The Mississippi Legislature adjourned late on May 4 with several impactful bills failing in the final hours of session. The legislature introduced 3,331 bills in 2024, not including constitutional amendments and resolutions.
Here is what you may have missed:
Medicaid Expansion
The high-profile Medicaid expansion, which had received significant bipartisan support, failed to meet legislative deadlines in the days before adjournment. The state house and state senate were unable to reach an agreement on eligibility requirements with Democratic legislators in the house refusing to approve a work requirement as a condition of eligibility. Governor Tate Reeves (R) had been a vocal opponent of the bill and took to social media in the days before a senate vote to encourage senators to oppose the bill. In another post celebrating its defeat, Reeves stated the bill was “only supported by 12 senators who ran as Republicans,” demonstrating how politicized expansion has become in the state. The expansion had the support of Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R), who is committed to reintroducing the measure next session. Mississippi has long been a holdout on any Medicaid expansion, and its failure to pass this session means that it will continue as one of ten states who have yet to expand.
Technology
Mississippi passed legislation to strengthen social media protection for minors. Reeves signed HB 1126, which requires parental consent prior to the creation of a social media account and prohibits platforms from collecting and selling certain information belonging to young users. The bill applies to digital service providers that allow users to socially interact with each other, allow users to create a public or private profile, and allow users to create content that can be shared.
Reeves also signed SB 2577, which targets the use of AI deep fakes in elections. Similar legislation was passed in many states in 2024, including Florida, Idaho, Indiana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin. SB 2577 will take effect July 1, 2024.
Budget
Budget negotiations came down to the wire with typically strict deadlines extended to allow for appropriations discussions to continue. In the end, the legislature came to an agreement on a $7 billion budget. Education funding was a significant theme of this year's budget with $25 million for new instructional materials, $13 million for early learning programs, and $500,000 for career and technical grants to schools for qualified students.
Looking Ahead
Legislators are already announcing their priorities for 2025. House Speaker Jason White (R) indicated his intentions to cut income taxes and review existing tax credits for potential savings. White has suggested the possibility of repealing the income tax altogether and moving instead to a consumption tax model. Medicaid expansion remains a priority for members of both parties and will likely be resurrected for further debate next session.
For questions on Mississippi’s legislative session and to stay up to date on future actions, please contact Louis Messier at lrm@stateside.com
Want to know more about what's taking place in state legislatures? Subscribe to our This Week in the States weekly newsletter.