Video & Transcript Research : '925'
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 14 January, 2026; 2:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, during which the guest minister, Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Gladney, offered a prayer focused on justice, health care, public education, accessible elections, and economic progress across Mississippi. Members then introduced several guests, including a doctor of the day, local officials, former legislators, and visitors in the galleries.
On the calendar, the House adopted several blocks of House Concurrent Resolutions and House Resolutions, with the recorded vote on one block showing 120 yeas and 0 nays. The chamber then took up House Bill 325, which removes the sunset repealer from the lottery-funded transportation program so the first $80 million continues to go to transportation and the remainder to the education enhancement fund. The sponsor said the bill does not change the program’s substance and is intended to allow MDOT to keep planning beyond 2028; a question was raised about whether education enhancement funds could later be redirected to PERS, and the sponsor said that could be considered later. The bill passed 121 yeas, 0 nays.
Later, members made announcements, including notice of committee meetings and a Mississippi State Medical Association Alliance screening event. The House also observed the death of former Representative Jerry Wilburn and agreed to adjourn in his memory, with the full membership added as co-authors unless they opt out. The House then adjourned until 10:00 a.m. the next day.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 210; 14 January, 2026: 8:00 AM
Appropriations
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 216, 14 January, 2026; 1:30 PM
Appropriations
Summary:
The committee first heard a budget presentation from a charter-school authorizer agency. Witnesses explained that the agency no longer receives the federal CSP grant, that a one-time $499,000 equipment grant was not recurring, and that in FY25 they also had no general fund appropriation. They said their special-fund revenue has grown but is not enough to sustain operations alone, especially because the money arrives once a year and the agency needs a cash balance in advance. Their budget request sought a mix of general and special funds, but the legislative budget recommendation stayed near the FY26 appropriation level. Members asked about salary growth and contractual spending; the agency said higher salaries reflected doctorate-level staff and a planned sixth position, while contractual costs covered technical assistance, consultants, CPA reviews, and outside legal support. The agency also said a pending bill, identified as House Bill 2, could significantly affect its operations and revenue. Members asked about Republic, and the agency said a peer report had just been released, the school had made operational changes, and progress was being made though questions remained.
The Library Commission then presented its budget request. The outgoing director announced retirement and introduced the incoming director, and praised the agency’s recent federal and state audits with no findings. The commission asked to restore two headcount reductions in the budget recommendation, saying the positions were hard to fill because they require specialized librarianship credentials and that losing them would cost about $130,000. It also asked to restore federal spending authority in case IMLS funding became uncertain, and requested about $173,000 for a 5% salary progression pool because turnover had reached 35% and many employees were near the start step. Senators asked about the open positions and turnover; the commission said one position had been open 10 months, another about eight months, and some turnover was due to retirements.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting then presented its request for an $18.153 million appropriation. The agency said it wanted salary progressions to retain staff, four new vehicles for engineering and transmitter work, and $522,000 in reappropriated digitization funds to continue a project that has digitized more than half its library holdings for online access. The director also highlighted programming and outreach, including a new food-focused show, a music program, live coverage of the National Folk Festival, a Medgar Evers documentary now in national distribution, and expanded radio programming. He said MPB reaches nearly 1 million TV viewers annually, has strong radio and app usage, and continues to provide required weather, Silver Alert, and Amber Alert notifications. He also described a partnership with the Department of Education using e-glass technology to connect teachers to classrooms lacking instructors, saying the program is already serving multiple districts and drawing national interest.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 14 January, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum present, received an invocation from Brother Justin Cheney of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, and then adopted routine motions to dispense with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and the titles of bills and resolutions. Several guests were introduced and welcomed, including Dr. Brianna Herd Pinho and a student shadowing her, multiple mayors and local officials from around the state, and several groups of gifted students, teachers, and parents visiting the chamber.
The main item of business was Senate Bill 2016, which creates the Mississippi Department of Tourism. The bill transfers tourism-related powers, duties, property, contracts, staff, and obligations from the Mississippi Development Authority’s tourism division to the new department effective July 1, 2026. It also establishes an executive director, authorizes grant programs and tourism promotion efforts, creates a state treasury fund for the department, and forms a Mississippi Tourism Association Marketing Advisory Board. The bill’s sponsor said the change would better support an industry that brings significant revenue and goodwill to the state and requested passage by use of the morning roll call.
No objections were raised, and the bill passed. Afterward, the Senate completed its calendar and moved to announcements. Senator Frasier announced a 3:30 p.m. meeting of the community colleges and workforce subcommittee of Appropriations, and Senator Younger noted a Highways and Transportation meeting after adjournment. The presiding officer also reported that about 1,128 bills had been filed for drafting, with roughly 300 already allocated, and the Senate then agreed to stand in recess until 5:00 p.m. or until the last committee report was filed, with the journal to reflect adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next day.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 13 January, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Summary:
The Senate convened, the clerk called the roll, and a quorum was declared. The chamber then heard an invocation by Reverend Curtis Strong of Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Senator Thomas. The Senate approved motions to dispense with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and the titles of bills and resolutions. Several guests were introduced, including members of the Convention of the States in Mississippi, a Yazoo County delegation celebrating Yazoo Day at the Capitol, the doctor of the day, Dr. Pete Ara of Pascagoula, former senator and BEAM director Sally Doty, the Mississippi Worker Center for Human Rights and City University of New York group, and a group of junior pages.
The main floor action was a resolution honoring Dr. Charles Mlen, commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and newly appointed NCAA board of governors member, for his financial and athletic impact and for elevating the national image of the SWAC. Senator Norwood presented the resolution and Dr. Mlen addressed the Senate, speaking about his Mississippi roots and thanking the chamber for the recognition. The Senate also recognized additional Yazoo County visitors and other guests in the gallery.
Members then made a series of announcements about upcoming committee meetings and events, including the legislative prayer breakfast, a Visit Jackson reception, budget hearings, an air task force meeting, and tourism committee business. Several senators asked that the Senate adjourn in memory of individuals including Shelton McCay, Delmo Payne, Mayor Dale Barry, Cynthia Patterson Bond, Boyce Davis, and Nona Living Plazo. The Senate ultimately adopted Senator Blackwell’s motion to stand in recess until 5:00 p.m., with the journal to reflect adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next morning.
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MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 13 January, 2026; 2:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House opened with a prayer by Reverend David McDow of Fondren Presbyterian Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then handled routine business, including confirming a quorum, dispensing with the reading of the journal and bill introductions, and recognizing pages and several visiting groups in the galleries, including Oktibbeha County Young Leaders, Special Olympics champions, the doctor of the day, and members of the Women’s League of Voters. There were also remarks honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Founders Day and a response from a member of Omega Sapphire Fraternity.
The main legislative item was House Bill 580, a technical correction to judicial district maps. The bill was explained as fixing precinct placement errors in the Fourth Circuit Court District and correcting precincts affected by the creation of the CCID in Hinds County’s Seventh Circuit Court District. Members asked about how many judges would be on the ballot, whether the CCID judge would exercise regular civil and criminal jurisdiction, and when the changes would take effect. The sponsor said the bill was intended to preserve existing district boundaries, avoid changing qualifying deadlines, and keep the CCID judge as a regular circuit judge for an eight-year term. The House passed the bill 112-0 and then granted immediate release.
Toward the end of the meeting, members made several announcements about committee schedules and upcoming events, including budget hearings, Military Affairs, Universities and Colleges, Rules, State Affairs, and a legislative prayer breakfast and welcome reception. The House also took multiple adjournment-in-memory requests for deceased Mississippians, including Larry Bryant, Cynthia Patterson Bond, Linda Stranger, Mary Lou Thompson, and Viva Hughes Williams. The House then adjourned until 2:00 p.m. the next day.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 216, 13 January, 2026; 1:45 PM
Appropriations
Summary:
The subcommittee heard first from the Office of State Public Defender, which said its core budget request was essentially level funding, with attorney and investigator pay raises already included because of the DA pay raise linkage. The main discussion focused on two initiatives: a rural public defense pilot in four counties and a Hinds County/Jackson public defense expansion. The pilot, funded last year with capital expense money, has formed a nonprofit, hired a director and staff, opened an office in Kosciusko, and began taking cases on October 1; most of its 44 cases involved day-one jail visits. The office said the project is intended to improve early representation, reduce jail time, and generate data, while not displacing local public defenders. For Hinds County, the office said new data show about 31% of cases originate from state-agency arrests, and it is seeking roughly $525,000 more to fully fund positions, bringing the total request to about $952,972 for five lawyers, an investigator, a legal secretary, and office expenses. Senators asked about funding sources and workload standards; the office said the pilot request had been submitted as general funds rather than capital expense, and that it is using weighted workload measures rather than strict national caseload standards.
The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office, represented by Deputy Attorney General Doug Miracle, who presented the FY 2027 budget request. The office requested $45.48 million total, including $35.31 million in general funds, which is a reduction from the prior year’s appropriation, but also requested a $1.58 million increase in salary funding. Miracle said the office is losing attorneys to other state agencies and district attorney offices because of salary caps and pay disparities, noting the Attorney General’s statutory salary cap of $150,000 and that more than 18 attorneys left last year. He said HB 1509 created higher pay levels for district attorneys and assistant district attorneys, making retention harder for the Attorney General’s office, and asked for either the salary increase or authority to move funds between budget lines.
Miracle also highlighted the office’s work on child welfare and human trafficking, noting that federal HHS officials were visiting Jackson to discuss foster children and that the office administers the state’s human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation fund. He said the office is working to reduce time children spend in state custody and support services for trafficking victims and foster youth. The committee discussed statewide youth court reform as well, with Miracle explaining that the office supports expert recommendations and a plan that could create 25 youth court positions in 20 chancery districts at an estimated $10 million, based on DHS and AOC data and a model using state-employed and contract lawyers. No votes were taken during the excerpted meeting.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 12 January, 2026; 4:00 PM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum present, received an invocation from Father Joe Tarnis, and approved dispensing with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill and resolution titles. The chamber also welcomed several guests, including military leaders in the gallery, and later recognized multiple senators for announcements and requests to adjourn in memory of various individuals, including community members, public servants, and family members of senators.
The main measure taken up was Senate Bill 2018, the Mississippi National Guard TRICARE Premium Reimbursement Program. Senator Tate explained that the bill would reimburse eligible traditional National Guard members for health care premiums if they are TRICARE-eligible, not covered by another employer, and actively drilling. There were no questions on the bill, and it was passed by use of the morning roll call. Senator Barr requested to be recorded as not voting, and Senator Chisum was added as a co-sponsor by unanimous consent; the presiding officer then stated the entire Senate would be co-sponsors.
During announcements, senators noted upcoming committee meetings, including the AIR Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Task Force, Public Health, Appropriations subcommittee meetings, and Tourism. Senator Tate also asked members to gather for a photo with General Bobby Ginn after adjournment and praised the bill as a retention and recruitment tool for the National Guard. The Senate then agreed to recess until 5:00 p.m., with the journal to reflect adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next morning.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 12 January, 2026; 4:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum and dispensed with the reading of the journal. There were no reports from select or standing committees, and introductions of bills and other papers were handled without objection. The chamber also welcomed officials from the city of Gocha who were introduced in the gallery.
Members made several announcements about upcoming meetings and events: Appropriations B will begin agency budget hearings the next morning at 8:30 a.m. in room 2011A, Transportation will meet at 1:00 p.m. in room 204, the Mississippi Israeli Caucus asked members to sign up in room 402 and noted a possible statement regarding a fire at a local synagogue, a grand unveiling of Thalomara Hall was scheduled for the next day at 12:30 p.m., and the first responder caucus was set to meet Wednesday at lunch in room 113.
The House also agreed to adjourn in memory of Mr. Bob Dunlap, described as a community pillar, businessman, philanthropist, and humanitarian. A motion to adjourn until 2 p.m. the next day was adopted by voice vote, and the House adjourned accordingly.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 9 January, 2026; 9:00 AM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House met briefly with opening prayer by Page James Dunlap, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a quorum call. The journal reading was dispensed with, and there were no reports from select or standing committees, no resolutions or memorials, and no substantive legislative debate or action on bills. The clerk also dispensed with the reading of bill introductions by unanimous consent.
During announcements, Representative Skagen reminded members of the Universities and Colleges Committee tour and asked those planning to attend to RSVP in Ms. Gina’s office. Representative Carpenter announced a First Responder Caucus luncheon scheduled for 11 a.m. the following Wednesday and invited all members.
With no further business, Representative Powell moved that the House adjourn until 4 p.m. Monday. The motion passed by voice vote, and the House adjourned.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 8 January, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 8 January, 2026; 2:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, and dispensed with the reading of the journal. The chamber recognized several pages and visitors, including students from Students Rights for Life, and then moved to the calendar. House Concurrent Resolution 2 was called up and adopted unanimously, followed by House Resolutions 1, 4, and 5, which were also adopted without objection.
The main bill considered was House Bill 1, described as a technical correction to last year’s judicial redistricting law to restore a missing chancery seat in the Grenada County area. Members asked about related district corrections and whether other changes would be handled separately. An amendment was offered to set the qualifying deadline for the new seat as February 2 if the governor signs the bill before January 23, or May 1 otherwise; the amendment was adopted. The bill then passed final passage by a vote of 116-0.
After the calendar was cleared, members made announcements about the legislative prayer breakfast, page pictures, and a Stennis Institute event. The House also heard several motions to adjourn in memory of deceased community members, including Clarence Cooper, Megan Smith Bates, and Councilwoman Dorothy Glenn. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn until 9:00 a.m. the next day.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 7 January, 2026; 2:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House convened with a prayer by Representative Varner of Rankin County, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. A quorum was declared present, and the House dispensed with the reading of the journal. There were no reports from select committees, and no resolutions, petitions, memorials, or other papers were presented.
During introductions, Representative Thompson of Lee County introduced Dr. Vernon Rayford of North Mississippi Medical Center as the doctor of the day. Representative McNite of Harrison County recognized court-appointed special advocates from several Mississippi regions in the North Gallery and welcomed them. The clerk announced upcoming committee meetings, including Rules after adjournment, Public Health shortly after adjournment, Education at 2:30, and an Appropriations B budget hearing the next day for several state boards and agencies.
Representative Haney of Harrison County invited members to a Gulf Coast delegation reception that evening at Trademark, noting king cakes on members’ desks. The Speaker also said committee assignments for two new members were being finalized and would be announced soon. No bill was taken up on the floor, and the House adjourned until 2 p.m. the following day.
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Summary:
The committee welcomed three new members and elected Senator Brian Rhodes as committee secretary by acclamation. It then took up three education bills. Senate Bill 2001, a $2,000 across-the-board pay raise for teachers, teacher assistants, and certain higher education instructors, was explained as a partial step that could be increased later if more funds become available. The bill also included language to prevent school districts from offsetting state raises for teacher assistants by reducing local supplements. After no questions, the committee adopted a motion that the bill be reported.
Senate Bill 2003, which expands the program allowing retired individuals to return to teach, drew the most discussion. The bill broadens eligibility beyond retired educators, raises the retirement-pay percentage from 50% to 65%, shortens the required break in service from 90 days to 45 days in most cases, removes the critical-shortage-area limitation, and allows retirees to teach in any district. Senator Hill offered and the committee adopted an amendment to clarify that the retiree must be receiving a PERS retirement allowance. Members debated possible effects on the retirement system, but the bill was ultimately reported.
Senate Bill 2002, dealing with public school district transfers, would remove the sending district’s ability to veto a student’s transfer to another public district. Senator Hopson offered a single amendment, adopted by the committee, to allow receiving districts to charge a reasonable fee, require transfer notice by March 15 absent good cause, and preserve MHSAA’s authority over extracurricular eligibility. Members discussed transportation, equity, and athletic recruiting concerns, and the amendment was clarified to leave the fee amount to the receiving district’s board. After the amendment, the bill was reported.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 7 January, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation from Reverend Chip Stevens of First Baptist Church in Jackson, and recited the pledge of allegiance. The body then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles, and received several guest introductions, including the president of Mississippi University for Women, the physician of the day, and the session’s pages.
The main item of business was Senate Bill 2004, the Mississippi PERS Stability Act. Senator Sparks explained that the bill would provide a $500 million infusion to the PERS accumulated employers account on July 1, 2026, followed by $50 million annually for 10 years, with backup funding from unobligated general funds if needed. He said the measure was intended to help address the system’s roughly $26 billion liability and to support both state employees and local government employers, noting that the state had already taken other steps to strengthen PERS. The bill was advanced to engrossed status, read for the third time, and placed on the calendar for final passage.
Senator Norwood asked whether the funding would help local governments, and Senator Sparks said it would, because the liability is shared by all employers in the system and affects local balance sheets and bond ratings. Senator Bryan then spoke at length in opposition to the broader direction of retirement policy, criticizing the committee process, the fragmentation of retirement legislation, and what he described as incentives for privatization and unfair treatment of new hires. He said he would still vote for the bill because it sends money into the system, but argued that the state should focus retirement benefits on older retirees and avoid further benefit expansions. Senator Sparks responded that the bill was a necessary cash infusion to honor commitments to employees, stabilize the system, and avoid insolvency, and said more PERS legislation would follow.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 216, January 6, 2026; 12:30 PM
Appropriations
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 6 January, 2026; 12:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Summary:
The House convened to open the 2026 legislative session with a color guard presentation by the Madison County JROTC program from Germantown High School, followed by prayer. The Speaker praised the program’s achievements and urged support for stronger JROTC resources in state education policy. The chamber then swore in new Representative Justin Crosby of House District 22, and the House was declared organized and ready to proceed with business.
The House received several gubernatorial veto messages. Governor Reeves vetoed House Bills 50, 569, 1126, and 924, citing constitutional concerns, separation-of-powers issues, and the need for further study or reconsideration. Members responded by moving to return HB 19, HB 50, and HB 1126 to the Appropriations A Committee, HB 569 to the Public Health Committee, and HB 924 to the appropriate committee; those motions were adopted.
The House also announced committee assignments to notify the Governor and Senate that the chamber was organized, introduced the session’s head pages, and recognized numerous guests and visitors. Members made several adjournment-in-memory requests for deceased relatives and community figures, and the body observed a moment of remembrance for the wife of Representative Casey Year. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 2:00 p.m. the next day.
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Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 6 January, 2026; 12:00 PM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Summary:
The Mississippi Senate convened on January 6, 2026, with a quorum present and opened the session with an invocation by Pastor Jonathan Vasquez and the Pledge of Allegiance. The chamber then administered the oath of office to newly elected and reelected senators, reaffirming their constitutional duties. After that, the Senate organized for the session by nominating and electing Jimmy Jordan as sergeant-at-arms by acclamation, followed by his oath of office.
The Senate also recognized several guests and pages, including senior pages Caleb Bierman and Walter Townsend, Dr. Catherine Penhal as doctor of the day, Gerald Mumford, Jackson Mayor John Horhn, Jean Frazier, Mayor Uta Peterson, and Angela Simpson. Members offered multiple announcements and adjournment-in-memory requests honoring several deceased individuals and family members, including Ronnie Massey, Kathy Luke, Jimmy Alexander, Matt McElhaney, Sandra Farr Aiken, Amy Nixon Jackson, Robert L. Bobby Butler, John Buckman, Bonnie L. Monroe, Louis Smith, Davis Gray, David Wayne McClendon, Wells Warren McClendon, Shepherd Thomas McClendon, Yancey Burns, Dorothy Shackelford Stanfill, and Buddy Hollowell.
The Senate also announced committee meetings: Public Health would meet after adjournment, Appropriations would meet 10 minutes after recess in Room 216, and Education would meet 5 minutes after Appropriations in Room 216. Finally, Senator Blackwell moved that the Senate stand in recess until 5:00 p.m., with the journal reflecting adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next morning; the motion passed and the Senate recessed.
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