Resolution 10 is once again placed on the agenda for the Mississippi State University’s Student Association’s regular business meeting today at 6 p.m. after making its way back through committee.
       The Resolution concerns House Bill 1523, also known as the religious liberties bill. In its current form, the resolution states that SA will not alter its commitment to inclusiveness at MSU while trying to maintain a neutral stance on the controversial piece of state legislation itself. 
    The Resolution, which was written primarily by Senator Drew Baker with help from Senator Logan Reeves, was initially brought to the floor a few weeks ago but was tabled when Senator Katie Bryan drew issue with the wording and motioned for the resolution to be sent to the Student Affairs committee, which she chairs, to be redrafted. 
   Baker said before the committee meeting he worked with Bryan to reach a draft that would receive less backlash on the floor. 
  “Honestly, once Senator Bryan and I were able to address the concerns of one another, we realized we were on the same page for the most part, and there was certainly less contention by the time the bill was officially brought to committee,” Baker said. 
   Both Baker and Reeves submitted separate drafts of the resolution to the committee for review, although it was Baker’s that ended up being worked with. Bryan said both drafts were taken into consideration although Baker’s was the primary document used.
  “There was no decision made as to whether or not Senator Reeves or Senator Baker’s draft would be the one discussed among the committee,” Bryan said. “All drafts were reviewed and taken into account.  Overall, I, along with the majority of the committee, preferred Senator Baker’s revision as a whole. We did however incorporate parts from Senator Reeves’ draft into Senator Baker’s, as we felt Senator Reeves had made some very good points. As a result, we collaborated parts from each to come to an agreement on a final draft.”
   By the end of the committee meeting the redrafted resolution was voted on and approved to go back before the whole senate during tonight’s meeting in Fowlkes Auditorium in the Colvard Student Union with only Reeves stating his displeasure with the agreed-on draft. At the time of the committee meeting last week, Reeves said he felt the complete neutrality of Resolution 10 missed the point, and was in effect ‘pointless,’ the word Bryan used to argue against the resolution when it first went onto the floor.
 “Perhaps, though, a wordy document can lose its meaning to the reader, regardless of the intent of the authors,” Reeves said in an email this week. “As I read it, this resolution may say the same words in a different method, but it has received a facelift that changes its appearance entirely, in a manner of speaking.”
    Bryan, Baker and Reeves all said they expect this new draft of the resolution to pass tonight, and said as this is the last business meeting of the year the issue will be over and done pass or fail. 
 “I’m hoping for and expecting a unanimous vote in favor of Resolution 10 next week,” Baker said. “It’d be a shame if our Student Association had any opposition to diversity and inclusion.  With the vocal minority that opposed the resolution last week expressing their support in committee, I don’t see any reason for Resolution 10 to face any more problems.”