Can they do it? Time for House, Senate to set a budget: Legislative recap The two chambers have been at it again this year, arguing over nearly every major initiative and killing each other's bills left and right.

As prison costs increase, lawmaker wants new conditions on the spending Lawmakers are considering spending over $480 million on the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the next fiscal year, an increase of $12 million.

Mississippi Medicaid expansion momentum is gone even though benefits remain Mississippi efforts to pass Medicaid expansion evaporated with the passage of President Donald Trump's so-called One Big Beautiful Bill.

Mississippi counties back sheriff radar enforcement bill Two bills aimed at authorizing county sheriffs and deputies to use radar guns to catch speeders died this legislative session, but 19 counties have adopted resolutions in support of the legislation.

To address its teacher shortage, one Mississippi Delta school district is growing its own Clarksdale public schools are cultivating future teachers among their students.

Senate approves funding for Mississippi’s child care crisis. Will it survive the House? The Senate voted Thursday to spend $15 million on child care vouchers to help alleviate the pressure on roughly 20,000 low-income Mississippi families waitlisted for subsidies since pandemic-era federal funds…

Wiggins tapped to lead Tougaloo College Corey Wiggins, a Hazlehurst native who is the federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, will be the next Tougaloo College president. His term is slated to start July 1.

Civil rights veteran John Perkins, who preached racial reconciliation, dead at 95 Civil rights leader John Perkins, 95, died Friday under hospice care. His funeral service is set for March 21 at New Horizon Church in Jackson.

Former legislator says to remember the people before passing laws to make voting harder Former legislator: Protecting elections security should always go hand in hand with protecting the people's voting rights.

‘He saved my life.’ High school basketball star Max Baria has filled a void for his family Max Baria helped St. Stanislaus win the 3A high school boys basketball championship. He has been surrounded by love since being adopted as a baby by a couple whose 10-year-old son died after Hurricane…

Higher education officials consider top picks for JSU’s next president Officials would not say how many people applied to be president of Jackson State. They plan to invite top candidates to the campus for interviews in April.

Lawmakers send bill to the governor to help rural hospitals open new services A bill cleared the Legislature on Wednesday that would temporarily ease state approval requirements for rural hospitals, allowing them to add new services or make costly upgrades as lawmakers aim to help struggling…

Judge orders pause on Medicaid recoupments from Greenwood Leflore Hospital A Hinds County Chancery judge on Wednesday ordered the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to temporarily stop collecting money owed by Greenwood Leflore Hospital after the hospital said resuming the recoupments would likely…

Prison deaths oversight bill falls victim to deadline day in Legislature On Wednesday, the last day for action on bills originating from the other chamber, House Bill 1739 calling for more oversight of prison deaths did not come up for a vote in the Senate.

A Mississippi death penalty jury was seated. With one Black juror. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear an appeal this month from death row inmate Terry Pitchford who was denied relief by the Mississippi Supreme Court after his attorneys claimed Black people were illegally struck from his jury. A…

‘A good day for teachers’: Senate revives pay raise, ups House’s proposal to $6,000 Earlier in the session, the Senate proposed a $2,000 raise, the Senate a $5,000 raise, then they killed each other's bills.

Photo gallery: Mississippi crime victims rally for safety and support Crime victims and family members gathered Wednesday at the Mississippi Capitol for what organizers said would be the first Survivors Speak Mississippi event. They called on lawmakers to reform the state’s victim compensation…

SNAP work requirements stifle access to food for older caregivers and grandchildren, experts say Nationwide, family members who step into parental roles save taxpayers and states $10.5 billion by keeping children out of the foster care system. But work requirements and the red tape that comes with…

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The basketball big time for Coach Michael Smith is right there in Booneville Michael Smith has brought big-time coaching and winning to Booneville. His high school basketball teams have won 765 games and 11 state championships over 22 years.

Will lawmakers battle over school choice again? House says no, but teacher pay bill contains the language Education policy has been center stage during this year’s legislative session, including expanding school choice policies that would send public dollars to private schools and raising…

Former Jackson mayor files motion to dismiss federal bribery charges Lumumba’s motion to dismiss comes weeks after a co-defendant in Jackson’s bribery scandal, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, filed his own motion to dismiss the case.

Mississippi leads the nation in gun deaths among those who are pregnant and postpartum Pregnancy increases a woman’s chances of being targeted for a number of reasons, including heightened difficulty for them to leave abusive partners. Mississippi has become a hotspot for these deaths in large…

Mississippi elections: Who won US Senate, House primaries? All four of Mississippi’s incumbent U.S. representatives and its incumbent junior U.S. senator are running for reelection in 2026 and were on the ballot Tuesday.

Senate approves reform legislation to improve transparency of pharmacy benefit managers The Mississippi Senate passed its version of pharmacy benefit manager reform legislation Tuesday following a heated debate in which some legislators warned that the bill, which is intended to help independent…

Legislature passes law to take gambling jackpots from deadbeat parents after yearslong push There are 153,964 children in Mississippi whose custodial parents are owed child support, totaling $1.7 billion.

Mississippi to join Trump Administration’s foster parent recruitment initiative The initiative is not tied to additional federal funding, but a federal representative said the reduction of red tape will allow the state to target funds for necessary casework.

State board approves xAI permit, Southaven community left with ‘dread’ The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Permit Board voted unanimously Tuesday to allow xAI to expand its footprint in Southaven.

Clarksdale officials consider data center proposal There are five data centers being constructed in Mississippi. Including Clarksdale, there are at least four more centers under consideration.

Organizer: Mississippi United believes petitioning political leaders can make a difference Mississippi United organizer: People "are hungry for an avenue to actually DO SOMETHING to make things better in this beautiful and complicated place."

Gov. Reeves says he’s open to school choice special session Gov. Tate Reeves said school choice expansion and increased teacher pay remain top priorities for him.

Bill tying union organizing restrictions to economic development grants heads to governor If the governor signs the bill, Mississippi would become the first state in the country to ban neutrality agreements and the fourth state to require private ballots, according to Workers for Opportunity, a…

Live election results: 2026 US Senate, House primaries in Mississippi Mississippi voters are choosing party nominees for all four of the state's U.S. House seats and one of its U.S. Senate seats.

State-run health marketplace may be ‘too little, too late,’ insurance commissioner says Mississippi is no closer to creating a state-run health insurance marketplace than it was two years ago, when lawmakers first granted the insurance commissioner the authority to do so, according to a state…

Mississippi jury acquits engineer accused of lying about 2017 military plane crash near Itta Bena A federal jury in Mississippi has acquitted a former military aircraft engineer of lying and obstruction of justice following a deadly 2017 military place crash that happened near Itta Bena.

Vote Tuesday: Mississippi voters will pick Democratic and Republican nominees for Congress All four of Mississippi’s incumbent U.S. representatives and its incumbent junior U.S. senator are running for reelection in 2026.

Marshall Ramsey: NIL for teachers Marshall Ramsey's editorial cartoon depicts a teacher who's trying to figure out how to get a pay raise as Mississippi legislators discuss tax breaks for college athletes.

Secretary of state turned to unverified credit data to check voters’ addresses for ‘election integrity’ Thousands of Mississippi voters were made inactive after the secretary of state rolled out unverified credit data from Experian for county election commissioners to perform the routine job of…

Will teacher pay raise rise from the ashes? Legislative recap Teacher pay raise bills were victims of ongoing, and often inexplicable, political infighting between House and Senate Republican leaders.

Bills would take gambling jackpots from deadbeat parents as Mississippi remains last in child support   Federal data shows Mississippi has the worst child support collection rate in the nation and one of the highest rates of child poverty.

Chef teaches how Mississippi healthy foods can be inexpensive and tasty Chef teaches how to buy "inexpensive, healthy, plant-based staples in bulk – even at dollar and discount stores – and turn them into a variety of tasty meals."

Lumberton forms grant committee, uses facade funding as first test for downtown revival Applications for Mississippi Power Foundation funding close April 9 and are open to Main Street Association members seeking to improve storefront exteriors. 

Greenwood Leflore Hospital weighing possible takeover bid by UMMC, letter of intent shows Greenwood Leflore Hospital signed a letter of intent to discuss the possibility of the University of Mississippi Medical Center taking over its services, according to state and local officials and an…

House revives teacher pay raise bill, giving Senate ‘one more bite at the apple’ The Mississippi House is trying to revive efforts to pass a teacher pay raise, with Speaker Jason White says his chamber is listening to educators. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann says he's glad the House is willing to…

No final decision yet on Pearl River project, Corps clarifies after local announcement The Pearl River flood control project is not a done deal, as environmental requirements and funding would need to be worked through.

Letter from the editor: Mississippi Today celebrates its first 10 years and focuses on the future Mississippi Today is marking its first 10 years of publication with a theme of "All in on Mississippi."

National commission visits Delta to discuss problems, solutions for rural communities The bipartisan commission was convened by two D.C.-based public policy think tanks, the Brookings Institute and American Enterprise Institute, to craft federal policy suggestions that support rural communities…

NCAA asks Mississippi Supreme Court to quickly block judge’s ruling on eligibility of Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss The NCAA is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to quickly throw out a trial court judge’s ruling that granted Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss one more year of college…

Senate and House pass reforms for opioid settlement money following Mississippi Today investigation House and Senate bills would require local governments to spend opioid settlement money on strategies that address addiction and prevent them from using settlement dollars to replace existing…

Jackson protest focuses on attack on Iran, treatment of Palestinians and crackdown on immigration People with Mississippi for a Just World protested Thursday in Jackson against the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, the treatment of Palestinians and the U.S. crackdown on immigration.