Government

Saying he still has concerns about it — and would have written it differently — Gov. Tate Reeves signed the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act into law Wednesday afternoon ahead of a midnight deadline.

The Legislature with little debate and overwhelming vote margins on Wednesday sent to the governor a bill to legalize medical marijuana in Mississippi.

A day after the massive tax cut bill championed by Republican Speaker Philip Gunn passed the House, a member of his leadership team took bold action.

Sen. Kevin Blackwell recited Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" — "everybody must get stoned" — and passed out various sized hemp samples before the Senate on Thursday passed a long-debated Mississippi medical marijuana program.

In less than 45 minutes Wednesday afternoon, the House approved legislation that would provide the largest tax cut in the state’s history and one of Mississippi’s largest teacher pay raises.

As politicians haggle over grams and taxes, THC levels and canopy space, license fees and excises, thousands of chronically ill Mississippi patients and families who believed they would have access to medical marijuana months ago per the will of the voters feel lost in the shuffle.

I’m a proud fan of old country music. This modern stuff parading around as “country music” just isn’t for me.

The storyline of the summer has been that House and Senate negotiators are close, closer — even very, very close — to having a deal on a medical marijuana program, for which Gov. Tate Reeves could call the Legislature into special session to pass.

A panel of lawmakers today and Thursday are holding hearings on how, why, or if Mississippi's individual income tax should be eliminated or cut and whether other taxes should be raised.

This is part three in a five-part series about Philip Gunn’s influence in changing the Mississippi state flag.