Video: Dist. 17 State Rep. Preparing For Busy Legislative Session

The Republican lawmaker is in his third term and believes some of the major issues facing legislators are predictable.

“The biggest issues for Mississippi this year will be some of the same issues we experience each year, first and foremost is the budget.  We have to come out with a balanced budget,” Rep. Aldridge said.

Aldridge knows that all state agencies have important needs , and trying to fund the requests takes a lot of work.

“Meeting those needs financially, is often pretty tricky,” he said.

The Tupelo lawmaker believes a looming budget challenge involves how to fund Medicaid expansion.

“I believe the answer to that is going to be found within that three months, I don’t believe there’s an answer just yet as to how that’s going to be done,” Rep. Aldridge said.

Aldridge expects lawmakers to pass some sort of charter school bill and he also says an expansion of the state’s bond program is likely to happen.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed and really hope we have some needs for bonds for companies wanting to locate here in Mississippi,” he said.

Representative Aldridge says the recent tragic school shooting in Newtown Connecticut will have an impact, one way or another, in the upcoming session.

“In light of what happened in Newtown, I think gun rights and the second amendment could also come up during the 2013 session and that could be something that may fall along party lines, we don’t know we’ll have to wait and see,”  Aldridge explained.

Aldridge isn”t making any firm predictions on how his colleagues will vote on any of the issues.   There are 122 members in the state House of Representatives, Republicans and Democrats who will gather January 8th and work, at a feverish pace, over a 90 day period to craft policy and legislation that impacts everyone in Mississippi.