Lawmakers are going to conference over a bill that could expand the Capitol Police

by

Lacey Alexander

• Published on March 23, 2023 • Comments

Rep. Earle Banks, D-Jackson, seeks clarification over a lottery bill in House chambers at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. The Mississippi House killed a bill that would create a state lottery, voting 60-54 against it. The lottery was an attempt to put about $200 million a year into highways and bridges. However, the bill was held for the possibility of more debate. That means supporters could try to revive it.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

A highly debated bill that would affect law enforcement and judicial jurisdiction in Jackson will move to a mostly-white conference in the state legislature.

Lacey Alexander

Lawmakers are going to conference over a bill that could expand the Capitol Police

Both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature have announced their conferees for further deliberation on House Bill 1020. The most recent version of the bill would expand the jurisdiction of the Capitol Police Force into more parts of Jackson, a city that has an 80% black population. Two of the six conferees represent the city and only one resides there.

Representative Earle Banks is a Democrat from Jackson. He is the only person of color and the only democrat chosen to hold conference over the bill. He is aware of 1020's vocal critics but says the bill has changed a lot since it was first introduced.

"1020 started off as a rotten, rotten piece of legislation. It evolved from 1080 pages down to 40 pages now down to 10 pages," he said.
"I hope that we can change this ugly caterpillar that we had into a butterfly."

Banks has voted against the bill in the past but hopes the final product will lessen crime in the city. Republican Senator Walter Michel lives in Ridgeland but represents parts of the capitol city. He was also selected as a conferee on HB 1020, and says he plans to represent the desires of his constituents of all backgrounds.

I represent about 20,000 people in northeast Jackson, so I will definitely have my constituents' interest at heart," he said. "Those are the ones who I've heard from that are scared, many of them want additional police protection. That's the number one request I hear from them."

Conferees are recommended by committee chairs and are then approved by chamber leadership.