Eminent domain reform headed to Supreme Court

JACKSON — The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, which played a leading role in petitioning for eminent domain reform, is celebrating the decision by Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd to allow the eminent domain reform initiative to remain on the Nov. 8 ballot.

However, eminent domain supporter Gov. Haley Barbour is not conceding anything yet.

Farm Bureau President Randy Knight said, “For four years, the Legislature was unsuccessful in its attempt to pass an eminent domain reform law. More than 120,000 Mississippians signed the petition to get this initiative on the ballot. It isn’t right for one person to try to stop it.

Barbour said, “This case will be decided by the Supreme Court, and it is impossible for me to see how the court could rule that this initiative would not modify the Bill of Rights.”