The opening day of the 2011 Mississippi Legislature started with a piece of great news — a California company aims to expand in the state.

However, the day was footnoted by a small reminder of how divided our state remains on some levels.

Legislators opened the session by passing a $75 million bond bill to provide a loan to a solar panel manufacturing company that seeks to locate in Hattiesburg.

State officials said the facility could bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region over the next several years.

Fortunately, the bill passed with flying colors. The company will pay back the loan — with interest.

The House passed the measure 117-2 while the Senate passed it unanimously, 50-0.

Sadly though, the measure only passed the House after a brief debate on whether or not the state’s minority contractors would be able to work on the project.

“We have a sizable number of African-Americans in this state who pay taxes, and we want representation,” said Rep. Tyrone Ellis, D-Starkville.

Rep. Ellis is correct that Mississippi does have some excellent minority contractors — including several in Southwest Mississippi — but his bringing the matter up implies that those contractors may be likely to be discriminated against, based on their color of their skin.

If that’s the case, perhaps the court system, not the floor of the House, is the best place to have that debate.

Outside investment should be viewed in light of only one color — green. Our state needs the investment and the jobs.

Mississippi should welcome such investments with open arms, not by perpetuating stigmas and stereotypes from the past.