A main topic of conversation around the state Capitol last week was the specter of a special session, a session-within a session or some other permutation of the Legislature being so tangled up over taxes that they linger in Jackson for extra weeks or are forced to return in the spring or summer to finish business.
Some House lawmakers on key committees said they’ve been told to hold off on taking up Senate measures until the leadership discerns the Senate will parlay on the House plan to over time eliminate the state individual income tax.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves last week added to the dread of extra innings for lawmakers this year when he threw cold water on the long-awaited Senate plan to cut state taxes because the plan does not fully eliminate the income tax. Reeves can’t control what lawmakers do, but he can force them into special session(s) until they address an issue. He could even call special session(s) within the regular session, which could shut down all other work until they address the issue.
Such a standoff could get ugly, cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay, house and feed lawmakers for extra days or weeks and bleed over into work on all other legislation and setting a budget.
Republican House Speaker Jason White has made clear eliminating the income tax is the key issue for him and the House. Reeves has also declared it top priority. But fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and the Senate have urged a more cautious approach — make more cuts, but not totally upending the state’s tax structure in uncertain economic times.
White and Reeves have telegraphed they’re willing to go to the mats on this issue. They really want to be able to say “we eliminated the state income tax” — even if it’s phased out over more than a decade — not just made historic cuts. Is Hosemann willing to stand in that breech? He’ll suffer more political slings and arrows from the right if he does.
Such legislative brinksmanship is relatively common, though it usually ends in detente.
Regardless, it’s a heck of a way to pass major, historic policy. A rank-and-file Mississippian might figure that on an issue so important and impactful as overhauling the state’s tax structure, legislative leaders and the governor — who are all of the same party, by the way — might find a more collegial way to set policy.
WATCH: Political Reporter Taylor Vance outlines the latest attempt to revive the ballot initiative process.
Quote of the Week
“It’s not fake meat, is it, gentleman? I want to make sure we practice what we preach.” — House Speaker Jason White, after an invitation to a Cattlemen’s Association dinner was announced, referencing debate for years over state laws regulating labeling of imitation meat.
In Brief
Judge: Legislature is not a public body
The Mississippi Legislature is not a public body and is not subject to the state’s Open Meetings Act, a Hinds County chancellor ruled last week, which affirmed a 2023 Mississippi Ethics Commission ruling and rejected an appeal from news outlet The Mississippi Free Press.
Chancellor Dewayne Thomas ruled in favor of the House of Representatives and former Speaker Philip Gunn. It clears the way for the House Republican Caucus to continue hosting its weekly closed-door meetings, where a majority of lawmakers meet to discuss issues and how the caucus will vote on legislation.
The order makes the Legislature the only public body in the state that is not subject to the Open Meetings Act, although the state Constitution says that the doors of each chamber while in session “shall be kept open, except in cases which may require secrecy.”
The lawsuit arose from an ethics complain the Mississippi Free Press filed against the House. Ethics Commission Director Tom Hood advised the Ethics Commission to rule the Legislature was a public body, but the commission overruled Hood’s recommendation. The news outlet then appealed to Hinds County Chancery Court. — Taylor Vance
Bills would provide free community college
Bills pending in the House and Senate would provide Mississippi high school grads tuition-free community college.
HB 1556 and SB 2527 would allow Mississippi high school graduates to attend community college full time tuition free. Similar proposals have died in the past.
The House measure would cover tuition for students pursuing career and technical training in industries facing workforce shortages. The Senate bill would cover “last dollar” tuition — after all other available aid has been applied — towards any associate degree or technical certification. — Geoff Pender
Senate panel considering hemp testing bill
Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Hob Bryan said his committee is considering taking up a House bill that would strengthen testing requirements for products made with hemp, a cannabis plants containing lower levels of THC than marijuana.
The committee held a hearing this week on the health implications of hemp. Robert Welch, Director of the National Center for Cannabis Research and Education said stricter regulations of hemp would rid products of impurities and control their potency. In the past, some products have tested positive for heavy metals, pesticides and synthetic cannabinoids
Bryan and Sen. Kevin Blackwell, emphasizing how much the marijuana market has changed over several decades, compared notes from their colleges years.
“The way one got marijuana was there was a freaky looking guy and you could get an ounce in a plastic bag for $15,” Bryan said.
“Back when I was in college, it was a four finger bag for $20,” Blackwell responded. — Michael Goldberg
By the Numbers
1
The number of general bills lawmakers had sent to the governor by last week, as the slow-moving 2025 legislative session, scheduled to last about three months, crosses the midway point. It is a measure to allow direct shipment of specialty wines to Mississippians.
Full Legislative Coverage
Legislature sends governor bill allowing direct wine shipment to Mississippi homes
After supporters fought for over a decade to get the Legislature to agree to the proposal, both chambers finally approved Senate Bill 2145. This bill allows citizens to order specialty or rare wines that cannot be purchased at Mississippi package stores. Read the story.
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann collapses at podium, reported to be doing OK
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Wednesday morning collapsed while presiding over the state Senate chamber. He was later reported to be doing OK, but few details were provided. Read the story.
Will Gov. Reeves call a special session if lawmakers don’t agree to eliminate Mississippi’s income tax?
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday morning threw cold water on a Senate plan to trim state taxes because the proposal does not fully eliminate the state’s individual income tax, injecting more tension in an already contentious debate at the Capitol. Read the story.
State politicians acting like third graders
A Mississippian watching state leaders’ social media posts these days might wonder whether they’ve mistakenly logged into a chat between some petulant third graders as they call each other names and bicker. Read the story.
Senate passes bill to create more uniform Mississippi youth court system
The Mississippi Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would place a permanent, full-time youth court judge in every area of the state, potentially creating a more consistent system of justice for vulnerable children. Read the story.
Adopted people face barriers obtaining birth certificates. Some lawmakers point to murky opposition from judges
Mississippi lawmakers who have pushed unsuccessfully for legislation to guarantee adoptees access to their birth certificate have said that opposition comes from judges. Read the story.
Senate advances its tax overhaul. Debate centers on who the proposal would help
The Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to advance legislation to reduce the state income tax and the sales tax on groceries while raising the gasoline tax. Read the story.
Hinds County judge orders Clarksdale newspaper to remove editorial, alarming press advocates
The column criticized the city for not sending the newspaper a notice about a meeting city commissioners held over a proposed effort to ask the state Legislature for permission to enact a local tax on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco. Read the story.
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann back at Capitol day after collapsing
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann presided over the Senate on Thursday, a day after he collapsed in the chamber. In brief remarks from the dias Thursday and a statement posted to social media, Hosemann said he had been dehydrated. Read the story.
In a city without a plan, anti-public sleeping bills pop up at Jackson City Hall and state Capitol
Despite Mississippi’s low homelessness rate nationally, multiple bills that target homeless encampments in Jackson have moved out of their respective houses. Advocates worry about the impact on one of the most vulnerable populations in a city without a homeless coordinator. Read the story.
Podcast: Republican Sen. England addresses red-on-red political ‘dustup’ with governor over early voting bill
Senate Elections Chairman Jeremy England defends his early voting bill, for which his fellow Republican Gov. Tate Reeves slammed him on social media. England said it’s time Mississippi join 47 other states in allowing the convenience of early voting, and the issue should not be partisan. Listen to the podcast.
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