Mississippi legislature convenes amid pandemic

OTHER... LIKE LAST YEAR.16 WAPT'S SCOTTSIMMONS HAS MORE FROM THESTATE CAPITOL.

<SCOTT SIMMONS/REPORTING:IT IS BACK TO WORK FORLAWMAKERS AFTER A SESSIONLAST YEAR THAT RESULTED INWIDESPREAD COVID 19INFECTIONS.

A FULL SLATE INTHIS SESSION AND A HOPE NOTTO REPEAT THE MISTAKES OFLAST YEAR.A HEALTH CARE GAUNTLET TOENTER THE STATE CAPITOL..CHECKING TEMPERATURESON THE FOREHEAD AND THEWRIST ..<MARCIA SMITH LEGISLATIVESTAFFER:WHEN THEY COME INWE CHECK THEIRTEMPERATURES MAKING SUREEVERYTHING IS OK..

WE ASK IFTHEY HAVE BEEN AROUNDANYBODY EXPOSED TO THECOVID..AS LAWMAKERS RETURN TO THECAPITOL, THEY ARE WELLAWARE OF THE DOZENS OFCORONAVRIUS INFECTIONSTHAT OCCURRED LAST YEAR.NOW..A NEW LIST OFPROTOCOLS..<SEN.

DEAN KIRBY/(R)PRESIDENT PRO TEM: WE ARENOT HAVING VISITORS THISYEAR WE ARE NOT HAVINGEXHIBITS SOCIALDISTANCING WEARINGMASKS... WE ARE ASKING THECHAIRMAN ON ISSUES WHEN WEBRING THEM ON THE FLOOR WEASK THEM TO STAY IN THEIROFFICES UNTIL IT IS TIME TOVOTE.THERE ARE A HOST OF FISCALISSUES ...INCLUDING A PUSHFOR PAY RAISES.<SEN.

DERRICK SIMMONS/(D)DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS LEADER:I HAVE A BILL I HAVE BEENSPONSORING FOR A NUMBER OFYEARS FOR A 5 PERCENT ACROSSTHE BOARD PAY RAISE FOR ALLEMPLOYEES.

OUR STATEEMPLOYEES... THEY NEED APAY RAISE.BECAUSE THE STATE DOESN'THAVE IT'S FINANCIALPROJECTIONS FOR THE YEARYET AND THE VACCINATIONSHAVE JUST BEGUN, THELIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WANTSTO SEND LAWMAKERS HOME NOWAND COME BACK IN WEEKS OREVEN MONTHS LATER.<LT.

GOVERNOR DELBERTHOSEMANN/(R) MS: WE AREWRESTLING WITH WHAT THEFIRST QUARTER NUMBERS WILLBE JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCHWE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ATEACHER PAY RAISE THERE AREA LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TOBE DONE AND WE WILL HAVEBETTER NUMBERS IN APRIL ANDMAY.<SCOTT SIMMONS/REPORTING:THIS SESSION IS SET TO ENDAND THE END OF MARCH BUT IFLAWMAKERS TAKE A BREAK ITCOULD BE EXTENDED PAST T