David Baria

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In 2015, Baria introduced a bill to require that 80% of the funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill be sent back to the Gulf Coast. [7] The bill was defeated by the Republican controlled legislature, however, which opted to keep the money in the state's general fund. [11] Baria renewed these efforts in 2017 with the support of several Republican legislators from the Gulf Coast, but they were unsuccessful. [12]

Other legislation and policy positions

In 2010, Baria proposed bills in the senate offering tax incentives for homeowners who install solar power, [13] as well as allowing net metering. [14]

After joining the Mississippi House in 2012, Baria successfully sponsored a bill to require safety enclosures for swimming pools. [5] That same year, he introduced several other bills, including bills to increase the death benefit payable to law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty; authorize individuals to brew beer at home; create a "Patient's Bill of Rights; prohibit smoking in certain public places and private places of employment; and create a state version of the False Claims Act to allow whistleblowers who report fraud against the government to collect part of the award. [5] All of these bills died in committee, however. [5]

After controversy in 2012 over then-Governor Haley Barbour's pardon of two convicted murderers who worked at the Mississippi Governor's Mansion, [15] Baria introduced legislation prohibiting governors from issuing pardons during the last 90 days of their term. [5] The bill died in committee.

In 2015, Baria filed a bill to legalize industrial hemp production, [16] and in 2017 Baria filed bills to raise the minimum wage and require equal pay for men and women performing the same work. [17] The Republican controlled legislature blocked these efforts, however.

Baria penned an op-ed after the 2017 murder of a protester during the Unite the Right rally, calling for the state to remove the Confederate imagery from the Mississippi state flag. [18] [19]

In 2018, Baria voted for a bill to exempt recent college graduates from state income taxes if they stay in the state for three years after graduation from a four-year college or university and to grant them an additional two-year exemption if they buy a house or establish a business with at least one additional employee. [20]

During his tenure, Baria has been a vocal critic of the corporate tax cuts passed by the Republican controlled legislature, [21] stating that they deprive the state of revenue that could be used to pay for other state programs. [22] He has also been a vocal supporter of expanding Medicaid to cover more than 300,000 Mississippians who lack health insurance. [23] Baria also supports state-funded universal preschool and two tuition-free years of community college. [24]

2018 U.S. Senate race

On February 28, 2018, Baria declared his candidacy for the Senate seat held by Republican Roger Wicker. [25] On June 26, he defeated businessman and venture capitalist Howard Sherman in a runoff to officially claim the Democratic nomination. James Carville was an unpaid campaign consultant and has held New Orleans fundraisers for the candidate. [26] Baria finished second of four candidates, getting 39.1% of the vote.

Retirement

On March 1, 2019, with the publishing of both political parties' nomination lists, it was revealed that Baria chose not to seek re-election to the 122nd district. [2] Had he run, Baria would have faced a Republican challenger Brent Anderson, the public works director of Waveland, Mississippi. [27] Wendy McDonald was the Democratic candidate in November's general election. [2]

Controversy

David Baria
David Baria (cropped).jpg
Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office
February 3, 2016 –January 7, 2020

During Baria's 2011 Mississippi House of Representatives campaign, the Advance Mississippi PAC, a proponent of the Republican candidate, Dorothy Wilcox, sent out direct-mail campaign material with inaccurate information about his voting record. The PAC falsely accused Baria of voting to raise his pay and raise taxes on food. Baria also contended that the PAC falsely accused him of taking money from his clients. Baria filed a defamation suit against the PAC. Baria stated, "It's not illegal to run a negative campaign, or to make fun of people. I don't like that, but it's not illegal. But we do have laws saying you cannot publish lies about people. These PACs are going to push the envelope as far as they can, and somebody needs to hold them accountable." [28]

However, Baria stated that he was willing to dismiss the case if the PAC published an apology. The executive director of the Advance Mississippi PAC, Steve Simmons, and the PAC's treasurer, Randy Stephens, issued a full-page advertisement to apologize to Representative Baria. The ad read: "On behalf of themselves individually and the PAC offer their sincere apology to Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, for their publication of false and defamatory ads during the 2011 legislative campaign." The ad was placed in two coastal newspapers. [28] [29]

Personal life

David Baria is married to Marcie Baria. They have four children. Baria is an avid sportsman and enjoys fishing and boating with his family. He is also a member of his local Rotary Club and Kiwanis. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "David Baria - BariaLaw.com". BariaLaw.com. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Full 2019 Mississippi candidate list". March 2, 2019.
  3. ↑ "David Baria". David Baria. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Hancock County focusing on foster care 'crisis'". sunherald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "David Baria - Ballotpedia" . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  6. ↑ "David Baria - BariaLaw.com" . Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Republicans would like to pick off last South Mississippi Democrats in Legislature". sunherald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Rep. David Baria selected as House leader". sunherald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Five Years After Katrina, A Return To Bay St. Louis". NPR.org. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Sen. David Baria" . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Will the Coast see BP money in 2017? Don't hold your breath". sunherald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  12. ↑ "House, Senate clash after death of BP bill | Mississippi Today". mississippitoday.org. March 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Where's the Money" . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Net-Metering Advocates Push for Support" . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  15. ↑ Phillips, Rich. "Docs show murderers got special treatment from governor, wife". CNN. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Legal Pot Initiative Gets a Spark" . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  17. ↑ "This could be the year of equal pay, minimum wage". sunherald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  18. ↑ "DAVID BARIA: Time to remove Confederate battle flag from all official symbols of Mississippi - Mississippi Business Journal". Mississippi Business Journal. August 15, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  19. ↑ Caron, Christina (August 13, 2017). "Heather Heyer, Charlottesville Victim, Is Recalled as 'a Strong Woman'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  20. ↑ "House bill would exempt recent graduates from state income taxes if they stay in state". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Dems Say Slow Economy and Tax Cuts Damage Mississippi Budget". March 14, 2017.
  22. ↑ wjtvmalarypullen (January 19, 2017). "Why the lack in revenue for the state of Mississippi?". WJTV. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  23. ↑ David Baria (March 17, 2013), Rep. David Baria (D-Bay St. Louis) talks with WLOX about Medicaid Expansion, archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved March 1, 2018
  24. ↑ "Mississippi House minority leader says relations improved". The Oxford Eagle. January 24, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Democrat David Baria Enters Senate race in Mississippi". Politico. February 28, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  26. ↑ Harrison, Bobby. (12 September 2018). "James Carville providing help for Baria Senate campaign". Mississippi Today website Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  27. ↑ "Waveland alderman resigns from HCUA after AG's opinion".
  28. 1 2 Geoff Pender (April 12, 2013). "Miss. lawmaker reaches settlement in attack ad lawsuit with PAC". Baria Williamson PLLC.; Megan Wright (April 14, 2013). "PAC takes out ad to apologize to legislator". Mississippi Business Journal.
  29. ↑ "PAC apologizes to Baria of Bay St. Louis over 2011 political mailouts". April 12, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
Mississippi House of Representatives
Preceded by Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives
2016–2020		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Mississippi
(Class 1)
2018 		Most recent
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