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WAPT: ‘SIP Plan’ would improve DMV process, Watson says

  • By Josh Gregory
  • 22 Feb, 2020
FEBRUARY 11 at 2:27 PM
JACKSON, Miss. (WAPT) — Secretary of State Michael Watson says he has a plan to revamp the way Mississippians get or renew their driver’s licenses.

Watson introduced the SIP Plan Tuesday, which he said stands for Service, Information and Professionalism. Watson said he and state Sen. David Parker and Rep. Lee Yancey are drafting a bill that would transfer the Department of Motor Vehicles from the Department of Public Safety to the Secretary of State’s Office.

The SIP Plan promises to increase DMV efficiency, accessibility and the use of technology, Watson said. Key changes include an opt-in renewal notification system, a digital license option, an updated user-friendly website and an increase in the number of locations and functions of kiosks.

A report released last year by a Mississippi legislative watchdog agency found that average wait times have tripled at state driver’s license stations over the past two years.

https://www.wapt.com/article/jackson-police-investigating-daytime-shooting-shooter-fled-scene/31045090
By Josh Gregory 13 Dec, 2023

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -Just because you’re trained to do a certain job doesn’t mean you can start right away. Several professions require a license in Mississippi.

“When government is standing in the way of people working, we’ve got a problem,” explained Secretary of State Michael Watson.

There’s a total of 29 occupational licensing boards and commissions in Mississippi, and Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office is splitting that list up to put a microscope on the red tape they put between people and a license.

“Let’s just take the average. You got roughly 600 regulations that you as a small business person, if you’re working in one of these areas, one of these boards or commissions, you got to overcome 600 regulations just to operate to open your doors,” added Watson. “That’s time-consuming [and] it takes a lot of money. So we want to do all we can to cut those.”

Watson’s office visited one of those boards last week, and they didn’t have enough people there to do their business.

“This is the second time this board did not make quorum,” explained Watson. “And we had a number of licensees or prospective licensees that have been waiting for months for the license, and that’s bad.”

Sen. Jeremy England says he thinks licensing is an issue the legislature should keep a close watch on each year.

“Everybody talks about how important workforce development is,” noted England. “But what we don’t realize is once we get people through certain programs, they may have trouble getting their license.”

He filed a bill in 2021, and a similar House version was passed that removed the requirement for professional licenses for those who offer low-risk beauty services like eyebrow threading.

“We’re keeping people that want to work from working, and we can’t do that here in Mississippi,” added England.

By Josh Gregory 14 Nov, 2023

( Mississippi Business Journal) - If you’re sometimes frustrated with government red tape, you’re not alone.

The Mississippi Secretary of State’s office is working on a solution; it’s called the Tackle the Tape initiative, and it was launched in July 2020.

“It was a priority for me after being elected secretary of state in 2019 to get this initiative off the ground quickly and to begin making a difference for Mississippians and small businesses alike,” said Secretary of State Michael Watson. “At the launch of Tackle the Tape, Mississippi had just been ranked as the most regulated state in the Southeast and among the most regulated states in the nation per capita. Our state’s administrative code consisted of over 9.3 million words and over 118,000 restrictions.”

Watson says that didn’t sit right with him, and he wanted something to be done.

“The regulatory burden is a growing issue federally and in states all across the country. I knew we could set an example for the rest of the nation by taking a serious, proactive approach to getting government out of the way while still upholding and maintaining the public health and safety of our citizens,” he recalled.

The initiative was launched with the goal of cutting anti-competitive government regulations and increasing economic opportunities for Mississippians by encouraging innovation, competition and job growth, essentially getting government out of the way while still upholding public health and safety.

“We can continue building on our state’s recent economic growth and increase prosperity for all Mississippians,” Watson said.

“It's no surprise that most Mississippians view interacting with the government as a burden and hurdle to living their lives or starting a small business,” said Colby Williams, Tackle the Tape program lead. “It’s been rewarding to see how our efforts have directly resulted in more Mississippians being able to start small businesses, create jobs, and generally prosper and thrive. I’m optimistic about our state’s future.”

According to Watson, Tackle the Tape helps Mississippians by reducing the costs and unnecessary hurdles created, whether intentionally or not, by state government — from cutting various licensing fees or making it easier to move to Mississippi with a license from another state to something as simple as allowing online submission of documents for licensees.

“Tackle the Tape focuses on making it easier to live and do business in Mississippi without unnecessary burdens from the government no matter how large or small the issue may be,” he said.

Since launching Tackle the Tape, the Secretary of State’s office says it has received overwhelming support from state legislators, agencies, licensees, small business owners and even other states’ elected officials interested in replicating similar red tape reduction efforts in their state.

Licensing boards in other states have embraced Tackle the Tape and have started bringing their own suggested regulation cuts to the table for review, citing Mississippi’s efforts as their reason for doing so.

“We also recently won the 2023 National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) IDEAS award which showcases the best innovative programs from states across the country,” Watson said. “Tackle the Tape has been receiving national attention since shortly after its launch.”

While there have been numerous successes, including a long list of individuals the team has helped walk through various issues with state government, it highlights how important this initiative has been for not only Mississippians but for citizens across the country who feel the burden over outdated, anti-competitive regulations, Watson said.

“I’d like to add that because of the overwhelming response to Tackle the Tape, we decided to create a strategic road map to increase the efficiency of our regulatory review process called 29 by 29. 29 by 29 serves as a strategic plan to drive Tackle the Tape’s reviews of all 29 of our state’s licensing boards and commissions by the year 2029,” Watson said. “We have brought together nonprofits, academics, relevant industry experts and even college students from each prospective industry to contribute input in our reviews. Far too often the government thinks it knows what is best for the people, and we wanted to ensure our red tape reduction efforts were including experts in the fields actually being regulated.”

The secretary noted that the Tackle the Tape website  is a great resource for keeping up with these efforts and for submitting a regulation that you may be having issues with for the team to review.

By Josh Gregory 04 Aug, 2023

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Chances are you aren’t trying to read the fine print at the end of political ads. And you may even just assume they’re all from the candidate’s campaigns.

But, a lot of those are from political action committees. Now, there are questions about how to ensure they’re held accountable.

Secretary of State Michael Watson sounded the alarm about campaign finance at Wednesday’s Grip-N-Grin event.

“I want you to understand something,” said Watson. “49 PACs did not file yesterday that have spent money in Mississippi. That’s important to make sure that you understand who’s spending money, and who’s saying what, understanding where that money is coming from, and why that’s playing in Mississippi.”

As of 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, there were still 38 outstanding reports from PACs according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Mississippi College political science professor Dr. Glenn Antizzo notes that donations to political action committees ( read more at WLBT.com).

By Josh Gregory 28 Jul, 2023

NESHOBA COUNTY FAIR — Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson on Thursday vowed to reform Mississippi’s lax campaign finance and lobbying reporting and nearly nonexistent enforcement of laws if reelected.

He also vowed in his Neshoba County Fair speech to do away with politicians’ “legacy” campaign finance accounts — money still held in accounts under pre-2018 rules that allowed politicians to spend campaign money however they want and pocket the money when they leave office.

Watson’s Democratic opponent, Shuwaski Young, on Thursday at the fair also called for campaign finance reform, as did incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Wednesday.

This statewide election cycle has seen several claims of campaign finance law or reporting requirement violations. It has also shown what appears to be a reluctance by ( continue reading on Mississippi Today)

By Josh Gregory 28 Jul, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The members of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) have selected the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office as the 2023 IDEAS (Innovation, Dedication, Excellence and Achievement in Service) Award recipient.

Launched in July 2020, Mississippi’s Tackle the Tape  initiative seeks to cut complicated government “red tape” rules and regulations, which may prolong business processes, especially for small businesses. By doing so, the program seeks to increase economic opportunities for individuals across Mississippi by encouraging innovation and job growth. The office worked in partnership with the Occupational Licensing Review Commission, other state agencies, small businesses, and industry leaders across Mississippi.

“I’m extremely honored to have been selected as the 2023 NASS IDEAS Award winner. To be chosen among the other outstanding innovative initiatives speaks to the power of Tackle The Tape and the regulatory reform happening in Mississippi. I’m grateful to my colleagues for this recognition and look forward to continuing to use this initiative to promote business development and prosperity for all Mississippians,” said Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson.

“I was proud to present my colleague and friend, Secretary Watson, with this year’s IDEAS Award, which showcases the best programs states have to offer,” said NASS President and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab.

The award was presented to Watson by Schwab on Tuesday, July 11, during the NASS 2023 Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. Secretary of State Offices in Iowa  and Minnesota  were also recognized for their finalist submissions.

By Josh Gregory 21 Jun, 2023
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson paid a visit to The Itawamba Times last Wednesday. Secretary Watson sat down with The Times to discuss voter education, election security and other issues of particular importance during an election year.

Secretary Watson said that his office has made educating voters a priority through the Election 101 initiative, arming Mississippians with the knowledge they need in order to feel comfortable and confident in the election process.

"When I feel more comfortable, because I know that process, then I feel more comfortable engaging," he said. "So that's part of the whole picture of making sure that we're educating Mississippians on elections processes." Secretary Watson's office has also emphasized... READ MORE  
By Josh Gregory 24 May, 2023

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson is touring the state to promote his “voice your vote” initiative.

Watson visited the Gulf Coast on Tuesday at the Knight Nonprofit Center in Gulfport.

The Pascagoula native is making efforts to increase voter registration after describing the overall turnout across the state as “ discouraging ” in 2022.

The two-hour policy and government seminar aimed to give attendees a better understanding of the ins and outs of the voting process and an overview of how state and local elections work.

Watson said the Coast has had some of the highest voter participation in the state in previous years.

“I think you see a very engaged population here,” he said. “So many things are happening on the Coast. There’s always something new going on; I think that kind of helps gain attention. The Coast is strong right now so having their voice heard even more strongly at the polls is really important for the whole Coast to move the state forward.”

Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes and Pass Christian Mayor Jimmy Rafferty were among those in attendance at the seminar. The event was sponsored by Mississippi Power, Hancock Whitney, and Balch & Bingham LLP.

By Josh Gregory 12 Apr, 2023

(Magnolia Tribune)- Among the legislation passed during the 2023 Legislative session were Senate Bill 2358 , House Bill 1306 , and House Bill 1310 , all pertaining to securing elections in Mississippi.

While S.B. 2358 and H.B. 1306 have been signed by the Governor, H.B. 1310 is still awaiting approval.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said clean and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.

“I’m proud of our work with the Legislature during the 2023 session to further preserve the integrity of Mississippi elections,” Secretary Watson said.

Secretary Watson explained that with the passage of S.B. 2358, ballot harvesting is prohibited with a few exceptions for family members, mail carriers, and the like while H.B. 1306 provides for penalties for fraudulently requesting absentee ballots. It also seeks to strengthen transparency in campaign finance reporting. Any candidate who does not file all campaign finance reports required in the last five years is prohibited from running for office.

“Awaiting the Governor’s signature is H.B. 1310, or our election integrity package,” Watson said. “Through this bill, we have been granted authority to conduct post-election audits, expanded procedures to ensure only U.S. citizens are voting in Mississippi elections, secured funding for enhanced cybersecurity, and codified methods to better maintain voter rolls.”

“With these additional safeguards, our goal is to restore confidence in the voting process and reaffirm to Mississippians their vote is the one they cast,” Watson concluded.


Senate Bill 2358

Signed by Governor Tate Reeves, the legislation bans ballot harvesting  in the state of Mississippi.

Ballot harvesting is the practice of a third-party picking up or collecting a voter’s absentee ballot and delivering it to a polling place or a clerk’s office. Such collection is often performed by political operatives or organizations.

S.B. 2358 also states that a person shall not knowingly collect and transmit a ballot that was mailed to another person and outlines the individuals that are exempted:

  • An election official while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.
  • An employee of the United States Postal Service while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.
  • Any other individual who is allowed by federal law to collect and transmit United States mail while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.
  • A family member, household member, or caregiver of the person to whom the ballot was mailed.
  • A common carrier that transports goods from one place to another for a fee. No parcel shall contain more than a single ballot.

In signing the bill, Governor Reeves explained that ballot harvesting is where bad actors can take advantage of vulnerable voters and circumvent the election process.

“This process is an open invitation for fraud and abuse and can occur without the voter ever even knowing,” Reeves said. “Across the country, we’ve seen how bad actors have used ballot harvesting to take advantage of elderly and vulnerable voters in other states, all so they can try to circumvent our democratic process and cut you out of it. But here in Mississippi, we’re just not going to let that happen. Here, we will make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

Governor Reeves said “we reject attempts to cheat and we reject ballot harvesting.”

“We demand election integrity and we demand accountability. In fact, 87% of all Americans oppose ballot harvesting. I stand with the vast majority of Mississippians and with the vast majority of Americans,” Reeves said. “And as long as I’m governor, Mississippi will continue to take a strong stand in defense of our elections so that we can ensure complete confidence in the results.”


House Bill 1310

Passed by the Mississippi Legislature and awaiting the Governor’s signature, Secretary Watson said H.B. 1310 allows for post-election audits, adds new tools for counties to conduct voter roll maintenance, provides additional election support funding for counties, and expands procedures to ensure only U.S. citizens vote.

“Appreciate Rep. Brent Powell’s good work on H.B. 1310 and thankful for Lt. Gov. Hosemann, Sen. Jeff Tate, Rep. Price Wallace, and Speaker Gunn shepherding it through the legislature,” Watson said. “Clean and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. We’ve been working on pieces of this election integrity package from day one. Extremely proud to see through to the finish line.”


House Bill 1306

Signed by Governor Reeves on March 28, 2023, H.B. 1306 revises “certain provisions about names of candidates appearing on the ballot, judicial candidate’s annual report, and fraudulent absentee voter applications.”

“Through our work with HB 1306, candidates running for all offices will be prevented from appearing on the ballot if they have not filed their campaign finance reports in the last 5 years,” Secretary Watson said. “Transparency & accountability are fundamental components of the elections process.”

Watson said H.B. 1306 also assists District Attorneys with prosecutorial authority by providing penalties for fraudulently requesting or submitting an absentee ballot application.

“Great team effort with our legislators to continue making it easier to vote and harder to cheat!” Watson added.

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