Angered at being shut out of the process and kept in the dark on particulars of a $7-billion state budget, House Democrats filibustered on Wednesday, using a constitutional provision to force the reading aloud of lengthy budget bills.
The House Republican leadership, forced to break out a computer speed reading system nicknamed the “Demon chipmunk,” was angered by the Democrats move.
Republican Speaker Jason White at one point threatened to have a Democratic member removed from the chamber, and refused to allow debate on the budget bills because they were being read aloud, which further infuriated Democrats.
“Lady, you are not recognized. Lady we will maintain order or you will be removed from the room,” White told Democratic Rep. Zakiya Summers during a heated exchange.
The Demon chipmunk droned on into Wednesday night and House members prepared for a long night finishing up passage of bills. The Senate adjourned until Thursday after passing all its budget bills on to the House without such hitches.
State Rep. Rodney Hall, R-DeSoto County, works at his desk during a special session at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, May 28, 2025. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayThe tense legislative standoff unfolded after lawmakers failed to pass a state budget during the 2025 regular session earlier this year. Gov. Reeves called them back into special session to set a budget and prevent a government shutdown once the new budget year begins July 1.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate during the regular session were mired in political infighting over tax cuts and increases and capital projects, including many pet projects lawmakers wanted for their districts.
Reeves called them back into special session only after Republican House and Senate leaders said they had an agreement on the more than 100 bills that make up the $7-billion state budget.
Democrats in both the House and Senate said the majority kept them in the dark as they haggled on a budget in recent weeks, and that legislative leaders would not even provide details on particulars of the budget bills even as they prepared to begin voting on them.
In recent years, rank-and-file lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, have complained they aren’t provided budget details in time to vet and debate the bills.
That dispute spilled onto the House floor on Wednesday, as White’s refusal to allow debate prompted a series of rebukes from Summers.
“Mr. Speaker, why are you treating the members like this?” Summers asked.
White responded that he was within his rights and that he would allow bills to either be read or debated, not both.
Summers then approached White on the dais, where the two argued about legislative procedure.
“You’re entitled to your opinion,” White told her.
Summers later attempted to quote Bible scripture, and White threatened to remove her from the chamber if she spoke again about an unrelated topic.
In committee, House members said the budget proposal did not provide adequate funding for health care, child care and other social services, especially as federal funding cuts loom. House Republicans said the proposed budget keeps funding for most agencies at the same level as the current budget year, with slight increases for health insurance and public pension costs.
On education, for instance, Republicans said the proposal, correcting for an overpayment last year, funds K-12 education at the levels lawmakers have promised, including full funding of a new per-student formula.
State Sen. Daniel Sparks, R-Belmont, listens as other lawmakers give remarks during a special session at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, May 28, 2025. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAcross the Capitol, the Senate approved its budget bills much quicker than the House, but faced similar complaints from some Democratic members.
The Senate Appropriations Committee used a procedure to pass all of its bills at once without any debate. But senators later spent a few hours discussing and voting on the bills on the floor.
Senate Democrats did not delay the passage of the budget, but they did vote against some of the bills or voted present because of how fast the Republican leadership pushed the budget through the Capitol.
Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, said several Democratic senators refused to vote in favor of the bills because they found it unreasonable that Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosmeann and Senate leaders would not distribute drafts of budget bills ahead of time.
“Our votes were a statement — a principled stand for a better process,” Simmons said. “We remain committed to working in good faith with our colleagues across the aisle, but we will continue to speak out and act when the process fails the people we are elected to serve.”
Hosemann, the Senate’s presiding officer, said he sent all senators a budget summary on Sunday and encouraged them to ask Senate leaders questions about the proposed budget.
“I think the budget is prudent and conservative,” Hosemann said.
Most agencies in the proposed budget will see flat funding with no major increases or decreases. But many agencies will see a drop-off starting July of millions of dollars in “one-time” money, either federal pandemic funds that are drying up or state cash for projects that lawmakers are withholding this year.
Under the budget agreement, lawmakers are planning to leave about $1 billion unencumbered. Some legislative leaders say this is prudent, given federal cuts and uncertainty in Washington. Others question whether state agencies will suffer, and contractors go unpaid on already started projects, from not having capital expense money allocated in the coming year.
Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, noted that universities have been working under a four-year plan for construction projects and maintenance and that no money is being allocated for that.
“So if an elevator goes out, or a roof needs repair, that’s got to come out of a university’s (operating) funding?” Blount said.
State Sen. Derrick T. Simmons, D-Greenville, asks a question during a special session at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, May 28, 2025. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySen. Rita Potts Parks, R-Corinth, who presented the IHL funding bills, responded, “We could not come to agreement with the House (on capital projects spending), so here’s where we’re at.”
Capital expense money, or surplus revenues, has been the main delay in the two chambers agreeing to a final budget. Senate leaders only wanted to only use surplus cash to fund state projects, but the House wanted to use a large amount to fund local projects, in addition to state projects. Such local spending bills, which in recent years have been between $200 million to $400 million, are often called “Christmas tree” bills, because they contain some lawmakers pet projects.
The two chambers remained at loggerheads, so they decided to not fund state or local projects. However, the Senate approved a measure on Wednesday that would allocate $5 million for a project at the Mississippi Children’s Museum and $13 million for improvements to LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, both in Jackson. The House has yet to consider the measure.
Some highlights of the spending agreements House and Senate leaders have reached for the coming budget year:
Medicaid: $969.9 million, a 6.69% increase
K-12 education: $3.34 billion, a .4% decrease, primarily due to a decrease in enrollment
Universities: $838.4 million, a .4% decrease
Community colleges: $299.4 million, a .22% increase
Department of Corrections: $438.2 million, a 4.4% increase
TOTAL GENERAL FUND BUDGET: $7.135 billion, a 1.57% increase
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