Mississippi Budget Committee Begins Hearings on $32B Spending Plan
Mississippi's Joint Legislative Budget Committee held two days of public hearings last week, starting the formal process of building a recommendation for the state's fiscal year 2027 budget, currently running at over $32 billion including $13.11 billion in federal funds. The committee will develop a budget recommendation before the legislative session begins January 5, 2027, which then serves as a starting point for lawmakers. Federal funds make up a significant share of spending for agencies including Medicaid, Human Services, Environmental Quality and Transportation, while the general fund and state-support funds ($9.22 billion) are the portion legislators have the most discretion over. The article describes the ongoing, largely behind-the-scenes annual budgeting cycle rather than a specific new policy decision.