March 19, 2002

TO THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

GOVERNOR’S VETO MESSAGE FOR HOUSE BILL 639

I am returning House Bill Number 639: “AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCLUDE FORMER MILITARY PERSONNEL'S YEARS OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IN THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "YEAR OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE" AS USED FOR DETERMINING TEACHERS' SALARIES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES” without my approval, and assign the following reasons for my veto.

House Bill No. 639 is identical to and duplicates Senate Bill No. 2168 which has already been signed into law. This veto is not intended to and does not affect the status of Senate Bill No. 2168.

I urge the members to sustain the veto and reject House Bill No. 639.

Respectfully submitted,

RONNIE MUSGROVE