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Good morning Jack,
If you’ve been following along the past couple of weeks, you know things have been moving fast at the Capitol. This week marked an important turning point in the legislative session: the deadline for introducing new bills has officially passed.
That deadline matters more than it might sound. Up until now, lawmakers have been focused on filing ideas. From here on out, the focus shifts to debating, amending, and voting on the bills that actually made it in before the clock ran out. While hundreds of bills were filed before the deadline, history tells us that only a small number will ultimately advance and become law.
In other words, the session is moving from volume to substance — and that’s when the real decisions begin.
Below is a look at where things stand, with updates from both chambers, a closer look at education reform, and a notable win for conservative governance and responsible budgeting.
** The Bill Deadline — Why This Moment Matters
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For a bill to become law, it first has to pass committee and then receive a floor vote in its originating chamber. If it passes there, then the process repeats in the other chamber before the bill is sent to the Governor.
Over the past two weeks, the Legislature introduced hundreds of bills across both chambers. Now that the filing deadline is behind us, lawmakers have to start narrowing their focus to the proposals that are still alive and moving through committee.
This is often the point in session where priorities become clearer. Some ideas gain momentum, others quietly stall, and attention begins to center on the bills that have a real path forward.
** What’s Happening in the House
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With bill introductions wrapped up, the House is beginning to shift gears. Committees are starting to sort through the large volume of legislation that was filed, and the emphasis is now on which bills will actually move to the floor.
Education policy has remained one of the most active areas in the House so far, with HB 2 emerging early as a major focus. Beyond education, House members have filed legislation touching healthcare regulation, state spending, and a variety of local issues. Many of those proposals are now waiting for committee consideration as the House works through its priorities.
The next few weeks will tell us a lot about which of these ideas have the support to move forward.
** A Senate Update — And a Clear Conservative Win
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The Senate has moved more quickly into floor action, particularly on government structure and budget-related reforms.
This week, the Senate voted unanimously to pass SB 2017, a bill that eliminates 22 obsolete state boards and commissions — entities that no longer serve an active or necessary purpose.
This is a straightforward example of conservative governance in action. Clearing out boards and commissions that exist only on paper helps streamline state government, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, and cut structures that cost taxpayers money without delivering results.
At a time when Mississippians are rightly focused on responsible spending, SB 2017 is a reminder that reform doesn’t always require new programs — sometimes it means finally letting go of old ones.
Credit is due to Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann for prioritizing this legislation, and to Senator Tyler McCaughn for authoring SB 2017. This bill represents a shared commitment to leaner, more efficient government.
** Education Reform Update: HB 2 Moves Forward
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Education reform continues to be a central conversation at the Capitol, and HB 2, the Mississippi Educational Freedom Program Act, remains one of the most closely watched bills this session.
Last week, the House Education Committee took up HB 2 and voted to advance the bill by a 14–11 vote, sending it to the full House for consideration. Later that week, the House debated the bill on the floor, where it passed by a narrow 60–58 vote.
The close margin underscores just how significant — and closely watched — this legislation has become. With House passage complete, HB 2 now heads to the Senate, where it will receive further consideration in the weeks ahead.
Lawmakers have also made adjustments along the way. Notably, provisions related to teacher and assistant teacher pay are being separated into standalone legislation. That change allows education pay raises to be debated and voted on independently, rather than being tied to the broader school choice debate.
HB 2 would allow parents greater flexibility to direct their child's share of state education funding toward the learning environment that best fits their needs.
** Certificate of Need: Incremental Movement, Limited Reform
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Certificate of Need reform remains an important priority, and while we would prefer broader repeal of Mississippi’s CON laws, the Legislature is currently considering more limited, targeted changes.
One bill to watch is HB 3, which revises certain Certificate of Need provisions and increases the dollar thresholds that trigger CON requirements. The bill also creates specific exemptions and directs further study of potential reforms related to dialysis units and psychiatric care.
While HB 3 does not represent comprehensive CON reform, it reflects continued legislative willingness to revisit how healthcare access and competition are regulated in Mississippi. We’ll continue to evaluate which proposals meaningfully move the state toward greater flexibility and improved patient access—and which fall short of that goal.
Supporters argue that easing these restrictions could increase competition and expand access to care, particularly in underserved areas.
** What I’ll Be Watching Next
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With the bill deadline behind us, attention now turns to floor votes, committee deadlines, and which reforms ultimately make it to the Governor’s desk.
I’ll continue tracking education reform, healthcare regulation — including ongoing conversations around Certificate of Need — and efforts to make state government leaner, more efficient, and more accountable.
I'm also watching early conversations around restoring Mississippi's citizen-led ballot initiative process, an issue that could resurface later in session.
** Track Legislation in Real Time
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Want to follow along as bills move through the process? You can track key legislation throughout the session using the Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s bill tracker.
Track Bills at the Capitol ([link removed])
Thanks for taking the time to stay informed and engaged. I’ll be back next week with another update from under the dome — and as always, I’ll keep breaking things down in plain language as session continues.
Until next time,
Anika Page
Director of Operations
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