Area lawmakers say the 2005 legislative session should start totake shape following a Monday deadline for introduction of generalbills and constitutional amendments.

Dist. 53 Rep. Bobby Moak said committees are getting kicked offand will begin to look at the proposed laws.

“That’s going to be most of it,” said Moak, D-Bogue Chitto,about the early session focus.

More than 2,000 bills have been introduced. House and Senatepanels will have until Feb. 1 to act on the measures.

Dist. 92 Rep. Dr. Jim Barnett doubted whether there would bemuch action by the full chambers this week.

“I don’t think you’ll see anything coming to the floor for twoor three days,” Barnett said. “We’ve got to churn them out ofcommittee first.”

Barnett, R-Brookhaven, said a group of conservative lawmakershad come together to co-sponsor each other’s legislation.

One bill Barnett introduced calls for labeling the country oforigin of shrimp and other seafood. He said the bill is designed tohelp Gulf Coast shrimpers who are competing with lesser-qualityproducts being imported from other countries.

“They’re really suffering from imported shrimp from China,Ecuador, Indonesia and several other countries,” Barnett said.

In the Senate, Dist. 39 Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith said more than 400bills were requested to be drafted in the last three days beforeMonday’s deadline. She said committee chairmen will be reviewingthose in the coming days.

“There’s a lot of work to be done,” said Hyde-Smith,D-Brookhaven. “A lot of chairmen will be busy weeding out what willnot make it the table for discussion.”

As chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, one billHyde-Smith is taking an interest in would establish a voluntarybeef check off program for state promotions. Currently, under amandatory national check off, $1 for every head of cattle sold atauction goes to a program to promote beef.

“That has been challenged in court on the national level,”Hyde-Smith said.

A decision has not been made on that challenge. Hyde-Smith saida referendum would first be held on whether to implement the stateprogram.

“There’s folks on both sides of the fence,” Hyde-Smith said.

Supporters contend the benefits were seen during the Mad Cowdisease scare by helping to promote beef and accurate information,the senator said. Critics would like to see the check off moneystay with producers and put back in the herd development.

While this week’s deadline focused on general legislation ratherthan spending bills, lawmakers said financial considerations remainthe session’s primary theme.

“Everybody’s concerned about the budget and how we’ll work ourway out,” Moak said.

Moak said lawmakers are looking to address health care andeducation first.

“Once you do that, that leaves everybody else scrambling for theremaining 25 to 28 percent of the budget,” Moak said.

One spending area that garnered attention this week is over $3million in housing expenses for state mental health employees.

A legislative review deemed the expenses unjustified given thestate’s current budget situation. The review looked at 46dwellings, including one in Brookhaven valued at more than$200,000, for 126 department employees.

“It’s one of the things given as a perk with the job,” Barnettsaid.

State mental health leaders said the employees housed in thefacilities are on call 24 hours a day and the housing expense isless than what would be paid if there were other housingarrangements. Barnett said a PEER review is under way and resultswere expected in about a month.

When questioned about the housing expense, Moak said it wouldlikely come up for discussion during the state budget process.

“I think every aspect of every state agency will be up fordiscussion,” Moak said. “Because of the severity, everything has tobe up for discussion.”

Hyde-Smith said the housing policy began when mental healthfacilities were located in remote areas of the state. She saidmodest homes were built for employees because there were no homesto buy on those areas.

“Now, that’s not the case,” Hyde-Smith said.

The senator said the feasibility of providing housing is beingquestioned. In addition to housing availability, Hyde-Smith saidthe average salary of mental health employees in the homes isbetween $79,000 and $150,000.

“I think it’s just a luxury the state can no longer afford,”Hyde-Smith said about providing housing.

Hyde-Smith said the state should be very selective when buildinghouses. She indicated that housing should only be provided foremployees in an emergency crisis management capacity.

Hyde-Smith said she wouldn’t want to see the housing savingstaken away from mental health. She said those savings should bechanneled into patient services.

“It is desperately needed (there),” Hyde-Smith said.