Each chamber and party in Mississippi’s legislature has indicated different policy priorities this year, but there is some common ground; Tax cuts, rural healthcare, and protection for mothers, families and children. Lt Governor Delbert Hosemann says the state has made many decisions in recent years that have reduced budgetary spending. He says the legislature will be looking to cut some taxes this year.
“I’m not necessarily opposed to some longer-term income tax relief, but we’ve really got to absorb that by 2026. Everybody from our state economist to anybody else you talk to says we’re going into a recession. We have prepared Mississippi for a recession. We need to be very careful here y’all.”
Last year the state eliminated the four percent tax bracket and began a process of reducing taxes over several years. Lawmakers say this session may allow for expediting that process.
Both the Senate and House have created leadership teams to investigate how the state can better invest in women, families and children following the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs. Senate members have held several public hearings to inform policy. And while a commission formed by House Speaker Phillip Gunn has not produced any public data, he says the policy decisions will speak for themselves.
“And we have met numerous times throughout the fall and we have developed a number of proposals we’re going to come forward with. Reforming the foster care system, adoption, crisis pregnancy centers, some others that I can’t recall off the top of my head right now.”
The first deadline for lawmakers to file bills is next Wednesday, January 11th.
