House Resolution 1

A RESOLUTION RESPECTFULLY URGING THE MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO VIGOROUSLY SUPPORT THE FULL APPROPRIATION OF PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED THIRD-YEAR HAVA FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION AND FOR ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR DISASTER RELIEF FOR THE ELECTIONS INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY HURRICANE KATRINA.

Whereas, the United States Congress has authorized the distribution of approximately $34 million to the State of Mississippi over a three-year period to defray the costs associated with implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002; and

Whereas, third-year funding for these authorized distributions amounting to approximately $6 million has not yet been appropriated and has, therefore, not been received by the State of Mississippi; and

Whereas, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the elections infrastructure in many counties in the State of Mississippi struck by this storm, including the destruction of polling places and damage to courthouses and to election equipment and records, and the extent of said damage is not yet known; and

Whereas, Hurricane Katrina has severely curtailed revenue to the State of Mississippi making the need for third-year HAVA funding even more acute; and

Whereas, even had the hurricane not struck Mississippi, there was already a pressing need for funds to purchase additional voting machines for the counties of the state in order for them to fully comply with the federally mandated requirements of HAVA; and

Whereas, without third-year federal funding in the authorized amount of approximately $6 million, those counties struck by Hurricane Katrina can not possibly comply with HAVA by the January 1, 2006, deadline:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby respectfully urge the Mississippi Congressional Delegation to vigorously support the full appropriation of previously authorized third-year HAVA funding in the State of Mississippi in the amount of approximately $6 million and for additional monies for disaster relief for the elections infrastructure of the State of Mississippi that has been damaged or destroyed.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Mississippi Congressional Delegation and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.