JACKSON, Miss. — When you go to the polls in November to vote on initiative 42, which aimed to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), it will no longer just be a yes or no question. Because of the legislature, there will now be an alternative choice alongside the initiative with different language so you’ll vote for one, the other, or neither.
The measure passed 30-20 on partly lines in the State Senate Wednesday after hours of debate. It’s the first time ever in the state’s history that the Legislature has voted to add an alternative to a people’s initiative.
House Republicans said Tuesday that the alternative language will keep decisions about funding education in the hands of the legislature and out of the hands of a judge. However, Sen. (R) Gray Tollison seemed to be in agreement with (D) Sen. David Blount Wednesday that the alternative language could still be up for debate in court.
Democrats believe the alternative language was passed to make it harder for initiative 42 to pass, since having an alternative choice now requires the initiative to have at least 40 percent of the vote to pass.
“This is not about amending the constitution this is about pulling the rug under the people’s initiative so nothing passes. If you want to come forward and argue that this proposal alternative, for the likes of which have never seen, which was drafted over the weekend – Get out there and campaign it,” said (D) Sen. David Blount.
