The Magee Lions Club had an interesting program on Monday with the guest speaker, the presiding judge of the Mississippi Appeals Court, Judge Jack Wilson of Madison. He was the guest of Eric Atkins.
Wilson was first appointed to the county by Governor Phil Bryant. Afterwards he was elected to the seat for an eight year term. Aside from growing up in Mississippi, he graduated high school in Tupelo, did undergraduate studies at the University of Memphis and received an accounting degree from the University of Mississippi. He received his juris doctorate from Harvard School of Law. In addition to his public service he has held a private practice in Jackson and in Washington, D. C.
He practiced appellate as well as civil litigation. He has experience in state litigation as well as in Federal Court to include the United States Supreme Court, so he is an authority on the law.
This meeting marked the second time for Judge Wilson to visit the Magee Lions Club. The first was about five years ago.
This time he discussed two cases in his presentation and then concluded with an open session of questions and answers.
The first case was that of Gov. Tate Reeves versus Speaker of the House Philip Gunn. The crux of the matter is the governor having the ability to invoke a line item veto with reference to appropriation bills. The case hinged on funds that were sent to he State of Mississippi from the federal government.
The first example that Wilson brought out was a hospital that had closed but was still requesting $2 million in Covid funding, and the second was a community outreach program that was requesting $5 million but no one could answer any questions as to what the money was needed for or how it was to be spent.
Once these requests were sent back to the legislature for resubmission, they did not have the support to come out of committee.
To the chagrin of the legislature, the courts did rule that in appropriation bills the governor did have the authority to veto line items.
The other issue that Wilson chose to speak about was Initiative 65 in which voters were given the right to approve or reject medical marijuana.
Wilson said that based on the fact that about 75 percent of the voters voted in favor of the initiative, the state would have medical marijuana but in a much different form from the way the initiative was presented, as a provision to be added into the state constitution, which would make it much harder to ever change.
Several issues came into to play with this. Madison’s Mayor Mark Hawkins Butler filed a lawsuit staying the process was corrupted because when the initiative process was adopted in the state there were five congressional districts but now there are four. In addition, the city of Madison filed suit. For that reason it was impossible to meet the guidelines for this initiative.
Wilson said he believes that the legislature will adopt a process that will give some control over the governance of medical marijuana to local administrations rather than through an amendment to the state constitution.
The Magee Lions Club brings insightful speakers with important topics on a regular basis. If you would like more information, give us or any other member a call.
