The veto pen is among the most powerful tools of the Mississippi Legislature, and Gov. Tate Reeves has wielded it habitually in his tenure. This year, his vetoes have mostly been directed toward public health bills so far, with more likely to come.
Reeves can handle bills that passed both chambers in three ways. He can sign bills that he supports into law, and he can allow them to become law without his signature. He can also hit the brakes on pieces of legislation that he disagrees with, vetoing all or part of a bill and resigning it to a future legislative session.
He has vetoed four bills as of Wednesday, April 8, half as many as he did the previous two sessions, but Reeves will continue reviewing legislation and potentially reject more proposals over the coming days.
Reeves vetoed both of the medical marijuana bills that passed through the Legislature this session, issuing the fatal blow for bills that had already faced unfriendly chambers. One of the bills, the "Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act," had a single, specific provision that Reeves took issue with. The bill's original intent, which Reeves described as commendable, was to extend the opportunity to try medical marijuana to those with debilitating conditions that fall outside of the current law's scope.
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