The Mississippi State Legislature’s 2018 session concluded Wednesday.

The major items passed during the session included an approximately $6 billion budget that included increased funding for education and public safety as well as $50 million for the local systems bridge program.

District 23 Sen. Briggs Hopson, who is the vice-chair of the appropriations committee, said he was happy with the budget and the funding they were able to provide.

“The most important thing to me is how we handle the budget and the tax dollars we are entrusted to spend wisely each year. I felt like we had a really good budget that emphasized some areas we felt were important and was also very conservative,” Hopson said.

The legislature also passed the most restrictive abortion legislation in the country, which would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. The bill quickly met with legal challenges and has been temporarily blocked U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves.

District 54 Rep. Kevin Ford, R-Vicksburg, voted for the bill in the house, while his fellow house member District 55 Rep. Oscar Denton, D-Vicksburg, voted against it.

“That to me was something we did that I felt was important,” Ford said of the bill. “To me, it is helping us with the conservative values. We figured that somebody would challenge us on the law, but we believe it will be upheld.”

Denton could not be reached for comment.

Hopson voted for the bill in the Senate.

“I was in favor of supporting that,” Hopson said. “Based on the science and information we had, I think it is something that is right. You have to look back at the current Supreme Court cases as you determine if any laws that deal with abortion are going to be constitutional. I think based on factors we have and the information we had that was the right decision and I support it.”

The beginning of the session was marked by the legislature’s attempt to change the school funding formula. The bill passed the House with Ford and Denton both voting against it, but failed in the Senate, where Hopson also opposed it.

During the budget process, the legislature provided additional funding for MAEP over 2017’s budget allotment as well as additional funding for universities and colleges throughout the state.

Hopson added that he was “happy that we were able to get some additional money there and then within that budget we had some money that goes to the school recognition program, which helps award additional dollars to those schools that rate highly and improve their ratings from year to year.”

Despite those accomplishments, the legislature was unable to come to agreements on some major bills such as a comprehensive roads and bridges package and the creation of a state lottery.

The transportation funding passed the Senate, but no agreement could be made between the two chambers. Hopson did point to the additional money for local bridge projects as an accomplishment in that area.

The state lottery never came up for a vote.

Other notably bills from the session include:

4Penalties for participating in dog fighting have been increased to a $10,000 fine or 10 years in the State Penitentiary.

4The annual limit for on physician visits, home health service visits and the monthly prescription limits for patients on Medicaid were eliminated. Treatment for opioid addiction can also now be reimbursed through Medicaid.

4Unopened beer and light wine can now be transported through dry counties on federal and state highways.

4A bond package worth $250 million was approved including funding for the local systems bridge program, small city and county sewer and water projects, universities and Ingalls Shipbuilding.