All over but the crying. What exactly did the Mississippi Legislature do for three months? Legislative recap

By Geoff Pender | Originally published by Mississippi Today

Mississippi legislative leaders had some big plans and goals when they gaveled into their 2026 regular session Jan. 6.

Various leaders vowed to pass sea-change “school choice” and other education policies, provide a large pay raise for teachers, pump up to a billion dollars into the state retirement system, reinstate voters’ right to ballot initiative, reform prison health care, reform pharmacy benefit manager laws, reform campaign finance laws and transparency – and a host of other initiatives.

But nearly all of these initiatives failed. Those that weren’t killed were severely maimed, watered down.

The 2026 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature will be remembered more for what failed than what was passed. And for intense infighting among the Republican leaders of the House and Senate, particularly the two top leaders, House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mississippi Legislature wraps up its 2026 session

Lawmakers, for now, ended their session on Friday, but did so procedurally in a manner that they can return anytime through April 15 without the governor calling them back in special session. Many left suspecting that Gov. Tate Reeves will veto many measures (he’s already started) and that they may return to try to override them.

Some takeaways from the 2026 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature:

• White and Hosemann need some couples therapy.

• Lawmakers need to revisit, and at least tweak, their rules and deadlines.

• The use of “reverse repealers” to slow down the passage of bills has gotten ridiculous. Maybe try having some real committee hearings, or – gasp – joint hearings?

• No matter what they tell constituents and voters, Mississippi lawmakers do not want to reinstate voters’ right to a ballot initiative.
• No matter what they say around reelection time, Mississippi lawmakers have no interest in reforming Mississippi’s weak and unenforced campaign finance and ethics laws or adding transparency.

• The federal windfall from pandemic relief and the Biden administration is drying up, and Mississippi lawmakers need to plan and spend accordingly.
• Redistricting is just not the Mississippi Legislature’s cup of tea.
• Considering all the other issues facing the Magnolia State, the Legislature spends a lot of time on immigration, even though it is a function of the federal government.

Quote of the Week

“Listen, gentleman, don’t get too excited now. You’re dancing before we get ready,” – Rep. Joey Hood

“Me and you don’t even dance to the same music. I’ve asked several questions, and you’ve danced around every one of them.” – Rep. Daryl Porter Jr.

This exchange was during debate on the House floor over a bill that would require Mississippi law enforcement to report people unable to provide a valid driver’s license or prove their citizenship status to federal immigration authorities.

In Brief

Judges get $13,000 raise. Teachers get $2,000

The Legislature last week approved a large pay raise for Mississippi’s circuit, chancery and appellate court judges. The measure now heads to Reeves for consideration.

The bill gives most of the judges in the state approximately a $13,000 pay raise. These officials already receive six-figure salaries.

Senate Judiciary A Committee Chairman Brice Wiggins, a Republican from Pascagoula, said on the Senate floor that the salary increases were the lowest amounts recommended by the State Personnel Board. He said the increases were based on cost-of-living adjustments.

Sen. Michael McLendon, a Republican from Hernando, questioned why judges were getting such a steep salary increase when public educators received only a $2,000 increase this legislative session. Wiggins said comparing teachers and judges was like comparing “apples and oranges.” – Taylor Vance

Governor signs SHIELD voting restrictions into law

Reeves has signed the Safeguard Honesty Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy,  or SHIELD, Act into law. 

The measure requires local election officials to verify voters’ citizenship using a federal immigration database and to audit voter rolls for potential noncitizens. Supporters say the measure will boost confidence in election results. Critics say it will suppress U.S. citizens’ votes.

The legislation drew vocal opposition from Democrats, who said it would make voting more time-consuming and could even function as a “poll tax” because people might end up having to pay for extra documents, such as birth certificates, to prove their citizenship.

There is no evidence that noncitizens are voting in large numbers in Mississippi or across the U.S. But Republicans said the bill is a simple proposal that adds another layer of verification to the state’s process for ensuring only citizens vote.

Reeves signed the bill into law as the Trump administration pushes to “nationalize” elections with a federal bill that could potentially prevent millions of people from casting ballots. – Michael Goldberg

Mississippi immigration laws passed

The Legislature passed bills last week that would increase Mississippi’s role in enforcing federal immigration law and force local law agencies to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  

Republican lawmakers voted in near party-line votes to send SB 2114 and HB 538 to the Republican governor for his consideration. Republicans said the bills would enhance public safety and hold people accountable for violating immigration laws, while Democrats raised concerns that the federal government is responsible for enforcement and that the proposals would leave counties on the hook for paying to incarcerate undocumented immigrants. 

SB 2114 makes it a state misdemeanor to enter Mississippi from another country outside a legal port of entry, creating a minimum penalty of six months in prison. Illegal immigration is already a federal crime, but this measure also would make it a state-level crime in Mississippi. 

HB 538 would ban “sanctuary” policies (which were already essentially banned from a previous state law) across Mississippi by preventing any state entities from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It would also require these entities to share information about individuals’ immigration status and to honor ICE detainer requests. It gives the state attorney general’s office the authority to investigate and sue agencies or officials who don’t comply with the measure.  – Michael Goldberg

By the Numbers

$253 million

Amount of this year’s “Christmas tree” bill funding hundreds of pet projects in lawmakers’ districts. Check the list for projects approved for your area here.

More Legislative Coverage

Reeves vetoes bill aimed at increasing oversight of his spending federal rural health funds

Reeves vetoed a bill on Thursday that was meant to increase oversight of and impose priorities on his spending of hundreds of millions of federal dollars for rural health care. Read the story.

Legislature votes to add $6M to private school tax credit program

For the first time in years, state leaders have voted to increase the amount of tax credits available to Mississippians who donate to private schools. Read the story.

Legislature closes session with $253M ‘Christmas tree’ projects bill. See what was approved for your town, county or college

Lawmakers concluded their work for the 2026 regular session by passing a $253-million “Christmas tree” bill that doles out money for nearly 400 of legislators’ pet projects in cities, counties and hamlets throughout the state. Read the story.

This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Source: Original Article