An amended version of House Bill 987 to consolidate Greenwood and Leflore County public school districts that sailed through the Legislature this week received a divided vote from Greenwood area lawmakers.
In the Senate, both David Jordan, a Greenwood Democrat, and Lydia Chassaniol, a Winona Republican, voted for House Bill 987, which will require the merger but had been amended to increase the time allowed by two years to 2019.
Jordan worked to extend the consolidation deadline but has said he still has misgivings about the merger.
In the House, Democrats Willie Perkins of Greenwood and Kevin Horan of Grenada voted against the bill, and Republican Karl Oliver of Winona voted for it. A motion by Perkins to reconsider the bill was tabled Wednesday.
The total vote was 38-13 in the Senate and 75-43 in the House. The bill, as well as Senate Bill 2495, now await Gov. Phil Bryant’s signature.
The Senate bill merges Winona and Montgomery County pubic school districts effective July 1, 2018.
Perkins and Horan also voted against this bill, and Oliver did not cast a vote. In the Senate, Chassaniol and Jordan did not vote.
Chassaniol had favored Bill 2495 when it would have consolidated the Carroll County district with those in Winona and Montgomery County. An amended version adopted in conference did not include Carroll County in the bill.
The Senate vote was 33-15, and the House vote was 78-37.
• Contact Susan Montgomery at 581-7235 or smontgomery@gwcommonwealth .com.
