Mississippi lawmakers can’t seem to make up their mind as to how strong a governor they are prepared to live with.
On Monday, while the Senate decided to kill, on second thought, a proposal to give Gov. Phil Bryant more control over the Department of Mental Health, the House went forward, despite its misgivings, with a bill to give him authority over many of the state’s occupational licensing boards.
Historically, the Legislature has been zealous about guarding its own power and keeping the governor the weaker branch of state government. The 1890 Constitution, under which Mississippi still operates was written with those goals in mind.
It is a bit astonishing to now see lawmakers seriously contemplating correcting some of this imbalance. Whatever they do, they may want to heed the words of Rep. Toby Barker. The Hattiesburg Republican told his colleagues to think long term. They could be giving more power to not just a current governor they like but a future one they might not.
