As Vice Chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee, Willie fought diligently to protect and adequately fund the state Medicaid program to ensure that the needed medical services were available and accessible for Mississippi’s Seniors, Mothers, Infants, Children, and Disabled populations. He led the charge from the Senate to secure the first state appropriation of twenty million dollars to fund our fifteen federally qualified health centers and their more than twenty satellites which are located statewide and that monetary commitment continues to this day.
Willie served as Chairman of the Corrections Committee which set policy and provided oversight for the state and private prisons and community support services for the Corrections system. He led the charge from the Senate to change the “Truth In Sentencing” law which has helped to give many inmates with long sentences a second chance to reenter society and this change helped to save the state millions of dollars.