Lawmakers in the Senate followed the House in leaving the state capitol in Jackson without approving a budget, leaving it up to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves to call a special session to ensure the government is funded after June 30, 2025.
While the House gave the Senate an hours-long opportunity on Wednesday to extend the regular session, Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and his chamber declined the invite before gaveling out Thursday morning. As lawmakers began to hit the road for their respective districts, Reeves held a press conference downtown to discuss his plans for calling them back to the negotiating table.
“I do not know the timing of any special session to be called yet,” Reeves said. “But we will develop a plan to get the budget passed quickly, efficiently, and ultimately in a way that will benefit the folks we work for and that, of course, is you – the taxpayers of this state.”
Reeves used the press conference to attack media outlets and others for what he believes to be an alarmist narrative surrounding the lack of a budget, saying the state will continue to operate as normal and there is no “imminent threat” of a government shutdown. In the meantime, some state agencies are scrambling to plan for Fiscal Year 2026 with little to no input on how much funding they might receive.
Encouraging residents and agency heads to “calm down” as lawmakers have adjourned a session three times in the last two decades without passing a budget, Reeves said he has spoken with leadership of both chambers about reaching an agreement.
“Our state government is going to be just fine as we work through this process,” Reeves said. “I am confident that the House and the Senate will be able to work together and get this done. In fact, I have been in personal communication with legislative leadership over the last several weeks, and I don’t think they’re really that far apart.”
Disagreement among lawmakers was more about timing of legislative procedure, rather than the content of the state’s estimated $7 billion budget.
Republican House Speaker
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