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MississippiHB 19312026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Appropriation; Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and trial judges services.

Sponsored By: Sam C. Mims, V (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Appropriations DAppropriations AAppropriations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

11 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.

Higher salaries for Mississippi judges

Beginning July 1, 2026, the law funds $1,159,361 in annual salary increases for specified Mississippi judges. Annual salaries are $194,171 for the Chief Justice, $190,614 for each Presiding Justice, and $187,625 for each Associate Justice. The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals receives $182,624, each Associate Judge receives $179,871, and each chancery and circuit judge receives $171,063. These amounts exclude fringe benefits.

More money for Mississippi courts

For fiscal year 2027, the law funds Mississippi’s Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, trial judges, and court administration. The appropriations include $6.68 million in general funds and $1.43 million in special funds for the Supreme Court; $7.06 million and $176,362 for the Court of Appeals; and $40.01 million and $24.50 million for trial judges. The Administrative Office of Courts receives $17.79 million in general funds and $24.21 million in special funds. The law also provides $15.6 million for trial judge support staff, capped at $130,000 per judge, and up to $1,047,121 for CCID inferior court operations. It authorizes 60 Supreme Court positions, 54 appeals court positions, 123 trial-court positions, and 97 court administration positions.

Drug courts get treatment funding

For fiscal year 2027, certified adult felony Drug Courts receive $6 million for program costs and $2 million from the Opioid Settlement Fund for substance-abuse treatment. Neither amount can pay court administration costs. Opioid-funded courts must give a sworn statement that they have no prohibited contract tied to legislative or executive success; a court that fails to certify or violates the statement cannot receive funds. Reimbursements depend on participant counts: $160,000 for 1–99 participants, rising to $635,000 for 425–449. The law lists $285,000 for a 155–199 participant tier, as written, before the 200–224 tier at $335,000. These reimbursements go to courts, not participants.

More help with civil legal access

For fiscal year 2027, the law provides $200,000 to help cover the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission’s costs. It also allows up to $200,000 from other court appropriations for the Civil Legal Assistance Program. The law does not set household eligibility rules or provide money directly to people.

More support for youth courts

For fiscal year 2027, the law provides $2.25 million for certified Youth Drug Courts and Family Courts, and $750,000 for mental health court pilots in three districts. Each pilot receives $250,000. Another $2.5 million supports Youth Courts, and up to $2 million supports their intake staff. The court office must standardize intake steps and train intake officers each year; courts receiving funds must attend training and provide data for an annual report. The law also provides $500,000 for secretarial and support services for the Court-Appointed Special Advocate program.

Upgrades to Mississippi court systems

Beginning July 1, 2026, the law authorizes up to $2.46 million for the state’s Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund. It also provides $280,000 for Mississippi Electronic Courts updates. Up to $8.75 million from the Capital Expense Fund is available to replace the Youth Courts record system, including data cleanup. The State Treasurer decides how to allocate the Youth Courts funds.

Blind vendor gets tied-bid preference

The agency must prefer Mississippi Industries for the Blind when competing bids match in price, quality, and service. A similar preference applies to purchases made without competitive bids. The law does not state a dollar amount for these purchases.

Funding for lawyer education and admissions

For fiscal year 2027, the law provides $332,997 from a new special fund for continuing legal education programs for Mississippi lawyers. Interest earned on that fund goes back into the fund, not the state’s General Fund. The law also appropriates $383,426 from a special fund for the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions.

Higher charges for Supreme Court services

The Mississippi Supreme Court must charge the highest amount allowed by law for services with fees set by statute. For other services, it must set charges to match the cost of providing them. The law does not list the fee amounts. The receipts go into a special fund for the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office.

Limits on judge salary supplements

If the Judicial System Operation Fund does not have enough money to pay annual judge salary supplements, counties do not have to cover the shortfall. In that case, affected county court judges’ salaries stay at the levels set before the law’s salary provision. The law does not state the supplement amounts.

New controls on court spending

For fiscal year 2027, court administration’s staff spending is capped at $7,570,636, including $493,258 for vacant jobs, and the office may have 97 permanent positions. Vacancy funds cannot pay raises or promotions for current staff. The court office can move approved money among court accounts, but it must give written notice by the 15th day of the prior month and explain the amount and planned use. The law also bars certain payments to relatives of officials and requires people responsible for barred payments to repay three times the amount.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Sam C. Mims, V

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Manly Barton

    Republican • House

  • Angela Cockerham

    Independent • House

  • John G. Faulkner

    Democratic • House

  • Joey Hood

    Republican • House

  • Jay McKnight

    Republican • House

  • John Read

    Republican • House

  • Randy Rushing

    Republican • House

  • Percy W. Watson

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 338 • No: 1

House vote • 3/29/2026

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 115 • No: 1 • Other: 2

Senate vote • 3/29/2026

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/12/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 51 • No: 0

House vote • 2/19/2026

Passed

Yes: 122 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor

    4/8/2026legislature

  2. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/1/2026Senate

  3. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/1/2026House

  4. Conference Report Adopted

    3/29/2026Senate

  5. Conference Report Adopted

    3/29/2026House

  6. Conference Report Filed

    3/27/2026Senate

  7. Conference Report Filed

    3/27/2026House

  8. Conferees Named Hopson,Wiggins,Sparks

    3/19/2026Senate

  9. Conferees Named Mims,Hood,Cockerham

    3/19/2026House

  10. Decline to Concur/Invite Conf

    3/18/2026House

  11. Returned For Concurrence

    3/13/2026Senate

  12. Passed As Amended

    3/12/2026Senate

  13. Amended

    3/12/2026Senate

  14. Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

    3/12/2026Senate

  15. Referred To Appropriations

    2/27/2026Senate

  16. Transmitted To Senate

    2/20/2026House

  17. Passed

    2/19/2026House

  18. Title Suff Do Pass

    2/18/2026House

  19. DR - TSDP: AP To A3

    2/18/2026House

  20. DR - TSDP: A3 To AP

    2/17/2026House

  21. Referred To Appropriations D;Appropriations A

    2/16/2026House

Bill Text

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