Mississippi lawmakers approve bulk of $7.36 billion budget, aim to end session this week

Lawmakers on Sunday evening finalized the bulk of Mississippi’s $7.36 billion general fund budget for the next fiscal year and said they expect to conclude the 2026 legislative session by the end of the week, lawmakers said.

The framework would increase spending by about $225 million, or roughly 3%, over the current year, House and Senate leaders told reporters. Lawmakers said the growth is driven mainly by a $2,000 pay raise for teachers and increased funding for the state Medicaid program.

Sen. Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the higher Medicaid and education costs left little room for other large spending items. Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, said recent tax cuts and the phase-out of the state income tax have stretched state funds and criticized the budget as creating “self-inflicted structural deficiencies.”

The agreed framework shows K-12 education rising to $3.458 billion, an increase of $121 million; Medicaid increasing to $1.17 billion, up $165 million; and the Department of Human Services falling to about $103.3 million, down nearly $49.6 million from the current year. The total general fund would move from $7.142 billion to $7.368 billion, a $225 million, 3.16% increase, lawmakers said.

The House delayed a vote on the K-12 education bill Sunday after it said negotiators had not provided a final conference report on related education policies. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar said he later hand-delivered the report, and Rep. Kent McCarty, R-Hattiesburg and vice chairman of the House Education Committee, said the House would not approve a budget that funds major new education programs without time to review the report. Lawmakers said the House can still pass the education budget Monday before an appropriations deadline; otherwise they would have to extend deadlines or call a special session.

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