Mississippi Legislature

Last updated

Mississippi Legislature
Seal of Mississippi (2014-present).svg
Type
Type
Houses Senate
House of Representatives
Term limits
None
History
FoundedOctober 6, 1817
(206 years ago)
 (1817-10-06)
Preceded byGeneral Assembly of Mississippi Territory
Leadership
Delbert Hosemann (R)
since January 9, 2020
Jason White (R)
since January 2, 2024
Structure
Seats174
  • 52 senators
  • 122 representatives
MS Senate Mississippi Nov 2019.svg
Senate political groups
  •   Republican (36)
  •   Democratic (16)
MS Legislature 2024 Apportionment.svg
House of Representatives political groups
Salary$23,000/year
Elections
Last Senate election
November 7, 2023
November 7, 2023
Next Senate election
November 2, 2027
November 2, 2027
RedistrictingLegislative control
Meeting place
Jackson December 2018 02 (Mississippi State Capitol).jpg
Mississippi State Capitol
Jackson, Mississippi
United States
Website
legislature.ms.gov
Constitution
Mississippi Constitution of 1890

The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The bicameral Legislature is composed of the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, with 122 members, and the upper Mississippi State Senate, with 52 members. Both representatives and senators serve four-year terms without term limits. The Legislature convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson.

Contents

History

Methodist Meeting House - the first constitutional convention was held at Washington, Mississippi in 1817. Church in Washington, Mississippi (1937).jpg
Methodist Meeting House – the first constitutional convention was held at Washington, Mississippi in 1817.

From 1800 until 1833, the legislative body of the Mississippi Territory and the state of Mississippi was known as the "General Assembly". Thereafter, it was known as "the Legislature of the State of Mississippi". [1] During the Reconstruction era, the legislature met for biennial sessions. In 1890, constitutional revisions allowed the body to regularly convene only once every four years. In 1910, the legislature reverted to biennial meetings, and in 1968 it began meeting annually. [2] In 1977, the state constitution was amended to require that legislative districts be apportioned equally in terms of population. [3]

Membership

The Mississippi Legislature has 174 elected members, with 122 members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and 52 members of the Mississippi Senate. [4] Members are elected to four-year terms to represent districts. [2] Among the states, Mississippi has the 14th largest lower house and fifth largest upper house. [3] House districts are drawn such that each encompasses about 24,000 people, while Senate districts are drawn such that each encompasses about 55,000 people. [4] Candidates for the House must be at least 21 years old, while candidates for the Senate must be at least 25 years old. [5] Each house has the authority to judge the qualifications of its own members. [6] The Mississippi Legislature is a citizen legislature; most legislators have full-time occupations unrelated to their official roles. [4] Members receive a base salary of $23,000 per year. As of April 2022, most legislators garnered a total compensation of $40,000 to $50,000 per year from salary, per diem payments, and other reimbursements and payments, with several collecting around $70,000 per year. [7] [lower-alpha 1]

All legislators swear a state constitutionally-prescribed oath of office, which requires them to declare allegiance to the state and federal constitutions, pledge to be responsible in the exercise of their duties, and promise not to engage in vote trading. [6] The constitution provides legislators with a limited immunity from arrest during a legislative session and 15 days before or after a session except in cases of "treason, felony, theft, or breach of the peace". [9] In the event of a vacancy in a legislative seat in between regular elections, the governor issues a writ of election to enable a contest to be held to fill the seat for the remainder of its term. [10]

Structure and process

The Constitution of Mississippi provides for a bicameral legislature of the state, composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives, in which all lawmaking authority is vested. [11] The constitution requires the legislature to convene in regular annual sessions, with most lasting for 90 days and sessions on every fourth year lasting for 125 days, though the legislature can extend their sessions with the approval of two-thirds of its members. [2] The governor may also at their discretion call the legislature into a special session to a consider a specific issue of the governor's choosing. [12] Since 1903, the legislature has met in the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. [13] One house cannot adjourn its proceedings for over three days without the agreement of the other. [14] A basic majority of one house's members constitutes a quorum to do business, though a smaller group can convene and vote to compel the attendance of absent members. [15]

Each house elects their own officers. [6] The House of Representatives is led by a speaker, who is elected among the preexisting membership in the House. [4] The Senate is led by the lieutenant governor, who is popularly elected by voters in statewide elections and is ex officio president of the Senate. [4] [16] Second to these officers in their respective houses are the speaker pro tempore and president of the Senate pro tempore. The presiding officers determine the leadership of legislative committees in their own houses. [4] In the event of a tied vote in a joint session, the lieutenant governor is empowered to cast a tie-breaking vote. [17] The constitution gives the state legislature the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel a member with a two-thirds vote of the membership of his or her chamber. [14] Legislative proceedings are open to the public unless a closed session for secrecy is deemed necessary, and each house has the power to punish public observers for disorderly and disruptive behavior. [18] Each house keeps an official journal to record its proceedings, including votes on bills. [14]

A bill may originate in either house, and be amended or rejected in the other, and must be read by its title on three different days in each house, unless two-thirds of the house vote to suspend the rules. The Mississippi Constitution prohibits amending a bill to change its original purpose. [19] Bills amended in the second house, must return it to the first for a vote to accept amendments. [20] All bills must be considered by a committee in each house. [21] No bills can be introduced in the last three days of a session. [22] Most bills are passed by a simple majority vote of each chamber. [23] Any revenue bill or measure that alters the assessment of taxable property requires the approval of three-fifths of legislators present and voting. [24] Every bill passed by both houses is signed by the presiding officers of each house. [19]

Powers

The Mississippi Legislature has the power to write state laws [11] and craft appropriations to fund state government. [4] All bills passed by the legislature become law unless vetoed by the governor, though the body may override the veto with the approval two-thirds of the members of each House. [25] The legislature has the power to convene hearings to investigate any matter it desires. Unable to compel testimony from any individual in such instances, or prosecute crimes, or enforce any other desired outcome, such hearings are usually held only to gather information to aid in policy-making and budgeting decisions. [26]

The legislature is responsible for election of the state librarian. [27] During instances of rebellion or foreign invasion, the legislature may suspend the writ of habeas corpus . [28] The House of Representatives is empowered to impeach any state official with the agreement of two-thirds of its members and subject them to a trial in the Senate, which can remove an official from office with the agreement of two-thirds of its members. [29] The legislature can pass amendments to the state constitution with the approval of two-thirds of the members of each house, subject to ratification in a popular referendum. [30]

Political dynamics

Bills typically have to be passed out of committee before being passed by the legislature. [4] A chair of a committee can choose not to bring up the bill for a vote before the committee or a full house and thus let it expire. [23] The chairs of the Finance Committee in the Senate and the Ways and Means Committee and Appropriations Committee in the House often exercise significant influence over legislation. [4] Mississippi judges have usually deferred to the legislature on legal questions involving its internal decisions and operations; such things are not subject to regular judicial review. [31]

In 2011, 63% of the seats in the legislature had candidates with no significant opposition in upcoming elections. In 2023, that figure was 85%. That year the Associated Press stated that this "raises questions about the ability of American voters to hold their elected representatives accountable." [32]

See also

Notes

  1. The salaries of the speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor are $60,000 per year, but are set to increase to $85,000 annually in 2024. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Mississippi</span>

The governor of Mississippi is the head of government of Mississippi and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature, to convene the legislature at any time, and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of California

The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislature convene at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The California state legislature is one of just ten full-time state legislatures in the United States. The houses are distinguished by the colors of the carpet and trim of each house. The Senate is distinguished by the color red and the Assembly by the color green, inspired by the House of Lords and House of Commons respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Michigan

The Michigan Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The chief purposes of the Legislature are to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. The Legislature meets in the Capitol building in Lansing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Alaska

The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution consisting of the 40-member Alaska House of Representatives and the 20-member Alaska Senate. There are 40 House Districts (1–40) and 20 Senate Districts (A–T). With a total of 60 lawmakers, the Alaska Legislature is the smallest bicameral state legislature in the United States and the second-smallest of all state legislatures. There are no term limits for either chamber. The Alaska Legislature meets in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska. The current meeting since 2023 is the 33rd Alaska State Legislature. The previous meeting, the 32nd Alaska State Legislature, met from 2021 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massachusetts General Court</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Massachusetts

The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. The name "General Court" is a holdover from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when the colonial assembly, in addition to making laws, sat as a judicial court of appeals. Before the adoption of the state constitution in 1780, it was called the Great and General Court, but the official title was shortened by John Adams, author of the state constitution. It is a bicameral body. The upper house is the Massachusetts Senate which is composed of 40 members. The lower body, the Massachusetts House of Representatives, has 160 members; until 1978, the state house had 240 members. It meets in the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill in Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Maryland

The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives, and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives. Members of both houses serve four-year terms. Each house elects its own officers, judges the qualifications and election of its own members, establishes rules for the conduct of its business, and may punish or expel its own members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of North Carolina

The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico

The New Mexico Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaii State Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Hawaii

The Hawaii State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state legislature is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Hawaii State House of Representatives, with 51 representatives, and an upper house, the 25-member Hawaii State Senate. There are a total of 76 lawmakers in the legislature, each representing single member districts across the islands. The powers of the legislature are granted under Article III of the Constitution of Hawaii. The legislature convenes at the Hawaii State Capitol building in the state capital of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Texas

The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful arm of the Texas government not only because of its power of the purse to control and direct the activities of state government and the strong constitutional connections between it and the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, but also due to Texas's plural executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Florida

The Florida Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. State of Florida. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the legislature and how it is to be constituted. The legislature is composed of 160 state legislators. The primary purpose of the legislature is to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. It meets in the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida House of Representatives</span> Lower house of the Florida Legislature

The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The House is composed of 120 members, each elected from a single-member district with a population of approximately 180,000 residents. Legislative districts are drawn on the basis of population figures, provided by the federal decennial census. Representatives' terms begin immediately upon their election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Senate</span> Upper state chamber of Michigan

The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, adopted in 1963. The primary purpose of the Legislature is to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi State Senate</span> Upper house for the legislature of the state of Mississippi

The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi</span> Statewide vice-executive officer of the U.S. state of Mississippi

The lieutenant governor of Mississippi is the second-highest ranking elected executive officer in the U.S. state of Mississippi, below the governor of Mississippi, and is the only official in the state to be a member of two branches of state government. The office of lieutenant governor was established when Mississippi became a state in 1817, abolished for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, and restored later in the century. The lieutenant governor serves a four-year term with a two consecutive term limit. The current lieutenant governor is Delbert Hosemann, a Republican, who has held the office since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Alabama

The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both chambers serve four-year terms and in which all are elected in the same cycle. The most recent election was on November 8, 2022. The new legislature assumes office immediately following the certification of the election results by the Alabama Secretary of State which occurs within a few days following the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Oklahoma

The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 state representatives, each serving a two-year term, and 48 state senators, who serve four-year terms that are staggered so only half of the Oklahoma Senate districts are eligible in each election cycle. Legislators are elected directly by the people from single member districts of equal population. The Oklahoma Legislature meets annually in the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Utah

The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 state representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 state senators. There are no term limits for either chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana State Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Louisiana

The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana State Senate with 39 senators. Members of each house are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal populations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas House of Representatives</span> Lower house of the government of Kansas

The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafting and voting on legislation, helping to create a state budget, and legislative oversight over state agencies. Representatives are elected to two-year terms. The Kansas House of Representatives does not have term limits. The legislative session convenes at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka annually.

References

  1. Rowland 1908, p. 272.
  2. 1 2 3 Winkle 2014, p. 60.
  3. 1 2 Harrison, Bobby (December 10, 2023). "Mississippi Legislature bigger than most even as population lags". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pender, Geoff (2022). "Legislative Session 2022 Guide : What does the Legislature do?". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  5. "The Mississippi State Legislature". Center for Youth Political Participation. Rutgers University. 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Winkle 2014, p. 61.
  7. Pender, Geoff (April 7, 2022). "Statewide and other elected officials to get raises in 2024". The Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1A, 8A.
  8. Pender, Geoff (April 7, 2022). "Amid vetoes, Gov. Reeves lets pay raises for elected officials pass". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  9. Winkle 2014, p. 64.
  10. Winkle 2014, p. 72.
  11. 1 2 Winkle 2014, p. 59.
  12. Winkle 2014, pp. 90–91.
  13. "Brief History of the Mississippi State Capitol". Mississippi Legislature. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 Winkle 2014, p. 66.
  15. Winkle 2014, pp. 65–66.
  16. Winkle 2014, pp. 93–94.
  17. Winkle 2014, p. 93.
  18. Winkle 2014, pp. 66–67.
  19. 1 2 Winkle 2014, p. 67.
  20. Constitutional Provisions The Legislature And Legislation Rules of Procedure, Mississippi Legislature (accessed May 27, 2013)
  21. Winkle 2014, pp. 71–72.
  22. Winkle 2014, p. 69.
  23. 1 2 Harrison, Bobby (2022). "Legislative Session 2022 Guide : How does a bill become a law?". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  24. Winkle 2014, p. 70.
  25. Winkle 2014, pp. 70–71.
  26. Gates, Jimmie E. (July 22, 2018). "When politics meets the road". The Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1C, 2C.
  27. Winkle 2014, p. 80.
  28. Winkle 2014, p. 45.
  29. Winkle 2014, pp. 64–65.
  30. Winkle 2014, pp. 170–171.
  31. Winkle 2014, pp. 61, 70.
  32. Lieb, David A.; Pettus, Emily Wagster (October 29, 2023). "In Mississippi, most voters will have no choice about who represents them in the Legislature". Associated Press News . Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  33. "1798-, Mississippi Council/Senate Journals". llmc.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  34. Mississippi (1980). "Mississippi official and statistical register". Mississippi Official and Statistical Register: 31. ISSN   0196-4755.

Works cited