein in its own power. There needed to be a way for the states to initiate the amendment process.

The other convention delegates agreed and unanimously voted to add provisions to Article V, which equipped the states with the power to call for a convention at which delegates would make amendment proposals—which would then have to be ratified by the states.

The day the Framers feared, when the federal government would far exceed its legitimate powers, arrived years ago. Congress has long exercised powers that are not constitutionally authorized. At the same time, in an effort to avoid hard choices and increase its members’ reelection chances, Congress has delegated most of the actual work of legislating to faceless, unaccountable bureaucracies, which continue to grow unchecked.

The Federal Register, which contains all proposed and final regulations issued by federal agencies, has published over 3.2 million pages. If it were printed and stacked, it would be taller than the Washington Monument. This mountain of regulation—not even legislation—slows economic growth, stifles innovation, and prevents countless Americans from pursuing their version of the American Dream.

The growth in our federal government has also led to unsustainable federal spending. The federal debt recently topped $22 trillion. Our country’s entire GDP is only 20.5 trillion, meaning that if we took every penny that is earned or produced by every American over the course of a year, we still could not pay off our debt. Every American’s share of the debt is currently about $67,000, and within 10 years, every man, woman, and child will owe $100,000. Future generations of Americans are being born into staggering debt for services they will never see.

The Supreme Court has been complicit in this perversion of the constitutional order, failing in its duty to serve as a check on the power of the legislative and executive branches. As the federal government has grown large enough to control every facet of our lives, so has the importance of the Supreme Court grown. The Court now routinely rules on the most important political issues in American life, including healthcare, immigration, affirmative action, abortion, political gerrymandering, and campaign finance. These “winner takes all” decisions have led to more polarization and a more toxic political discourse.

With a conservative majority on the Court, there is hope that the constitutional ship can be righted. But it will take decades to uproot the mountain of bad precedent that has built up for nearly a century. We should all hope that the federal courts will finally begin taking their constitutional role seriously. But we should do more than hope.

It is long past time for the states to exercise their sovereign power under Article V to call for a convention to reign in the federal government’s power. Two thirds of the states must call for such a convention. Thirteen states have already done so, and a Convention of States Resolution is currently pending in the Mississippi legislature. Mississippi should join the call.

While some have expressed worry that the convention may make things worse and not better, citizens are amply protected from any threats to their liberty. The convention call that Mississippi legislators are considering would limit the proposals that could be considered to those that either impose fiscal restraints on the federal government or limit its power and jurisdiction. Other states have also voted to allow discussion of proposals to impose term limits on federal officials, but Mississippi’s resolution does not include that subject.

Moreover, any amendments that are proposed by the convention would have to be ratified by three quarters of the states. Any ill-considered amendments would not survive that crucible.

The far greater risk is inaction. We know with certainty that, without action from the states, our federal government will continue to grow and spend unchecked. Amending our Constitution to remedy this threat is no insult to our founders. It’s an acknowledgement of their wisdom in equipping us with the tools necessary to overcome a threat to our Republic which they foretold so many years ago.

This editorial appeared in the Clarion Ledger on March 13, 2019.

The Mississippi Senate passed a bill intended to promote school safety Tuesday and bypassed some key reform bills, setting up a busy calendar on the deadline.

Wednesday is the final day for general (non-revenue bills) to pass out of the other chamber.

The Senate declined to take up House Bill 1352, the criminal justice reform package and HB 1268 which would change procedures governing constitutional challenges to local ordinances. Both bills maintain their places on the calendar.

HB 1205 was also bypassed by the Senate. It would prohibit state agencies from releasing or requesting donor information from 501(c) non-profit organizations. And HB 702, which would expand cottage food operations in the state, was also passed.

In the morning session, the Senate passed a bill, HB 1283 that is intended to address school safety. The bill would require school districts to develop and conduct an active shooter drill within the first 60 days of the start of each semester.

It would also establish a monitoring center connected with federal data systems with three regional analysts monitoring social media for threats.

The bill would also create a pilot program for six school districts with a curriculum for children in kindergarten through fifth grade with “skills for managing stress and anxiety.” The pilot plan would be federally funded.

It would also mandate that all school district employees receive refresher training on mental health and suicide prevention every two years.

The Mississippi Office of Homeland Security would also develop a curriculum to train and certify threat assessment officers, which would be required to conduct an annual inspection and threat assessment of each school in the state. They’d be required to inspect surveillance equipment and floorplans.

Teachers and administrators would also be trained in conducting what the bill calls behavioral health screenings for students.

The Mississippi Department of Education will develop and implement a statewide media campaign based on the concept of “see something, say something.”

The school safety bill will return to the House for concurrence, since it was amended in the other chamber. If the House concurs with the changes made to the bill, it’ll be headed to Gov. Phil Bryant.

If not, the bill will go to a conference committee to smooth out the differences.

The Senate also passed a bill, HB 977, that would allow out-of-state, licensed physicians the ability provide treatment to players and coaches at sporting events.

An amendment similar to several dead bills that would’ve allowed licensed medical professionals to practice in the state for charity failed on a voice vote. The amendment was authored by state Sen. Angela Hill (R-Picayune) and failed on a voice vote.

A bill that could protect the donor lists of non-profit organizations passed a key hurdle Monday.

House Bill 1205 would prohibit state agencies from requesting or releasing donor information on charitable groups organized under section 501 of federal tax law. The bill passed out of the Senate Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency and is now on the Senate calendar.

The deadline for passage is Wednesday.

The bill, which is sponsored by state Rep. Jerry Turner (R-Baldwyn), was originally written to include all of the different 501(c) designations. The bill was amended in the Senate AET Committee for the bill’s protections to only include 501(c)(3) organizations.

If the bill is passed by the Senate, the new version will have to be accepted by the House or else the differences will have to be settled in conference.

The bill is needed as progressives nationally have made it their goal to expose the donors to political organizations they deem hostile to their interests. If these lists are made available, these donors can be left open to threats, harassment or possibly other consequences.

The Pelosi-run U.S. House will likely pass House Resolution 1, known as the “For the People Act of 2019” Friday.

The rather inaptly named bill would have federal financing of elections in the form of six to one matching funds for donations up to $200 for candidates who reject large donations, would require states to implement mandatory voter registration, restore voting rights nationwide to ex-felons and place greater federal oversight over elections, which have traditionally been the responsibility of the states by limiting state regulations on voting by mail and voter roll purges.

It would also make Election Day a federal employment holiday.

The worst part of the legislation — known as the DISCLOSE and Stand By Every Ad acts — are even being criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union. These acts would require the disclosure of the identity of donors who contribute $50,000 or more by political non-profit groups and also govern revelation of donors for issue-based political ads.

The ACLU and other groups claim this runs counter to First Amendment protections governing free speech.

State Rep. Mark Baker (R-Brandon), a co-sponsor who presented the bill on the House floor, said the ultimate goal of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others on the left is to destroy the donor base of the conservative movement and make the entire country like California, where Republicans are a marginalized minority with little electoral or political power.

“They want to destroy groups like the NRA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the pro-life movement,” Baker said. “They have already successfully carried out this game plan in California.

“Mississippi has a chance to strike back and take a stand to protect donor privacy rights. That’s why I am championing legislation to protect the right of every person in Mississippi to give to the charity or cause of their choice.”

Passing HB 1205 would take the issue of donor privacy, at the state level, out of the purview of the courts.

A 1959 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, NAACP v. Alabama, would’ve appeared to protect the right to privacy for members of an organization, since they might be exposed to economic and social sanctions.

In September, the U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals overturned a 2016 verdict in a case pitting California Attorney General Xavier Becarra against Americans for Prosperity that said that 501(c)(3) non-profits didn’t have to reveal their donor lists to the California AG’s office.

Tuesday was the third big deadline in the Mississippi legislature for general, non-revenue, bills to be approved by committees from the opposite chamber.

Not a single bill that authorized a cigarette tax survived Tuesday’s deadline.

The next deadline is March 13, the last day for floor action on general bills originating from the other chamber.

Here are the some of the bills that survived and others that died:

Still alive

The bill was passed by the Senate Judiciary A Committee Tuesday before the deadline and is headed to the Senate floor for a vote.

SB 2781, known as Mississippi Fresh Start Act, is sponsored by state Sen. John Polk (R-Hattiesburg). This bill would eliminate the practice of “good character” or “moral turpitude” clauses from occupational licensing regulations, which prohibit ex-offenders from receiving an occupational license and starting a new post-incarceration career.

The bill was amended with a strike-all that made it identical to the original House bill. It was then approved by the House Judiciary A Committee.

HB 1268 would clarify state law regarding constitutional challenges to local ordinances. With local circuit courts acting as both the appellate body for appeals on specific decisions (such as bid disputes) and the court of original jurisdiction, there’s been confusion among judges regarding the law that governs challenges of local decisions, which are required within 10 days.

City and county attorneys have used this 10-day requirement on decisions to get new constitutional challenges — which are new lawsuits and not appeals of decisions — thrown out of circuit courts. This law would add language that would prevent application of the 10-day requirement to constitutional challenges.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Dana Criswell (R-Southaven). It was passed out of the Senate Judiciary A Committee Tuesday.

SB 2901, known as the Landowner Protection Act, would exempt property owners and their employees from civil liability if a third party injures someone else on their property.

The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Josh Harkins (R-Flowood) and the amended bill been sent back to the Senate for concurrence. If the Senate doesn’t concur with the changes by the House, the two sides will have to settle their differences with the bill in a conference committee.

HB 702 would allow cottage food operators to increase their maximum sales to $35,000 and advertise their products on the web. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Casey Eure (R-Saucier), passed the House by a 117-0 margin. It’s been passed out of the Public Health and Welfare Committee in the Senate.

SB 2603 would reauthorize motion picture and television production incentives for out-of-state firms that expired in 2017. Unlike the previous incentives, both bills would cap them at $10 million.

The bill sponsored by state Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-Sumrall) and been passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee. It’s already on the House calendar and will likely get a floor vote this week.

The deadline for floor action on appropriations and revenue bills from the other chamber is March 19.

More dead than the Macarena

SB 2675 would’ve reauthorized the Education Scholarship Account program until 2024 and was sponsored by state Sen. Gray Tollison (R-Oxford). The original bill that authorized the ESA program has a repealer that will end the program if not reauthorized on July 1, 2020.

The bill was allowed to die on the calendar by the House Education Committee.

HB 623 would’ve exempted school districts with A and B accountability ratings from the Mississippi Department of Education from certain mandates, including grade reporting and annual auditing of the district’s official discipline plan and code of student conduct.

The bill was killed by the Senate Education Committee before making it to the floor for a vote.

HB 98 would prohibit the use of fishing nets for the taking of finfish or speckled trout within a half mile of the shoreline of Cat Island in the Mississippi Sound. It was allowed to die by the Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee.

HB 1499 would’ve increased the excise tax on non-cigarette tobacco products such as cigars and chewing tobacco from 15 percent to 22.5 percent, while HB 1500 would’ve raised the per-pack cigarette tax rate from 68 cents to $1.18. Both were sponsored by state Rep. Bob Evans (D-Monticello). It died in committee.

SB 2665 would’ve increased the per-pack tax on cigarettes to $2.18 and was sponsored by state Sen. Willie Simmons (D-Cleveland). It died in committee.

HB 1573 was sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Smith (R-Columbus) and would’ve increased the tax on a pack of cigarettes to $1.68. It also didn’t make it out of committee.

SB 2563 was authored by state Sen. Brice Wiggins (R-Pascagoula) and would’ve hiked the per-pack levy to $2.18. It died in committee.

HB 60 was sponsored by state Rep. Earl Banks (D-Jackson) and would’ve authorized $2 million in bond funds for the Jackson Zoo for capital improvements.

HB 67 was sponsored by state Rep. Ashley Henley (R-Southaven) and would’ve eliminated the state sales tax on food and increased the diversion of sales tax revenue to municipalities from 18.5 to 20 percent.

Mississippi lost 700 jobs over the previous month while the unemployment rate in January remained unchanged for the eighth consecutive month at 4.7 percent.

According to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, this represents the lowest rate since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began calculating state unemployment data in 1976. But Mississippi still has among the highest unemployment rates in the country. The national unemployment rate is 4.0, up slightly from 3.9 percent in December.

But these numbers vary greatly depending on what part of the state you are in.

In the Jackson metro area, Rankin (3.7 percent) and Madison (3.9 percent) counties posted unemployment rates lower than the national average. Hinds county, however, had a rate of 4.8 percent.

In the Pine Belt, Lamar county had an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent. Forrest county, though, was higher at 4.7 percent.

Desoto county had an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, while Lafayette county had a rate of 4.3 percent. Union, Pontotoc, and Lee counties boated unemployment rates of 3.9 percent, 4.1 percent, and 4.1 percent, respectively.

But on the Coast, unemployment rates were above state and national averages. Harrison county had the lowest rate at 4.8 percent, while it was 5.8 percent in Hancock county and 6 percent in Jackson county. The Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula MSA had an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent, about a point higher than the Hattiesburg MSA (4.5 percent) and the Jackson MSA (4.4 percent).

The Delta and Southwest Mississippi continue to post the highest unemployment rates in the state. This includes 14.1 percent in Jefferson county, 12.7 percent in Issaquena county, 10.2 percent in Humphreys county, and 10 percent in Holmes and Wilkinson counties.

Among cities, Moss Point had the highest unemployment rate at 7.7 percent, followed by 7.1 percent in Greenville, and 6.4 percent in Vicksburg. On the other end of the spectrum, Madison had an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, while both Clinton and Southaven posted unemployment rates of 3.6 percent.