June 14, 2004
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MHA's Monday Executive Briefing
June 14, 2004
In this week's edition...
State News
1. Out-of-state lawyers in majority at exam
2. McCoy awakes and speaks with family, officials say
3. Hampton announces candidacy for house
4. John McCullouch named MEC Chair
5. Bill Waller announces his candidacy for re-election to Supreme Court
6. Governor Barbour Begins “Tort Tour"
7. State parties pick national delegates
National News
8. J-1 Visa Program in jeopardy, bill moves forward
9. Hearing on hospital billing practices postponed
State News
1. Out-of-state lawyers in majority at exam
More than half of the people who took the Mississippi Bar Examination in February were already licensed to practice law in other states, according to results recently released by the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions. A statistical analysis of bar exam applications showed that 101 out-of-state attorneys were among the 182 people who took the bar exam.
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2. McCoy awakes and speaks with family, officials say
A fellow lawmaker says House Speaker Billy McCoy was awake and talking to family members on Friday at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. House Education Chairman Randy “Bubba” Pierce, D-Leakesville, said in a written statement that McCoy appears to be improving days after undergoing surgery in which doctors removed about a foot of colon. McCoy remained in intensive care.
The statement was released hours after House clerk Don Richardson said in an interview that McCoy had been unconscious. House spokesman Mac Gordon said UMC officials classified McCoy being in “serious but stable” condition today.
The 61-year-old lawmaker has been in UMC since June 6 and is being treated for diverticulitis, an inflammation of the digestive tract. Richardson said McCoy has developed an infection. He said although McCoy had been unable to talk for a while, the speaker squeezed the hand of a friend who was praying for him early today.
Richardson on Wednesday wrote a memo to House members and staff saying McCoy was showing signs similar to someone who had suffered a stroke. However, Richardson said today no doctor or family member had said anything to him about a stroke. Richardson said he used that description simply as a layperson to describe how he thought McCoy appeared. He said there is no paralysis.
McCoy, D-Rienzi, has been a member of the House since 1980 and was elected speaker in January. He represents House District 3, which covers Alcorn and Prentiss counties. Longtime Rep. Charlie Capps, D-Cleveland, was in good condition Thursday at UMC, where he is being treated for pneumonia. Capps, 79, is a former Appropriations Committee chairman and has been in the House since 1972.
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3. Hampton announces candidacy for house
Carolyn R. Hampton recently announced her candidacy for the open position of District 43 in the Mississippi House of Representatives. Hampton, the special education case manager for Louisville Public Schools, has more than 30 years of work experience in health care, welfare reform, managing the quality and safety of food manufacturing, education and job training.
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4. John McCullouch named MEC Chair
John McCullouch, a Louisville native, is the 2004-2005 chair of the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC), the state chamber of commerce. McCullouch is President of BellSouth-Mississippi Operations. McCullouch is a member of the board and executive committees of the MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership for Economic Development. He is vice chair of the Partnership for A Healthy Mississippi and serves as a director of the Mississippi Technology Alliance, Jobs for Mississippi Graduates, BellSouth Foundation, Trustmark National Bank, and the Jackson Downtown Rotary Club.
MEC directors annually elect a treasurer for the upcoming year and a chair who will take office two years after being chosen. Other members of the organization's new leadership include: James Threadgill of Tupelo, 2005 - 2006 MEC chair; Thomas G. (Tom) Gresham of Indianola, 2006 - 2007 chair; and Robert Roy Ward of Jackson, who was re-elected as MEC Treasurer. Threadgill is executive vice president of BancorpSouth, Inc., and vice chair of BancorpSouth Bank. Gresham is chair of Double Quick, Inc., and Ward is chair emeritus of the Horne CPA Group.
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5. Bill Waller announces his candidacy for re-election to Supreme Court
Presiding Justice Bill Waller, Jr., of Jackson recently officially announced his candidacy for re-election to the Mississippi Supreme Court, Central District, Post 1. Justice Waller, a Presiding Justice since January 2004, was originally elected to the Supreme Court in November of 1996.
Justice Waller is presently conducting a press tour through the 22 counties of the Central District. Waller has served as chairman of the Rules Committee since 2001. He practiced law for 20 years with his father, former Governor Bill Waller, before becoming a member of the Supreme Court. He also served as a Municipal Judge for the City of Jackson. Justice Waller achieved the rank of Brigadier General in the Mississippi Army National Guard, last serving as the Commander of the 66th Troop Command, headquartered in Jackson. He graduated from Mississippi State University and received his law degree for the University of Mississippi.
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6. Governor Barbour Begins “Tort Tour"
Governor Barbour met with corporate leaders and media outlets in New York and Washington last week to officially announce the civil justice legislation that makes Mississippi a more attractive place for industries to locate. “In recent years, Mississippi has gotten a bad reputation in national business circles as a place where employers are unfairly targeted with frivolous lawsuits. This reputation led to national publications calling Mississippi a ‘judicial hellhole’ and hurt our job creation efforts,” said Governor Barbour. “With our recent passage of meaningful tort reform, I want to tell job-creators across America that our scales of justice are now in balance. It is time for them to come and take another look at Mississippi as a place to locate,” he added.
After legislators failed to pass tort reform during the 2004 Regular Session that ended May 9, Governor Barbour called a special session to address tort reform that began May 19. After two weeks of work, House and Senate leaders agreed on civil justice legislation that caps non-economic and punitive damages, protects “innocent sellers” and reforms Mississippi’s venue laws. The new law is to take effect September 1, 2004.
Governor Barbour’s stops included speaking to a board of directors meeting of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who has given Mississippi a 50th ranking for a fair legal climate three years on a row; with executives of Toyota Motor Company – who listed Mississippi’s legal climate as one of the reasons the automobile manufacturer decided not to locate one of its plants in Mississippi; to an economic development luncheon of business leaders sponsored by the Mississippi Development Authority; with the editorial board of Business Week; with the editorial board of Fortune; on CNBC’s Squawk Box – a financial program geared toward business leaders; and on FOX News with Shepard Smith. At the conclusion of the tour, Governor Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour attended the funeral of former President Ronald Reagan in Washington D.C.
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7. State parties pick national delegates
Mississippi's Democratic and Republican party leaders have released rosters of each party's delegates to this summer's national conventions. A 41-member Democratic delegation and six alternates head to the national convention in Boston July 26-29. The Mississippi Republican Party will take 38 delegates and 35 alternate delegates to its national convention in New York City Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
The Democratic Party's voting delegates include Gary Anderson of Jackson, Cindy Ayers-Elliott of Jackson, Gary Bailey of Tupelo, state Rep. Earle Banks of Jackson, Jessie D. Banks of Tchula, Barbara Blackmon of Canton, Leroy Brooks of Columbus Mary Katherine Brown of Vicksburg;
Zelma S. Carson of Jackson, Curley H. Clark of Pascagoula, Melba Baird Clark of Meridian, Mississippi Democratic Party chairman Rickey Cole of Ovett, Larry Coleman of Ellisville, Mildred Conley of Tunica, David Darwin of Corinth, Carnelia Pettis Fondren of Oxford; Mary N. Graham of Houston, Darryl Grennell of Natchez, state Sen. Alice Harden of Jackson, Melton Harris of Pascagoula, Attorney General Jim Hood of Brandon, state Sen. Sampson Jackson of DeKalb, Kelly Jacobs of Hernando, Mayor Harvey Johnson of Jackson, state Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood, Emily M. Liner of Bay St. Louis; Deanna Sue Livingston of Pearl, Shelia Maki of Moss Point, Johnnie Patton of Jackson, Brad Pigott of Jackson, Sean B. Perkins of Jackson, Shirley Perry of Oxford, state Rep. Tommy Reynolds of Water Valley, Kellie Sanchez of Tupelo, Emma D. Sanders of Jackson, Linda Shemper of Hattiesburg, state Rep. Omeria Scott of Laurel, U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor of Bay St. Louis, U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Bolton, Charles Tillman of Jackson and William Wheeler of Golden.
Alternate delegates are Bill Chandler of Jackson, Cono Caranna of Biloxi, Vallena Greer of Jackson, Janice M. Magers of Saltillo, Carlos D. Palmer of Greenwood and Peggy Rogers of Starkville. Attending the Democratic National Convention as standing committee members from Mississippi, but not as delegates, are Bob Richmond of Amory, state Rep. Jamie Franks of Mooreville, state Rep. May Whittington of Schlater, Marilyn Hansell of Arcola, Carrine Bishop of Madison and Robert McDuff of Jackson.
Mississippi Republican Party delegates include Mayor Rosemary Aultman of Clinton, Rosemary Ramirez Barbour of Jackson, Gov. Haley Barbour and his wife Marsha Barbour of Yazoo City, Susan Beckett of Bruce, Vivian Berryhill of Olive Branch, Mayor Yvonne Brown of Tchula, State Auditor Phil Bryant of Brandon; State Rep. Virginia Carlton of Columbia, U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Byram, Wil Colom of Columbus, Sandra DePriest of Columbus, Frank Genzer of Biloxi, Al Gilless of Southaven, John Hairston of Gulfport, Mayor Shirley Hall of Richland, Gary Harkins of Brandon, Gregg Harper of Pearl, Republican Party Chairman Jim Herring of Madison, Clinton B. LeSueur of Greenville, state Sen. Travis Little of Corinth, U.S. Sen. Trent Lott of Pascagoula, Jeanne Luckey of Ocean Springs, Howard McKissack of Pass Christian, Cindy Phillips of Madison, U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering of Flora; Hilda Povall of Cleveland, Billy Powell of Madison, Clarke Reed of Greenville, Jon Reeves of Southaven, state Treasurer Tate Reeves of Jackson, Mike Retzer of Greenville, Sampat Shivangi of Jackson, Stephanie Summers-O'Neal of Jackson, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck of Maben, state Rep. Jessica Upshaw of Diamondhead, Billy VanDevender of Jackson and U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker of Tupelo.
Alternate delegates from Mississippi's Republican Party are J.W. Burt of Magnolia, Michael Cravens of Louisville, Danny Dilworth of Rienzi, Michael Doughty of Columbus, Fred Drews of Hattiesburg, Karen Elam of Oxford, state Rep. Jim Ellington of Raymond, state Sen. Merle Flowers of Southaven, Nell Frisbie of Kiln, John Fullenwider of Oxford, Kris Gianakos of Meridian; Jennifer Hall of Brandon, state Sen. Billy Hewes of Gulfport, Brooks Holstein of Gulfport, Pete Howell of Mize, Ellen Jernigan of Hernando, John Lundy of Ridgeland, Mike Marsh of Brandon, Paul Mathis of Greenville, Glenn McCullough of Tupelo, Buddy McDonald of Picayune, state Sen. Walter Michel of Jackson, Phil Morris of New Albany, state Sen. Alan Nunnelee of Tupelo, Kay Patterson of Columbia, state Sen. Stacey Pickering of Soso, state Sen. Charlie Ross of Brandon; Randy Russell of Ridgeland, Walter Scott of Jackson, Meredith Skipper of Columbus, Jill St. John of Hattiesburg, Clayton Stanley of Corinth, James Ventress of Woodville, Liles Williams of Raymond and Brenda Wood of Carrollton.
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National News
8. J-1 Visa Program in jeopardy, bill moves forward
While we have made a step forward in the House toward reauthorizing the Conrad State 30 program, more work must be done to get our lawmakers to understand the importance of passing this legislation. Weigh in with the full House Judiciary Committee and ask them to support HR 4453. For a list of committee members, click here.
HR 4453 passed the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims, which protects access to health care services in rural communities by reauthorizing the State 30 J-1 visa waiver program for one year. H.R. 4453 also clarifies that the waivers are exempted from the cap on H1-B temporary work visas, which already has been reached for 2004. The bill next moves to the full House Judiciary Committee for consideration. There is a companion bill in the Senate, S 2302, which is in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The visa waiver program, which expired May 31, was created in 1994 to help rural and medically underserved areas that often can't recruit physicians. Under the program, foreign physicians training in a residency program in the U.S. under a J-1 visa are allowed to stay in the country after completion of their studies if they agree to practice in a medically underserved community for three years. Last year, the program helped more than 1,000 foreign physicians practice in 49 states. These physicians undergo rigorous background checks and in many communities are the only source of care.
Please contact your national legislators and urge them to help pass this legislation. More than 20 million Americans live in
underserved areas, and if unless the State 30 program is reauthorized, their care will be jeopardized.
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9. Hearing on hospital billing practices postponed
Out of respect to former President Ronald Reagan, whose body lay in state last week in the Capitol rotunda, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee postponed last week’s scheduled hearing on hospital billing and collection practices for uninsured patients. Subcommittee members are expected to hear from health system CEOs, officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, its Office of Inspector General and other experts on the issue.
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