The Mississippi Center for Public Policy team is busy promoting policies that will grow the economy and expand opportunities for all Mississippians.

Here are the key issues we will be focusing on during the 2020 legislative session:

Regulatory reform. Mississippi needs to move away from a desire to overregulate commerce and embolden government bureaucrats. Mississippi has more than 117,000 regulations that cut across every sector of the economy. Study after study has shown regulatory growth has a detrimental effect on economic growth. A successful model to stem this growing tide would be a one-in, two-out policy where for every new regulation that is adopted, two have to be removed. If a regulatory policy is so important, make the government prove it.

Occupational licensing reform. Mississippi licenses 66 low- and middle-income occupations, with a licensing burden that ranks 19th overall. Today, approximately 19 percent of Mississippians need a license to work. The net result is that Mississippi has lost 13,000 jobs because of occupational licensing and the state has suffered an economic value loss of $37 million. One quick action is universal recognition, which means Mississippi will recognize licenses received in other states. This will make it easier for qualified individuals to work in the Magnolia State.

Permissionless innovation. Mississippi has the opportunity to be one of the first states to essentially open the door for innovation, rather than one where entrepreneurs need to seek permission from the state. If Mississippi wants to get in the technology world, and we are convinced this is essential, a permissionless innovation policy, particularly in healthcare, would be a big step in the right direction.

Certificate of Need (CON) reform. Healthcare providers are required to receive approval from the state Department of Health to build a new facility, add beds or diagnostic equipment to an existing facility, or even when a capital project goes over budget. CON laws have a proven record of raising healthcare costs and limiting options for consumers, particularly those in rural areas. Many have talked about increasing access to healthcare, and this will be a step toward that goal.

Education Scholarship Accounts (ESA). Mississippi became just the third state in the nation to enact an education scholarship account in 2015, and today it is at full capacity with hundreds of families on a waiting list. With an ESA, parents are able to use the funds that would otherwise be spent on public education to pay for private school tuition, tutoring, therapy, textbooks, online classes, and other educational services. With this program, parents are able to truly customize and create a specific education for their children based on their needs. While the program is wildly popular, it will expire in 2020 if it is not renewed.

Civil asset forfeiture reform. Mississippi has begun to make reforms in civil asset forfeiture, repealing administrative forfeiture and bringing a transparency requirement to civil forfeiture. But civil asset forfeiture continues to allow the government to confiscate property on the grounds that it is connected to a crime—without ever convicting someone of a crime. MCPP has data to show that civil forfeiture neither busts large drug kingpins nor does it reduce crime. Mississippi can join other states in abolishing civil forfeiture and replacing it with criminal forfeiture, where the government must convict the owners of a crime and tie that property to the crime with clear and convincing evidence in criminal court.