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Session unfruitful for significant industry legislation: association executives eye upcoming elections to ''change the face of the Legislature''. (Construction Mississippi).

Article Excerpt
Days after National Work Zone Awareness Week ended, when the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) honored 25 workers killed in work zone accidents since 1951, a bill that would have doubled fines in construction zones failed to pass the Legislature.

The demise of Senate Bill 2030, authored by Sen. Bob M. Dearing (D-Natchez), was a shame, said Don Richardson, executive director of the Mississippi Road Builders Association.

"There was no reason that bill should have died," said Richardson. "We thought sure it would pass because it was a good bill. But we watched the calendar and when deadline day approached, the committee personnel responsible for handling the bill didn't show up at the capitol."

During the last three years, at least 79 people, including state highway and private workers and motorists, have been killed in work zones in Mississippi. Nationwide from 1997 to 2001, the number of people killed in construction zones jumped 56%, from 693 to 1,079. Surrounding states, including Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and Texas, have passed laws doubling fines in construction zones.

"We're very disappointed Senate Bill 2030 died," said C.B. "Buddy" Edens, executive director of the Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). "Our rate is...

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