This week the Senate passed Senate Bill 2444 that would authorize up to a 50-percent tax credit for items costing up to $25,000 for persons who install wind or solar energy systems at their homes or businesses.

In a split vote, Senate Bill 2688 was approved as amended by the House of Representatives to increase to $79 million the amount of money that would restore some agency budgets. The Senate’s position had been to restore $58 million.

Senate Bill 3107, authored by myself, Senators Butler, Kirby and Hyde-Smith, authorized $1 million in bonds toward the construction of a regional Workforce Training Center on the campus of Southwest Community College, passed.

The federal government will pay $4.8 million toward the project and the school will contribute $200,000.

Also passed was Senate Bill 3114 that authorized $17 million in bonds to upgrade technology at the State Tax Commission, which should aid the agency in making collections.

A number of commendatory resolutions also passed. Among them were Senate Concurrent Resolution 554 that heaped praise on Mississippi Public Broadcasting for receiving two 2009 Emmy Awards for their production of “Between the Lions.”

Appropriation and revenue bills will be discussed next week.

If you have any interest in either of the above bills, please contact me at 601-359-3244 or e-mail me at bdearing@senate.ms.gov.

Sen. Bob Dearing is a Mississippi senator representing Natchez.