Transcript Highlights:

• I would move to take all of the bills that are on general file for this agenda and place them on general
• AB 234 is ordered to the general file.
• AB 326 is ordered to the general file.
• AB 404 is ordered to the general file. Assembly Bill 404 is ordered to the general file.
• Order of business 13, general file.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee split the difference in the general fund, Between
• So for the second year in a row, our agency Has asked the appropriators not to increase our general fund
• Thank you, Attorney General.
• Attorney General, we have appropriated 40 million the last two sessions to clean up some sites.
• You all have been generous in appropriating funds to my agency to accelerate direct assistance to these

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 542, as amended, extends the reversion date of the general fund appropriations made by
• Assembly Bill 542, as amended, extends the reversion date of the general fund appropriations made by
• Assembly Bill 567 provides general fund appropriations of $11 million to the Nevada System of Higher
• Amendment 985 to Assembly Bill 515 clarifies the appropriated but unspent state general fund appropriations
• Amendment 985 to Assembly Bill 515 clarifies the appropriated but unspent state general fund appropriations

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members before you is Senate Bill 2500E, the general appropriations bill.
• House Bill 503E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 503E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 503E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 503E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.

Summary: The Senate convened in special session for budget conference work, opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and moments of silence honoring Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Mateer and former Senator Bill Posey. The Secretary read the joint proclamation calling the special session, which was limited to the budget, implementing bill, collective bargaining/state employee issues, retirement, DMS, law enforcement radio system, health, higher education, K-12 education, government administration, correctional facilities financing, judges, documentary stamp tax distributions, petroleum cleanup programs, fuel taxes, and taxation. Chair Hooper outlined the process for moving Senate and House budget conforming bills into conference posture, noting that conference meetings would be on one-hour notice. The Senate then took up and passed a series of Senate conforming bills and House companion bills, generally by unanimous 32-0 votes, with delete-all amendments used to place Senate language onto House bills or to clear bills for conference. Measures addressed fuel taxes, the state agency law enforcement radio system, judges, pre-K through 12 education, retirement, higher education, health care, government administration, correctional facilities financing and capital improvements, documentary stamp tax distributions, petroleum cleanup programs, state employees/collective bargaining, and the implementing bill for the 2026-27 budget. Senators repeatedly moved that, when the House version was not passed as received, the Senate request conference or accede to the House’s request for conference. The General Appropriations Bill was handled by substituting House Bill 5001E for Senate Bill 2500E, amending it with Senate substance, and passing it 32-0 before requesting conference. House Bill 7031E on taxation was also amended and debated; Senator Berman used the debate to urge consideration of suspending the motor fuel tax for summer relief, but the bill ultimately passed and the Senate requested conference after failing to pass the House version as received. The session ended with a motion to waive rules for publishing the Special Order Calendar for the remainder of the special session, followed by adjournment upon the call of the President for committee meetings and other Senate business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of that, $1.7 billion was from the general fund.
• Most of the executive recommendation items are appropriated in the special appropriations.
• There's also some items for the Attorney General.
• So you've done a handful of these appropriations in the past. ...these appropriations in the past.
• Chair, Representative, the general fund. General fund into that fund. Yes.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an appropriation<00:08:14.000> of appropriation of appropriation of 1,217,000<00:08:15.919
• It's an $850,000 appropriation in 26-27 and a $732,000 appropriation in 28-29.
• reduction to a previous appropriation. reduction to a previous appropriation.
• related to previous agri appropriations. related to previous agri appropriations.
• transfer amounts from the general fund. transfer amounts from the general fund.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Agriculture Conference Committee met for an initial organizational and comparison session on House File 2446, the agriculture broadband and rural development bill. Members introduced themselves, noted that no conference target had yet been set, and agreed to begin with a side-by-side review of House and Senate positions. No oral testimony was taken; instead, the chair listed written testimony submitted by a wide range of agricultural, environmental, local government, food bank, and industry groups. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the major funding differences. Both bills included some shared items such as operating adjustments, wolf and elk damage compensation, and certain technical changes, but they differed on several major appropriations. The House generally proposed larger increases for meat inspection, local food purchasing, and the Board of Animal Health, and added items such as county inspector grants, biofertilizer innovation, a biosolids/PFAS-related study, a soil health study, broadband installation study funding, an Agri Works program, an Agri Support program, a milk grant program, and several House-only transfers and grants. The Senate included items such as a climate coordinator position, biofuel-related reductions and policy changes, livestock processing funding, farm-to-school and urban agriculture changes, MARL funding, cottage foods licensing updates, and several Senate-only pass-through grants and transfers. Staff also noted differences in the agriculture emergency account transfer approach and in how the two bodies handled the Second Harvest Heartland and related food distribution provisions. House Research then reviewed the policy language differences in the bill. The House language included provisions allowing more flexible use of grant administration funds, unpaid prior-year claims, county inspector grants, and updates tied to its own policy article, while the Senate language included the climate coordinator, PFAS-related commercialization language, cooperative development grant permissive language, and other Senate policy changes. The committee did not take any votes or final actions at this meeting; the session was informational and focused on identifying differences for later negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these are special appropriations. You'll see that in the general fund.
• That's an indicator that it's a special appropriation and not a growth appropriation.
• The Appropriation Contingency Fund would fund $150 million to the Appropriation Contingency Fund, which
• a total of $93.7 million in general fund for non-recurring special appropriations, whereas the LFC recommendation
• It's unclear if the allotment limitations may apply only to an agency's general fund appropriations or

Transcript Highlights:

• and appropriations transfers and appropriations differently,<00:01:56.799> this<00:01:57.119><
• that it's transferred from the general that it's transferred from the general fund<00:03:11.120>
• > on of that appropriation is replaced on of that appropriation is replaced on line<00:15:30.720>
• appropriations or general fund impact appropriations or general fund impact for<00:18:37.679>
• Representative Pinto: Will this appropriation receive the same sort of screening that an appropriation

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:04.639> um Aid Behavioral Health generally um Aid Behavioral Health generally um central
• fund appropriations.
• dollars in base general fund Appropriations<00:06:48.720> now<00:06:48.960> I<00:06:49.080
• the 23 and 24 legislature appropriated the 23 and 24 legislature appropriated that<00:14:05.240>
• <00:20:24.600> you since it's a direct appropriation you since it's a direct appropriation

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You grab a generator.
• You grab a generator.
• This transfer appropriation is a reimbursement for services generated by general revenue-supported agencies
• It includes general revenue reductions of $5,005 in expense and equipment appropriations.
• appropriations.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then in the general fund bill, there is a modification of a previous appropriation from the 2023
• and manufactured housing and in general and manufactured housing and in general fund<00:07:30.560
• line 8 you can see um the uh general line 8 you can see um the uh general fund<00:10:09.320>
• Um, it appropriation for open arms.
• The appropriation is also cities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the general fund.
• It was from the general fund.
• And for now it says from the general fund there is appropriated an unknown amount for the purposes of
• Generally, these funds were appropriated for the biennium, but all of the funds were available that first
• generally kind of go up. over time, they generally kind of go up.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 4138 is the General Appropriations Act, also known as the feed bill.
• The bill makes various fiscal year 2027 general fund and other fund appropriations for the operations
• The bill makes various fiscal year 2027 general fund and other fund appropriations for the operations
• In total, the budget package appropriates approximately $17,960 million from the general fund in fiscal
• and appropriations that are specified in the General Appropriations Act.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In years past, that shortfall in the general fund has been covered through this program, Special Appropriations
• And 2028 appropriations.
• DA or Attorney General items.
• in special appropriations.
• It's entirely General Fund funded.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see in that first row of numbers, it includes the 2025-2026 net general fund appropriation
• > the net general fund appropriation or the net general fund appropriation or the beginning<00
• <00:09:45.360> fund uh 2025 2026 net general fund uh 2025 2026 net general fund appropriation
• The state can appropriate additional general fund to help offset cost.
• net general fund appropriation for those selected institutions, multiplied that by 4.5% to determine

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its fifth and final Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education meeting, but did not initially have a quorum and approved the minutes later when enough members were present. The Council on Postsecondary Education, represented by President Aaron Thompson and Vice President Bill Payne, opened with condolences for the UPS crash victims and then presented higher education budget recommendations for the 2026-2028 biennium. Thompson emphasized the return on investment from state support for higher education, citing gains in retention, enrollment, persistence, graduation, reduced time to degree, lower student debt, and expanded dual credit participation, while noting that affordability and access remain priorities. Payne outlined CPE’s operating funds request, including $43.3 million in the first year and $86.6 million in the second year for inflation adjustments, plus $30 million and $45 million for performance funding. He said the inflation request would apply across the board to institutions to offset rising costs, and that the KSU land grant match would not need additional funding because the state has already met the matching requirement. He also explained that state support for educating students has not kept pace with inflation over time, creating pressure on institutional budgets and tuition, though tuition increases have been held to historic lows in recent years. A major portion of the discussion focused on the performance funding model and how it affects smaller institutions. CPE proposed two approaches to address institutions that have received little or no performance funding, especially Kentucky State University and Morehead State University. The first approach would create a $20 million minimum distribution pool, providing $1.95 million to each university and $4.4 million to KCTCS, with the goal of giving smaller and rural institutions a base level of support. The second approach would provide direct appropriations totaling a little over $5.6 million to Kentucky State, Morehead State, and five community colleges that have not been receiving performance funding. Members, especially Representative Tipton and Senator West, questioned how the model had treated small schools over time, and CPE officials explained that the original small school adjustment was not large enough to prevent KSU and Morehead from effectively being left out of the distribution. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, related on line 53, there's appropriation from the general fund for the Office of the Attorney General
• That will increase expenditures from DPS general fund appropriation.
• <00:17:54.800> This DPS general fund appropriation. This DPS general fund appropriation.
• Those would be the change of the general fund appropriations related to capital security and state patrol
• And then on line 53, that would be the appropriation to the Attorney General for enforcement of that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1924, appropriation, Attorney General. House Bill 1924, appropriation, Attorney General.
• Senator Blunt: And do you consider that appropriately a responsibility of the general fund, or do you
• Senator Blount: And do you consider that appropriately a responsibility of the general fund, or do you
• Senator Blount: And do you consider that appropriately a responsibility of the general fund, or do you
• This is the general bill and I forgot to tell the body that the appropriations for the money that will

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the pledge, and then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. The chamber also recognized several guests and groups, including the doctor of the day, visitors from Quebec, the Sumrall High School boys soccer team, Starkville public safety officials, and the Hattiesburg High School choral arts program. A resolution honoring the long-standing partnership between Quebec and Mississippi was read and adopted, and Ms. Nathalie Rivard of Quebec addressed the Senate about historical ties and economic cooperation between Quebec and Mississippi. The Senate then moved through a series of procedural actions on the calendar, including multiple motions to table reconsideration on medical cannabis and ARPA-related bills, and several motions to not concur and invite conference on workforce and budget measures. Among those were Senate Bill 2294, the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, Senate Bill 2288 on workforce training, Senate Bill 2401 on workforce development, Senate Bill 2189 on budget transfers, Senate Bill 2895 on ARPA funds, and Senate Bill 2917 on appropriations transfers. These motions were adopted, sending the measures to conference or otherwise advancing them as noted. A major portion of the meeting focused on appropriations bills. House Bill 1935, the Education Department appropriation, was explained in detail and adopted after a strike-all amendment; the bill includes funding for the student formula, teacher and assistant pay raises, special education supplements, school attendance officers, testing contracts, early learning coaches, and CTE instructor raises, with offsets from reduced or eliminated line items such as school safety platforms and certain vendor programs. The Senate also adopted strike-all amendments and passed House Bills 1936 and 1937 for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and the Library Commission, and then moved on to House Bill 1933 for the Bureau of Building. The Senate recessed until 2:30 p.m. and announced an appropriations meeting shortly after recess, while leadership noted that many supplemental appropriations bills would be considered later with attention to whether they contained reverse repealers and would go to conference or final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are on tab four of your binder with the presentation titled "2026 General Appropriation." Act.
• Column one is going to be your appropriations from the general fund.
• So again, the formula does not generate funds; it only distributes existing legislative appropriations
• . generate funds; it only distributes existing legislative appropriations.
• the general fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members before you is Senate Bill 2500E, the general appropriations bill.
• House Bill 5003E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 5003E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 5003E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.
• House Bill 5003E, a bill to be entitled an act implementing the 2026-27 General Appropriations Act.

Summary: The Senate convened in special session, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and observed a moment of silence for Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Mateer. The Secretary then read the special session proclamation, which limited the session to budget-related matters including the General Appropriations Act, implementing bill, collective bargaining/state employee issues, retirement, law enforcement radio system funding, health, higher education, K-12 education, government administration, corrections, judges, documentary stamp tax distributions, petroleum cleanup, fuel taxes, and taxation. Chair Hooper outlined the process for handling Senate and House budget bills and conference posture. The Senate took up and passed several Senate bills, including SB 2506E on fuel taxes, SB 2508E on the state agency law enforcement radio system, SB 2512E on judges, and SB 2514E on K-12 education, each by 32-0. The chamber then received House bills and, for each, adopted delete-all amendments to place the Senate language onto the House vehicle or delete everything to prepare for conference. Bills addressed included HB 7031E (taxation), HB 5701E (petroleum cleanup programs), HB 5203E (government administration), HB 5207E (Department of Management Services), HB 5403E (correctional facilities financing and capital improvements), HB 5501E (documentary stamp tax distributions), HB 5001E (the General Appropriations Act), HB 5003E (implementing bill), HB 5201E (collective bargaining), HB 5205E (retirement), HB 5601E (higher education), and HB 5301E (health care). Most passed 32-0, with HB 5403E passing 31-0. During debate on HB 7031E, Leader Berman urged consideration of suspending the motor fuel tax to provide immediate relief at the pump, citing high gas prices. The Senate ultimately passed the House bill as amended and then acceded to the House request for conference on the taxation package and the other House bills. The Senate also substituted HB 5001E for SB 2500E and HB 5003E for SB 2502E, and similarly substituted House bills for the related Senate conforming bills before voting to send them to conference. At the close of business, the Senate observed a moment of silence for former Senator Bill Posey. The Rules Chair announced the Special Order Calendar Group would not meet that day or the next, and the Senate adopted a motion to establish the special order calendar for the remainder of the special session by website publication and Secretary announcement. The Senate then adjourned upon the call of the President for committee meetings and other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is appropriation only.
• There's no general revenue attached to this appropriation and direction to spend general revenue, so
• it is appropriation only.
• This is appropriation. This is appropriation only. This is appropriation only.
• in the appropriation.

Summary: The committee first received a report on the executive protection detail, which was filed without questions. Members were then given a long advance list of House and Senate bills ready for consideration, followed by several amendment requests from agencies. The committee adopted amendments for the Auditor of State to increase special deputy expense allowance, the Administrative Office of the Courts for court interpreters and substitute court reporters, and several other items including local sales tax refunds, county property tax redistribution, and local law enforcement funding. It also held one amendment on House Bill 1034 and moved a Northwest Arkansas Community College cash fund increase tied to tornado-related campus repairs. The committee then considered a series of member amendments and appropriation items, including increases for the Public Defender Commission and deputy prosecuting attorneys to cover higher bar license fees, and a $12 million federal appropriation-only item. A lengthy discussion followed on a proposal from Senator Wallace and Representative Tosh to fund a pilot program for prison cell-phone detection/jamming technology at two correctional facilities. Sponsors and Department of Corrections officials said the system would target illegal contraband phones, would be procured through an RFP, and would be a two-year pilot; members raised questions about legality, cost, scope, data, and whether the department should use existing budget authority. The committee ultimately advanced the item by motion. The committee also took up an amendment from Senator Caldwell for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, seeking a $4 million appropriation increase. Testimony emphasized that the division’s extension offices and research functions are underfunded, that salaries are not competitive, and that the request would help with staffing and flexibility; other members questioned why the division needed more appropriation authority when it already had room under current limits and noted that the request exceeded the higher education board’s recommendation. The amendment was adopted after extended debate. Finally, the committee began acting on governor’s letters, adopting amendments for a $150 million increase to the homestead property tax credit, a $23,000 reallocation for the Insurance Department’s conference costs, $100,000 for property appraisal review work, $1.5 million for career and technical education professional development, $300,000 for DFA regulatory federal spending, $5 million for Inspector General fraud investigations, a consolidation of appraiser/abstractor/home inspector appropriations, deletion of a completed Fort Chaffee readiness center appropriation, and a revised reappropriation for corrections capital projects that would add special language restricting use of the $73.7 million prison-expansion reappropriation. The committee also heard a summary of a supplemental appropriations package involving fund transfers for pregnancy resource centers, senior centers, assistance grants, used tires, and UAMS pregnancy/stroke programs.