Local lawmakers gave their opinions about the three constitutional initiatives that will be on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election during the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative breakfast Tuesday at the Golden Corral in McComb.
A number of state senators and representatives were expected to attend, but only state senators Kelvin Butler, D-Magnolia, and Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, and Rep. Sam Mims V, R-McComb, were present.
The proposals are Initiative 26, or the Personhood Amendment, which seeks to legally define that life begins at conception. Initiative 27 would require voters to show identification at the polls. Initiative 31 would limit the government’s ability to take private land.
Concerning Initiative 26, all three agreed that life begins with conception. But not all were in agreement that the amendment should pass.
“I’m in favor of Initiative 26. I believe life begins at conception,” said Mims, whose District 97 covers parts of Adams, Amite, Franklin, Pike and Walthall counties. He is unopposed in the general election.
Butler agreed with Mims that life begins at conception, but he had reservations about how the measure would outlaw abortions for victims of incest or rape.
“The problem I have with it is it takes out the part about incest or rape,” he said. “It’s just another opportunity for government to be involved in our private lives. Those are concerns I have that will take women’s rights away.”
Butler represents District 38, which includes parts of Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall and Wilkinson counties. He also is unopposed.
“This initiative goes too far, in my opinion,” said Dearing, whose District 37 includes parts of Adams, Franklin, Amite and Pike counties. “There are no exceptions. If my daughter was raped, I wouldn’t want her to give up the choice of having that child.”
Dearing faces Republican Melanie Sojourner of Natchez in the general election.
Mims said he was wholeheartedly in support of Initiative 27, which would require a person to submit government-issued photo identification in order to vote.
“I’m 100 percent in favor of that,” Mims said. “You have to have identification at Blockbuster. You ought to have one to vote.”
Butler sees it the other way.
“I have concerns with voter ID,” he said. “I’ve been fighting for eight years on that. I will not support that.”
“On the voter ID issue, I will abide by the voters,” Dearing said.
On eminent domain, Dearing said there is already detailed process for government to go through before it can acquire a person’s property.
“The bottom line is if you don’t like the appraised value of your property, you can go to court. The average of three appraisals is what you’re going to get.
“We have steps in place for eminent domain. Three of five supervisors have to approve a manufacturing coming in, the Mississippi Development Authority has to sign off on it, and then it goes to the Legislature. I will abide by what the voters of Mississippi decide to do.”
“I believe the government should not be able to take your land,” Mims said.
Butler agreed with Mims on the issue.
A member of the audience brought up the question of a state lottery to generate revenue.
“I don’t believe we have a revenue problem, but a spending problem,” Mims said. “We must get a handle on how we spend our money. I’m not for a lottery.”
“I’ve introduced lottery bills for the last three or four years,” Butler said. “It’s a way to produce revenue. I do support the lottery.”
Dearing said he has supported lottery bills, but “I don’t know how much money it would bring in to the state.”
