From left, House Minority Leader Robert Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons address the press prior to sine die of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Jeremy Pittari | Magnolia Tribune)
- The Democrats wants more funding for HBCUs, teacher pay, childcare, and more, while also promoting the need for the restoration of the ballot initiative process.
Members of the Democratic Party in the Mississippi Legislature called a press conference Thursday just prior to sine die of the 2026 Legislative session to outline issues they believe need more attention.
The lawmakers listed the lack of a ballot initiative process, insufficient medical care, roadblocks to restoring suffrage, little to no appropriations to historically black universities, and the reduction of child care programs among some of the major issues they say was not sufficiently addressed this legislative session.
State Rep. Robert Johnson, the House Minority Leader, said there was the perception of struggles between the two political parties, races, and sexes within the Capitol and among some of the media this year.
“But the truth is, I would suggest that the fight really is about the haves and have nots,” Johnson said. “We are a rural state. We have the highest rate of poverty in the country. The lowest per capita income.”
Johnson added that those Democrats standing with him on the second floor Capitol rotunda were willing to fight for their beliefs and protect their constituents.
“We don’t forsake a child in a poor district, that’s a school district, because he didn’t have resources to move to a rich district or afford to go to a private school,” Johnson said.
The Democrat leader also pointed to his desire to increase the minimum wage, the importance of child care, loss of quality health care in parts of the state, and the hurdles those with past discretions meet to regain their right to vote.
“We also understand how important it is that people who have paid their debt to society, who have paid that debt, have an opportunity to get their voting rights back and to live in a state where they can be reintegrated in society and get a fresh start and be contributors,” Johnson said. “We support that legislation, we work across the aisle to make that happen.”
The House Minority Leader also addressed the fact that another session has passed without the restoration of the state’s ballot initiative. He said restoration of that “right” would give the people a vehicle to enact the changes they want to see.
“There is an avenue to get that done, and that is the ballot initiative and we have taken that away and we refuse a restore it,” Johnson said, referring to the Legislature’s failure to address the state Supreme Court’s ruling in 2021. That ruling deemed the process invalid after the Medical Marijuana Initiative was challenged as the provision refers to five congressional districts when the state now has only four.
Photo by Jeremy Pittari | Magnolia Tribune
State Senator Derrick Simmons, the Senate Minority Leader, said the focus on his side of the Capitol was also teacher pay raises and access to healthcare, among others.
“We have gone another year where we have not expanded Medicaid, and we have many Mississippians who are without the care that they need. Our rural hospitals are on the verge of collapse, and so we have failed our hospitals, and we have failed to provide the access to healthcare to those so many Mississippians who need it.” Simmons claimed.
Due to a reduction in federal funding, the state is receiving roughly $15 million less was in childcare monies. Lawmakers assumed that expense last year but decided not to renew that funding this session. State Rep. Zakia Summers said that dwindling assistance will negatively affect families who are in the workforce.
“Democrats have been fighting for child care because we understand something very fundamental. Child care is not a privilege. It is a necessity. It is essential infrastructure for our economy,” Summers said.
That cessation of funding resulted in staff reductions to affected areas, and even closure of some child care providers, she described.
The Democrat lawmakers also pointed to what they claim is a lack of funding for historically black colleges and universities.
“Let’s be clear, HBCU’s have always done more with less,” State Rep. Jeffery Harness said. “They have educated generations of black doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers and leaders, often while being systematically underfunded. And yet, despite their proven impact they continue to receive less state support, fewer resources and fewer opportunities than their predominantly white counterparts.”
Many of the Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with the lower than desired teacher pay raises, totaling $2,000 per teacher this session in light of the additional $6 million increase in tax credits for contributions created through the Children’s Promise Act. That act allows for tax deductible contributions by businesses to Education Services Charitable Organizations.
“And it is undisputed that at least a 10% pay raise would be meaningful pay raise, and we didn’t do that,” Johnson said.
State Senator David Blount added that the pay raises could have been provided had the income tax cuts passed by the Legislature two year ago not been implemented.
Jeremy Pittari
