The Mississippi Legislature convened a special session today to finalize the state budget. The PreK-12 appropriation bill, HB 42, was passed by the House Appropriations Committee and the full House and should be taken up by the Senate tomorrow. Explaining the bill in committee, House Appropriations E Chairman Karl Oliver said that HB 42 fully funds […]
Mississippi Legislature Takes Up FY2026 Budget in Special Session Read More »
The Mississippi Legislature will return to Jackson tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11:00 a.m. to finalize the state budget. The special session agenda, which the governor sets, includes only budget bills related to core functions of government, though Gov. Reeves has the prerogative to add issues to the agenda while the Legislature is in session. Watch the livestream
Gov. Reeves Calls Special Session, Sets Agenda Read More »
Word at the Capitol is that state funding for pre-k programs is at risk. After adjourning the 2025 Regular Legislative Session without adopting a state budget, legislators now are hammering out final appropriations details before Gov. Reeves calls them back to Jackson for a special session, a call that is rumored to be coming later
Pre-k Funding at Risk, Please Call Read More »
The House and Senate have adjourned sine die, ending the 2025 Legislative Session without passing a state budget. Public schools and other state agencies could shut down if no budget agreement is reached before July 1, when the new state budget year begins. To pass a budget, legislators will have to be called into a
House & Senate End Session With No State Budget Read More »
All of the state agency budget bills that were in conference have died, including the PreK – 12 appropriation bill. House conferees declined to sign conference reports over the weekend, causing legislators to miss the deadline for filing those reports. The bills could be revived were the Legislature to extend the legislative session and suspend deadlines,
Education Budget Bill Dies on Deadline Day Read More »
We’re almost there! Saturday is the deadline for conference reports on appropriations and revenue bills to be filed, including the school funding bill and those that now include Children’s Promise Act tax-credit voucher language (HB 1894, SB 3126, SB 3165, SB 3167). We are watching those closely. In the meantime, please continue to ask your legislators to
The next 10 days will be among the most critical of this legislative session, and we will need to be on high alert as close to 200 bills come out of conference. We will be watching for the PreK-12 funding bill, with expectations that the Mississippi Student Funding Formula will again be fully funded. We
We Need To Be On High Alert Read More »
Two major occurrences last week could have significant impacts on public education. Time will tell. On Thursday afternoon, President Trump issued an executive order calling for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education. Only Congress can abolish a state agency it created, but much of the USDE staff already has been put on leave, and numerous education-related
What Does This Mean For Public Schools? Read More »
HB 1902, a Children’s Promise Act voucher bill to fund private schools, is dead. You reached out, and our senators delivered. It’s time to let them know how grateful we are. Legislators take a lot of heat, and we are quick to let them know when we disapprove of a vote. It’s just as important
Keep those calls and texts going – your senators need your support to stand strong against a well-funded and persistent voucher lobby! As we reported yesterday, HB 1902, a Children’s Promise Act voucher bill to fund private schools, was defeated in the Senate (see that vote), but it was held on a motion to reconsider,
Progress, But Not There Yet Read More »
