Video: Mississippi Legislature Cutting 2 Weeks Off Its 2016 Session

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Legislature is cutting two weeks off of its session this year to save money because of budget cuts.

Instead of meeting four months as they usually do to start a term, lawmakers will meet three and a half months.

The session originally was set to end May 8. Under operating rules adopted by the House and Senate, the new ending date is April 24.

State tax collections are falling short of expectations, and Gov. Phil Bryant is ordering many state agencies to cut spending by 1.5 percent before the budget year ends June 30.

The governor can’t reduce the Legislature’s operating budget, but House and Senate leaders say they are cutting their own spending by 1.5 percent.