Speaker Jason White addresses the Madison County Business League in March 2025 (Photo from White's Facebook)
- See what the House Select Committees on education freedom, PERS, voters’ right and capital revitalization will discuss this off season.
This week, the Speaker of the Mississippi House announced Select Committees to explore four policy issues the chamber is likely to consider in the 2026 legislative session: education freedom, the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), voters’ rights, and capital and metro revitalization.
Speaker Jason White (R) said the Mississippi House has a strong track record of recognizing both challenges and opportunities.
“We diligently study these issues, engage key stakeholders in meaningful dialogue, and cultivate widespread support to pass legislation that truly benefits Mississippians,” White said in a statement announcing the Select Committees.
He named members to three new Select Committees to tackle the topics of education freedom, PERS and voters’ rights. The Select Committee on Capital and Metro Revitalization, which was formed last year, will return this off season to continue its work ahead of January.
“After the conclusion of the 2024 Session, the House named four select committees that worked meticulously over the summer and fall, producing robust legislation for the 2025 Legislative Session,” White said. “Once again, the House’s legislative priorities will be clear and informed from the start as we maintain our focus and energy on preparing for the 2026 Legislative Session.”
White named the following members to serve as chairs and co-chairs of the Select Committees:
- State Rep. Rob Roberson (R) will serve as Chair of the Education Freedom Committee, with State Rep. Jansen Owen (R) acting as Co-Chair.
- State Rep. Hank Zuber (R) will serve as Chair of the PERS Committee, with State Rep. Randy Rushing (R) serving as Co-Chair.
- State Rep. Noah Sanford (R) will chair the Voters’ Rights Committee, with State Rep. Price Wallace (R) serving as Co-Chair.
- State Rep. Shanda Yates (I) returns as Chair of the Capital and Metro Revitalization Committee, with State Rep. Clay Mansell (R) acting as Co-Chair.
Education Freedom
While the Education Freedom committee will focus on broadening the ability of Mississippians to choose the best education methods for their children, Roberson said the committee will essentially look at every aspect of the public school system.
Speaker White stated the committee will pursue “commonsense, conservative legislation.”
“We are committed to transforming the educational landscape in Mississippi to ensure that every child in our state has access to an education that caters to their unique needs and aspirations,” White said.
Rep. Roberson said White’s thought process is for the members to come up with good, creative ideas to implement and push Mississippi to the next level “to continue having good support for K-12 all around.”
One policy change a growing number of Mississippians have requested is the ability for state education funds to follow their child to another school outside of their district should the parent choose, or even for use in offsetting the cost of private school.
While legislation to allow public to public school transfers was discussed this past session, allowing public funds for private school use was not. Those who oppose the use of state funds for private school tuition cite the potential of financial loss to affected public schools. Critics also question accountability measures used by private schools as they often differ from public schools.
Outside of education funding, Rep. Roberson explained that school consolidation and truancy are expected to return as a topics of discussion for lawmakers.
In recent years, Roberson has been vocal that the consolidation of school districts would reduce facility and administrative costs.
“I think we do need to take a look at all directions, including consolidation,” Roberson said.
In addition to reconsidering a failed bill submitted last session that would have moved truancy officers under local management, Roberson said something needs to be done to ensure children who are enrolled in school attend class.
“We need to have some sort of support system set up to make sure the kids that are supposed to be in school are actually going to school,” Roberson added. “If you’re a kid in this state and you’re supposed to be in school, we’re going to make for doggone certain that the state does everything we can to make sure that’s where you’re at.”
PERS
The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi is facing more than $25 billion in unfunded liabilities combined with a 55.9 percent funding level. Efforts to address the situation this past session focused on increasing contributions to the system and adding a new tier for those hired after March 1, 2026.
Speaker White said that the House is committed to providing a dedicated stream of funding to ensure the unfunded liabilities are met.
“The House has proposed an annual dedicated stream of revenue for PERS for the last two years, and we will continue to evaluate opportunities that stabilize and secure our commitment to current and future state retirees,” White said.
One of those previous attempts, which proposed utilizing state lottery proceeds to buoy the program, met with resistance from the Senate.
Rep. Zuber said the Select Committee is committed to protecting the state employee retirement system.
“I emphatically appreciate that every time PERS comes up it creates a sense of concern to current retirees! Let me be unequivocally clear, the Speaker and I, as Chair of the Select Committee, will not entertain nor discuss any changes to your benefits,” Zuber said.
Speaking to those in the system, Zuber said, “Your benefits are sacred, and the state has made a solemn promise to you which we will keep!”
“To keep this promise for future retirees and maintain the country’s best retirement system, we can no longer kick the can down the proverbial road. The time is now to put legislation on the Governor’s desk providing a dedicated stream of income to PERS. The House under Speaker White provided the legislation the last two years to solve this issue and secure our commitment. We will continue to do so,” Zuber continued.
However, Zuber said “one time money is a non-starter.”
“I look forward to the upcoming select committee’s hearings and working with the Senate next session to pass a dedicated stream of income to PERS,” Zuber added. “Under strong, responsible, common sense House leadership, we are tackling issues that make a difference and move the needle: We have fully funded education, Mississippi is ranked 10th among states that people are considering relocating to, Mississippi is 16th in national education rankings and our partnership with AWS (one of the world’s leading high tech companies) is a game changer. We will use this same approach to secure PERS perpetually. Our retirees both present and future deserve no less!”
Voters’ Rights
As for the state’s voting processes, Rep. Sanford expects the biggest issue his Select Committee tackles in the off season is the ballot initiative.
Mississippi’s initiative process was first called into question in 2021 when the state Supreme Court ruled Initiative 65, the medical marijuana initiative, was improperly certified. The number of signatures required to place it on the ballot was not in line with the state’s Constitution regarding Congressional Districts which referenced five such districts. Mississippi now has four congressional districts.
Lawmakers have attempted in previous sessions to rectify the issue but have failed to reach consensus on the signature and required vote thresholds.
“Mississippians have long requested a process for a ballot initiative to ensure they have a fair and accessible means of influencing state policy,” Speaker White said.
Rep. Sanford said he believes the issue is one of the most important things his Select Committee will consider.
“The House has passed a few different versions, and they all met the same fate in the Senate. But that is something… that has been a priority of the Speaker,” Sanford said. “It’s been a priority of the House Republican Conference and I think the Speaker wants to find a way to make it happen. The people in Mississippi are strongly in favor of it.”
Other topics for consideration will include election security issues, suffrage and possibly another attempt at early voting.
“The votes are not there in the House to do that,” Sanford said of early voting. “We had a hearing on that last year, which I thought was helpful, but the votes are not there. I don’t know how much time we’ll spend on that issue.”
While Sanford expects the committee to look at suffrage restoration, he said the matter is probably better suited for the Judicial B Committee. Any work his committee may undertake on that topic will focus on streamlining the process.
Capital Metro and Revitalization
The city of Jackson is facing a number of issues, including a declining population that has led to a rise in abandoned properties. High crime rates and a water system in need of repairs are also concerns among residents in the capital city.
“Obviously, Jackson is a city. We’re not responsible for the entire city, but as a capital city we think there are things that we can do at the state level to assist with making the capital better than it is,” Rep. Yates said.
Work conducted last year by her Select Committee included about half a dozen hearings focusing on those topics, many of which led to the introduction of bills that became law in this year’s session.
“From that, we had five pieces of legislation that we put forward to address those issues based on information we heard from those hearings,” Yates said. “And we were able to get all five of those pieces of legislation passed last session.”
A new mayor is taking the reins at City Hall next week. State Senator John Horhn (D) will succeed Chokwe Lumumba, and hopes are high that Jackson will be better for it as it relates to the relationship between the city and the state.
Rep. Yates said the committee’s first task will be to sit down with Horhn to determine the city’s high-priority needs.
“We got a brand new mayor that is coming in. I’d like for him to sit down with our committee and tell us some of the things he thinks the state can help do,” Yates explained. “He’s obviously very familiar with how the state operates and hopefully we’ll become very familiar with how the city is operating or not operating.”
She also plans to hold discussions with the Capitol Police, Hinds County Police Department, and Jackson Police Department to see what the state can do to continue addressing crime in hopes of making the city of Jackson safer.
Other issues on her agenda for the committee include the city’s water system, homelessness, and reviewing the state’s tax sale system to address abandoned properties.
“There’s no shortage of issues and problems that we can try to address in Jackson for sure,” Yates said.
Full Select Committee Membership
Education Freedom
Rob Roberson, Chairman
Jansen Owen, Co-Chairman
Tracy Arnold
Lawrence Blackmon
Andy Boyd
Randy Boyd
Dan Eubanks
Kevin Felsher
Stephanie Foster
Rodney Hall
Greg Holloway
Jeffrey Hulum
Celeste Hurst
Trey Lamar
Kent McCarty
Jonathan McMillan
Carl Mickens
Karl Oliver
Tracey Rosebud
PERS
Hank Zuber, Chairman
Randy Rushing, Co-Chairman
Shane Aguirre
Cedric Burnett
Angela Cockerham
Jim Estrada
Jimmy Fondren
Lataisha Jackson
Justin Keen
Steve Lott
Brad Mattox
Karl Oliver
Donnie Scoggin
Omeria Scott
Ricky Thompson
Lee Yancey
Voters’ Rights
Noah Sanford, Chairman
Price Wallace, Co-Chairman
Brent Anderson
Otis Anthony
Chuck Blackwell
Elliot Burch
Grace Butler-Washington
Justis Gibbs
Zach Grady
Kenji Holloway
Joey Hood
Kevin Horan
Timika James-Jones
Gene Newman
Mark Tullos
Capital and Metro Revitalization
Shanda Yates, Chairman
Clay Mansell, Co-Chairman
Chris Bell
Lawrence Blackmon
Angela Cockerham
Ronnie Crudup
Jill Ford
Stephanie Foster
Justis Gibbs
Jonathan McMillan
Fabian Nelson
Gene Newman
Brent Powell
Fred Shanks
Lance Varner
Price Wallace
Grace Butler-Washington
Lee Yancey
Hank Zuber
Jeremy Pittari
