2012 has been an exciting year for Butler Snow. In January, we welcomed former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and his chief of staff, Paul Hurst, to the firm. Governor Barbour and Paul are tremendous assets to Butler Snow and in particular our Government Relations Group. You can find more information on Governor Barbour and Paul later in this newsletter. Additionally, Rebekah Staples has joined the firm as a Government Relations Advisor. Prior to joining Butler Snow, Rebekah served as Policy Director for Lt. Governor Tate Reeves during the 2012 Legislative Session and as Policy Advisor for Governor Barbour prior to that. We are very excited about the opportunities these additions bring for our clients.

After four months of legislative work, the Mississippi Legislature adjourned sine die on May 3rd. With nearly 50 new legislators sworn in for the first time in January, in addition to a new Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House, the first few weeks of the session were spent getting settled and adjusting to new leadership and new roles and responsibilities for members. However, it didn’t take long for action to pick up and both the House and Senate were quick to implement plans to pass legislation that had failed in past years. On the following page, we have highlighted some of the legislation coming out of this session.

Our Government Relations Group had many successes this session for our clients working on issues ranging from education and economic development to insurance and regulatory matters. This summer and fall legislators will already be planning for the next year’s session, and the Government Relations Group stands ready to assist your business with legislative or regulatory needs. We hope that as you think about your strategic plans and goals for the future you will include the Butler Snow Government Relations Group as a resource for both you and your clients.