Lt. Governor Hosemann: “It was a very good year”

• Hosemann recapped the 2026 legislative session on Friday as members headed home, at least for now. He touted education reforms including the teacher pay raise and changes to PERS among lawmakers’ achievements.

“It was a very good year,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) said of the 2026 legislative session on Friday as members headed home, at least for now.

Hosemann said he is “very pleased” overall with the Legislature’s work, which saw wins and losses he recapped in his post-adjournment press conference after the gavel fell.

Most pleasing to the Hosemann was legislation supporting the military and the state’s public education system.

Both chambers unanimously agreed this year on a measure that reimburses active members of the Mississippi National Guard for the cost of premiums for TRICARE Reserve Select health care plans. According to the bill, the purpose for the reimbursement plan is to enhance the medical readiness of and retain qualified personnel in the Mississippi National Guard.

READ MORE: Mississippi National Guard members to be reimbursed for health insurance premiums

As for education, Hosemann told reporters that Mississippi’s best chance at economic development is an educated workforce.

“There was a lot of education discussed this session,” he said of the Senate’s debates.

Hosemann touted the $2,000 pay raises for Mississippi’s public school teachers and teacher assistants. While there was much talk of a larger pay increase, in the end, the state funding needed to support Medicaid was too great to support the higher raises for teachers this session, he said.

READ MORE: Mississippi lawmakers adopt increased K-12 public education budget even as student totals decline

Hosemann expressed concern on the disconnect between reading and math scores in the third grade, when the state’s scores lead the nation, and eighth grade, when scores sink to near the bottom. He said finding out why and solving the issue is a priority for the Senate.

Hosemann said he was pleased with legislation that mandates financial literacy be taught in public schools, including the basics such as balancing a checking account and understanding credit.

READ MORE: Civics, financial literacy, Math Act included in omnibus Mississippi education bill as session winds down

The Lt. Governor praised legislation that will increase the salaries for School Attendance Officers by $5,000, noting that since the COVID-19 pandemic, absenteeism has skyrocketed in many Mississippi schools. In some districts, high school attendance hovers around 50 percent, he said, naming areas in Madison County.

“We need to get students into those seats,” he added.

Another area where Hosemann expressed his pleasure was with reforms made to the state Public Employees Retirement System. Lawmakers reduced the years of service requirement from 35 years to 30 years and agreed to change how the retirement amount is calculated. The new Tier 5 will return to using an employee’s highest four years of salary instead of the highest eight years as adopted last year.

Additionally, retirees will be able to return to state employment after a 30-day hiatus. This provision is intended to fill gaps in agencies as well as at the school district level struggling to fill vacant teaching positions.

READ MORE: Lawmakers agree on PERS Tier 5 changes

Lt. Governor Hosemann did say he was disappointed in the House not agreeing to change how the SNAP error rate is calculated, similar to what the vast majority of other states have done. He fears the new provisions handed down from the federal government will cost Mississippi nearly $120 million if the current state error rate is not addressed.

READ MORE: House, Senate agree on $94 million in state funding for the Department of Human Services

Finally, Hosemann was displeased that more effort was not made to consolidate state departments and agencies. Despite the matter being high on his priority at the start of the session, only the Mississippi Department of Public Safety saw legislation pass to consolidate its 11 units to seven.

“The public deserves efficiency in government,” Hosemann said. “We need to look at more efficient ways to deal with [state government].”

When asked about why so many corrections bills died in the Senate, Hoseman sidestepped the question, saying while he recognized the dedication of House Correction Committee Chair Becky Currie (R), the Senate Correction Committee chair Juan Barnett (D) was out most of the session for medical reasons.

Lawmakers could be called back to the Capitol before April 15 should the Lt. Governor and Speaker agree to take up other legislation or should Governor Tate Reeves (R) determine the need for a special session.