Campaign finance reform is undoubtedly Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson’s legislative priority this year.During a press conference earlier this week, the statewide official announced that his office is creating an online campaign finance filing system but needs help from lawmakers to ma
The president of Southwest Mississippi Community College is speaking out after a bill was introduced in the Mississippi Legislature to consolidate six community colleges statewide.House Bill 1284 was authored by Rep. Trey Lamar, a Republican from Senatobia, and would merge nearly half of the state’s
Could name, image, and likeness compensation seep into Mississippi’s high school sports scene? One state lawmaker has opened the door for it to become a reality.At the collegiate level, NIL has become a norm with the top players earning deals estimated to be worth millions of dollars. Student-athlet
As artificial intelligence continues to creep into daily life – for better or worse, depending on the situation and who’s controlling it – a bipartisan group of Mississippi lawmakers is looking to protect not only the rights of artists but also any individuals when it comes to their names, likenesse
It’s been half a decade since Mississippians have been able to propose new laws or constitutional amendments directly on the ballot for a vote on election day. One state lawmaker, however, says he is on a mission to change that.State Sen. Jeremy England, who heads the Elections Committee in his cham
The Mississippi Senate has fulfilled a pledge by Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann to trim some of the governmental fat.On Monday, the chamber voted unanimously to pass SB 2017. The bill, authored by Republican Tyler McCaughn from Newton, repeals numerous portions of state code that establish var
A Democratic lawmaker in Mississippi is continuing his now-decade-long fight to separate a dual holiday that observes Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee on the same day. The state is one of two, alongside Alabama, that celebrates the civil rights icon and the Confederate leader at the same tim
Gov. Tate Reeves has opted Mississippi into a federal voucher program that expands school choice options as lawmakers on the state level continue to spar over what education preferences should look like.The program, originally dubbed the “Educational Choice for Children Act” before being included in
Legislation has been introduced in the Mississippi House of Representatives to restrict the use of cell phones in public school classrooms.House Bill 570, authored by DeSoto County Republican Kimberly Remak, requires local school boards to establish “age- and developmentally-appropriate” policies an
Mississippi’s largest high-school athletic league is speaking out against a bill narrowly passed by the state House of Representatives on Thursday to expand school-choice options, a package the league’s executive director asserts “will open the doors for recruiting.”House Bill 2 includes a multitude
Debate over a Republican-led omnibus education package lasted for more than four hours in the Mississippi House on Thursday. But Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the chamber and had wiggle room to lose some votes, managed to advance the bill in a narrow 61-59 vote.All Democrats opposed House
U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) have signed on to a letter encouraging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to crack down on illegal fishing by Mexican vessels in American waters.Wicker and Hyde-Smith signed the letter led by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
The omnibus education package authored by Mississippi’s Republican House Speaker Jason White has advanced in the state capitol.On Wednesday, the chamber’s Education Committee voted 14-11 to pass an amended version of House Bill 2, coined the “Mississippi Education Freedom Act.” The legislation, whic
Legislation has been introduced in the Mississippi Senate to alleviate some of the financial burden those in the agricultural industry face when purchasing equipment.State Sen. Neil Whaley, R-Potts Camp, brought forth Senate Bill 2272 on Wednesday, aimed at helping farmers and loggers save money whe
As President Donald Trump has once again zeroed in on acquiring Greenland, a powerful senator from Mississippi says he has advised Trump to “drop the idea.”Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said Wednesday morning before Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio m
The Mississippi Senate unanimously passed a bill on Monday to reimburse the state’s National Guard members for costs associated with their health care premiums.“It’s a simple bill. What this is going to do is it’s a bill that allows our traditional guardsmen to be reimbursed for their health care,”
Mississippi oilman and Adams County Supervisor Kevin Wilson has officially launched his campaign for Congress, seeking the seat held by longtime Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson.Prospective voters and members of the media gathered at Bluff Park in Natchez on Monday, as Wilson outlined his reasoning f
Officials are speaking out following a fire that was set at Mississippi’s oldest synagogue.Early Saturday morning, a blaze broke out at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, a Jewish place of worship that has existed in the state’s capital city for more than 160 years. The fire was reportedly an act
Mississippi’s House speaker has introduced a sweeping education bill aimed at expanding options for K-12 families, drawing attention from local and national school choice advocates, including an official in the White House.House Bill 2, authored by Republican Speaker Jason White and dubbed the “Miss
The Democratic National Committee wrote a “warning letter” on Friday to Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, urging the Republican not to share unredacted voter information as part of an alleged agreement with the Trump administration.According to the DNC, the state agency is about to prov
With Friday observed as National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is calling attention to a bill she cosponsored that expands access to federal support for families of firefighters and other first responders who die or become permanently disabled from service-re
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House passed legislation Thursday that would extend expired health care subsidies for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act as 17 renegade GOP lawmakers joined every Democrat in support.The tally, 230-196, signif
Mississippi lawmakers are back at the state capitol for the 2026 session, and of course, there are a lot of bills being discussed. But another hot topic throughout both chambers is Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl between Ole Miss and Miami.The Senate even took some time on Tuesday, upon gaveling in, to ask G
The Mississippi Senate passed a bill aimed at shoring up the state’s pension system for public employees and a trio of others related to public education on Wednesday.The Mississippi Public Employees’ Retirement System has been estimated to have an unfunded liability exceeding $25 billion, causing l
