Mississippi Legislative Session Recap

The 2022 legislative session ended in Mississippi on April 5th. Here’s a recap of the legislation we’ve been tracking for the last three months.

Postpartum Medicaid Coverage

SB 2033 would have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage for parents up to 12 months postpartum. Despite pressure from local ministries, coalition partners, and parents, Speaker Phillip Gunn refused to call up the bill for a vote. Similar legislation passed this session in Alabama and Georgia.

Tax Donations to CPCs

In the final hours of the legislative session, HB 1685, a bill that gives a tax credit to those who choose to donate to crisis pregnancy centers in Mississippi. Our Hattiesburg health center is next door to the Hope Clinic, a crisis pregnancy center.

Critical Race Theory

SB 2113: White Senators in the state where Emmitt Till was murdered passed legislation that prohibits the teaching of critical race theory, shortly before passing legislation that gave teachers the highest pay raise seen in recent history from the Mississippi legislature. The 14 Black Senators walked out during roll call for votes on the bill.

Infrastructure

HB 1031: The “Capital City Water/Sewer Project” would allocate $40 million to help the City of Jackson to address water and sewer needs. Recall that this time last year, residents of Jackson and other predominantly Black cities in Mississippi experienced a water crisis due to a lack of infrastructure during the winter weather.

Equal Pay

Mississippi now has equal pay on the books, but this isn't a bill to throw a party for. HB 777 doesn't provide proper protections to Black women in a state with over 30% of its population comprised of Black people.

Other Items of Note

The legislature ended this session without resolving the issues to Mississippi's ballot initiative process, following the challenge to medical marijuana by the city of Madison's mayor. Mississippi's teacher pay increase also meets the Southeastern average for the first time in history.

While it was a relatively quiet legislative session for reproductive rights, our work is never done. The upcoming SCOTUS decision for the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization case will decide abortion not only for the state of Mississippi but for the rest of the United States as well. We will continue to fight for reproductive rights in Mississippi and keep advocating for the patients and communities we serve.