2026 Mississippi Legislative Session Summary: A Highlight of Important Laws

Serving as your State Representative for House District 68 continues to be one of the greatest honors of my life. As I reflect on the 2026 Mississippi Legislative Session, I am proud of the progress we made on behalf of working families, educators, small business owners, and communities across our state.

This session, I worked alongside colleagues to protect public education and defeat school choice legislation that would have diverted critical resources away from our public schools as well as funding formula changes that would have disproportionately impacted Mississippi’s Historically Black Universities and Colleges (HBCUs). We successfully closed the teacher pay gap through Senate Bill 2103 Conference Report, ensuring that educators across Mississippi receive more equitable compensation for the invaluable work they do every day. We also removed barriers that prevented experienced beauty industry professionals from continuing to work by passing Senate Bill 2566, established the Fetal & Infant Mortality Review Panel, expanded Mississippi's nationally recognized literacy efforts by extending literacy coaches through the eighth grade through Senate Bill 2294, and restored voting rights for two Hinds County citizens seeking a second chance and full participation in our democracy (HB 4123 & HB 4126).

I am incredibly proud of these accomplishments. As the Public Information Officer for the Mississippi House Democratic Caucus and Secretary of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, I understand that progress is rarely achieved alone. Meaningful change requires collaboration, persistence, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of Mississippians. Many of this year's successes were the result of bipartisan partnerships and the collective efforts of advocates, stakeholders, and legislative colleagues dedicated to moving our state forward.

While we celebrate these victories, I remain mindful of the work that remains unfinished. Several priorities I championed this year did not make it across the finish line, including the Robert G. Clark Mississippi Voting Rights Act, which would have established state-level voting rights protections amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding federal protections following the pending Callais decision. I also advocated for a package of maternal health initiatives aimed at addressing Mississippi's persistently high maternal and infant mortality rates, legislation to establish stronger monitoring and review of environmental toxins that may disproportionately harm children, more funding for child care, and broader, systems-level reforms to restore voting rights for Mississippians seeking a path back to full civic participation.

While we are not where we want to be, we are certainly not where we used to be.

I remain committed to fighting for a healthcare system that ensures access, affordability, and adequacy for every Mississippian; protecting and strengthening our democracy through commonsense election reforms; supporting policies and investments that make our schools and communities safer and structurally sound; expanding access to affordable, quality child care that allows parents to work and families to thrive; and building a Mississippi where all working families have the opportunity to succeed.

On a personal note, this year brought tremendous joy to my family. My oldest son achieved an extraordinary milestone by earning both his high school diploma and an Associate Degree in Business Administration. As parents, we are incredibly blessed and immensely proud of our children and the bright futures they are building. It is our responsibility to provide an environment conducive to their success.

Although the 2026 Legislative Session has adjourned, my work as your representative continues. Throughout the remainder of this year, I will travel across our district and throughout Mississippi, listening to the concerns, ideas, and hopes of District 68 residents and communities statewide. Together, we share a collective responsibility to make the Magnolia State the very best she can be.

Thank you for your continued support, advocacy, and belief in a Mississippi where equity and justice are not simply ideals we aspire to, but realities we work every day to achieve.