Highlights from the Week
On March 24, 2023, the United States House of Representatives passed the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Approved on a vote of 213-208, this bill would establish various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary education of their children, and require local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools comply with the requirements in order to receive federal education funds. It now moves on to the Senate for consideration. To read more about the bill and how your representatives voted, click here. To read a statement from the bill sponsor, Representative Julia Letlow of Louisiana, click here. To read a statement from Representative Bill Huizenga of Michigan, click here. Lastly, to read a statement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, click here.
On March 24, 2023, a tornado hit Mississippi and much of the American southeast, killing 26 and leveling entire neighborhoods. In the aftermath, Governor Tate Reeves and the state’s Senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, requested assistance from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with President Joe Biden accepting the request and sending resources to the state to help in the recovery. To read a statement from Biden, click here. To read a joint statement from the entire Mississippi delegation (Senators Wicker and Hyde-Smith as well as Congressmen Ezell, Guest, Kelly, and Thompson), click here.
On March 27, 2023, six people–three adults, three children–were killed in a shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. The perpetrator, who was 28 years old and a former student of the school, bought seven firearms legally and carried two assault rifles and a handgun into the school. This is the 130th mass shooting in 2023, and in the wake of the shooting President Biden called on Congress to take up a ban on assault rifles. To read a statement from Biden, click here. To read a statement from Nashville’s congressman, Andy Ogles, click here. To read a statement from Representative Steve Cohen, click here.
Elections
By the Elections Research team: Nick, Zachary, Seth, and Caleb, and Elections Interns Reid, Hunter, and George
Biographies:
Want to learn more about the candidates running for Mississippi’s State Legislature this year? You can see the full list here:
Want to learn more about the leadership in each state legislature? You can see the full leadership rosters here:
Want to learn more about which committees elected officials are a part of? You can see the full list of committees for each state here:
Want to learn more about some special elections happening in 2023? You can see the elections that have been held so far this year here:
Officials
By the Officials Research team: Noah, Johanan, Neal, Thomas, and Israel and Officials Interns: Brittany, Caroline, and Morgen
Public Statements: 265 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.
Key Votes:
States: 37 new votes were added.
Colorado’s Senate passed SB 23-168 which repeals current limits on product liability actions against firearm manufacturers.
Kentucky’s House passed HB 153 which prohibits law enforcement officers from enforcing any federal ban or regulation on firearms enacted after January 2021.
Michigan’s Senate passed SB 76 which requires safe firearm storage, background checks on unlicensed gun sales, and extreme risks protection orders.
U.S. Congress: 1 vote was added.
S 619 - “A bill to repeal the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq”
Special Interest Groups
This year to date, the SIGS team has entered 8,740 ratings and 1,453 endorsements for candidates.