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Senate adopts supplemental budgets in special session; Medicaid, childcare, mental health and corrections receive targeted funding
Summary
During the special session the Senate passed a package of supplemental budgets and transfers addressing health care, child care, corrections, mental health, higher education line items and other agency budgets. Lawmakers discussed Medicaid funding, childcare restorations, caps on capital expense spending and university maintenance concerns.
The Mississippi Senate completed consideration of supplemental budget bills during a special session called by the governor, approving a series of agency and program budgets, transfers and reappropriations. Senate leaders and appropriations chairmen presented an overview of the supplemental budget package and senators voted on multiple bills by roll call during floor consideration.
Appropriations overview and key allocations Senate Appropriations chair Senator Hobson told the chamber the budget package retained the negotiated baseline from regular session and built in increases for PERS and health insurance across agency budgets. He said the general fund baseline for the package was about $7.135 billion and described a fiscally conservative approach. Hobson noted the Senate included $60,000,000 in new general funds to help Medicaid prepare for possible federal funding changes and put roughly $15,000,000 toward childcare that Hobson said was intended to offset some recent federal reductions.
Hobson also discussed capital expense (CapEx) money as largely one-time funds that remain on the books; he said many previously appropriated CapEx dollars remain unspent and therefore can be targeted in future sessions. He and other senators emphasized vacancy‑funding language and new salary/VCP (variable compensation plan) language that pins salary lines in the bills.
Higher education, universities and community colleges Senator Blunt questioned whether any CapEx funding in the package provided maintenance money to the state’s eight public universities. Senator Parks (explaining a university budget bill) replied that the supplemental bills before the chamber did not include additional CapEx dollars for those maintenance needs; Parks confirmed the four‑year plan adopted earlier calls for $126,000,000 this year for ongoing projects but said the House and Senate did not reach agreement on additional funding in this special session. Senators were told universities and community colleges will need to rely on their general fund appropriations for immediate repairs.
Other agency highlights discussed on the floor - Department of Mental Health: final action cited in floor remarks included general fund support and funding tied to staffing and forensic services. Hobson described new positions and federal drawdown adjustments in that budget. - Department of Corrections: Senate action included an added general fund increase largely for medical contract costs and related per‑diem and food services changes; senators discussed contracting, performance metrics, and steps to address case backlogs for forensic work. - Department of Public Safety: the Senate added funding for ongoing headquarters costs, forensic backlog work, bulletproof vests for local departments, a driver license system replacement and capital security platforms.
University and community college leaders raised concerns on the floor that a large amount of CapEx remains unspent statewide despite ongoing facilities needs; senators acknowledged those concerns but said negotiating positions between the houses limited what could be achieved in the special session.
Votes at a glance The Senate took final action by roll call on numerous supplemental budget bills and related transfer/reappropriation measures during the special session. The full calendar included, among others, final passage (Senate action described on the floor) for: general consolidated budgets, the University of Mississippi consolidated budget, community colleges, student financial aid, Department of Mental Health, Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, Mississippi Development Authority budgets, and ARPA reappropriations. Several bills were taken up in block and passed by roll call; multiple bills recorded “no” votes from a recurring set of senators on procedural/appropriations items as the chamber completed final passage.
What was not resolved Senators and some appropriations members expressly noted that not all desired funding items were included in the special session package. Notably, the Capitol’s supplemental bills did not add broad one‑time CapEx money this session for universities or community colleges beyond amounts previously agreed; Hobson and other senators said some projects would be addressed in future sessions and warned that changes at the federal level (FMAP, block grants, or other federal decisions) could force additional adjustments to Medicaid and related agency budgets.
Next steps and timing Senate leaders said the House of Representatives was still completing its bills at the time the Senate adjourned and indicated the earliest the Senate could receive and act on House amendments or companion bills would be the next morning. Senators were directed to reconvene to complete any remaining cross‑chamber actions and to return bills promptly to the governor for signature once both chambers agreed.
