Taxes, school vouchers, ballot initiatives and healthcare are among the issues facing Mississippi legislators when they settle into their work following initial organizing tasks.
In their first order of business, they elected Representative Jason White, a Republican from West, Mississippi, as Speak of the 122-member state House of Representatives. White succeeds Philip Gunn, who opted to step down and not pursue a fourth term as speaker.
Representative Manly Barton of Moss Point replaces White as pro tempore.
In the state Senate, Republican Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann will serve a second term, with Dean Kirby (R-Pearl) as Senate pro tempore, second-in-command.
Over the past few days, eight statewide officials -- all incumbents -- were as sworn into office.
As the Legislature begins legislating, a pivotal 2024 session is shaping up with key issues on the agenda:
Tax cuts. Governor Tate Reeves, who was reelected this past November by the narrowest margin in a gubernatorial election since 1999, still wants to eliminate the state’s personal income tax. White and other expected House leaders also have expressed support for eliminating the personal income tax, which accounts for nearly one-third of state general fund revenue. Senate leaders have said they will consider tax reductions in 2024, but perhaps not the complete elimination of the income tax.
School vouchers. Reeves has been a big supporter of providing public funds to students to attend private schools, though he did not campaign on the issue. As a matter of fact, few candidates elected in 2023 campaigned on the issue, though, it could be a big one during the 2024 session.
Restoring the ballot initiative. For the third year in a row, lawmakers plan to introduce legislation to restore the ballot initiative, the way for citizens to place issues directly on a statewide ballot. The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the prior initiative process was invalid. During the last two years, the House and Senate failed to reach an agreement over how the process should be replaced.
Mississippi’s health care crisis. Scores of rural hospitals across the state are on the verge of closing or significantly cutting back health services, and numerous Mississippians do not have health insurance. One potential solution that legislative leaders might consider is the expansion of Medicaid coverage to more people under the Affordable Care Act, as 40 other states have done. White, the likely new speaker, has previously said he is open to at least considering the expansion of Medicaid and studying health care issues closely during the session. Hosemann also has voiced support for at least the consideration of Medicaid expansion. Reeves has been a staunch opponent of Medicaid expansion.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A Mississippi Today report.