Mississippi Lawmakers To Begin Work On State Budget

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Lawmakers are starting to work on a Mississippi budget for the year that begins July 1. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee meets Thursday and Friday in Jackson.

Members will hear funding requests from the Department of Education, the Division of Medicaid and a few other agencies. Legislators used to hold extensive budget hearings throughout September to hear from large and small departments.

The schedule has been shortened in recent years. The 14-member Budget Committee will release funding recommendations in November. All 122 members of the House and 52 senators will have a chance to vote on a final spending plan by April, if the process runs on schedule.

The current state budget is just over $6 billion.