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Governor Tate Reeves announced that he is open to calling a special legislative session on education. He should.

Two and a half months into the session, Mississippi’s state legislature has so far accomplished remarkably little.

Senator Jeremy England’s well thought out efforts to restore the ballot initiative (SCR 518) failed. Speaker Jason White and Representative Jansen Owen’s flagship school choice bill (HB 2), a product of months of work and careful deliberation, died. So too did the House proposal on teacher pay (HB 1126). Ditto for plans to reform PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System, into which a lot of first responders and others had put enormous thought.

Having convened for more than 40 days, it is hard to think of a single significant legislative achievement this session.

That the legislature has so little to show for all those hours (and per diem payments) is not due to a lack of effort on the part of many lawmakers. There was no shortage of good proposals. The problem is that they all died in the Senate.

Governor Tate Reeves now has the power to break the logjam with a special session.

He should make it clear that he will call a special session for April, with a single education bill on the agenda, one that both raises teacher pay (modeled on HB 1126) and gives parents more power (modeled on HB 2). Any lawmaker who votes against what is put before the special session will be voting against teacher pay increases.

At the same time, our Governor should make it clear that if there is no agreement, he will call a second special session in May, then in June, July, and into the summer if that is what it takes.

In Texas, where families now control their child’s education tax dollars, that is what Governor Greg Abbott ended up having to do. Governor Reeves would be in good company.

Lawmakers are up for reelection next year. This time next year, some might face primary elections. It would be a bold move to go into a long summer, months before a potential primary election, repeatedly voting to kill teacher pay increases and parent power.

In his comments earlier this week, Governor Reeves remarked, “I do not have much time left”. With the end of his eight year term in sight, and term limited, he appears to be reflecting on his legacy. What an impressive legacy it already is.

Mississippi is on a roll economically. In 2024, we ranked second nationally in real GDP growth. Household incomes have surged. Outside investment is pouring in. After decades of decline, more people moved to Mississippi last year than left.

But for a Southern state now surrounded by neighbors that have embraced school choice, one key policy remains conspicuously absent: effective, meaningful school choice here at home.

Governor Reeves has a historic opportunity to change that by calling a special session. In doing so, he could deliver this long sought reform, cement a lasting achievement for Mississippi families, and virtually guarantee that his successor is pro parent power too. 

Too many young people still leave Mississippi to chase opportunities elsewhere.  MCPP is on a mission to help change that - by creating the conditions for real, sustained growth so our children and grandchildren choose to stay, build lives, and thrive right here in our state.
 
The good news?  Mississippi is no longer a laggard, but leading.

Thanks to free-market reforms, we're now one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. Over the past five years, we've seen more economic growth than in the previous 15 combined. In 2024, Mississippi ranked #2 nationally in real GDP growth. Historic tax cuts have put more money back in families' pockets, flexible labor laws and affordable energy have attracted over $40 billion in investments since 2020, and fiscal discipline has kept us on solid ground.
 
Building on this remarkable momentum, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy recently launched our latest paper at an event in Jackson: Mississippi Momentum: A Blueprint for Lasting Prosperity.

This blueprint outlines targeted, practical reforms to accelerate our progress and secure long-term prosperity. Key proposals include:
 

  1. Universal school choice through a phased-in Education Savings Account (ESA) program - starting with thousands of students and expanding to make every family empowered to choose the best education path for their child.
  2. Healthcare freedom by partially repealing Certificate-of-Need (CON) laws and granting full practice authority to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses - reducing costs by up to 15% and improving access, especially in rural areas.
  3. Conservative spending to limit government growth to inflation plus population increases, protecting our tax cuts and generating surpluses for future relief or priorities.
  4. Welfare-to-work requirements for able-bodied adults on TANF and SNAP, promoting self-reliance and drawing on successful models from other states.
  5. Merit-based procurement reforms to ensure transparent, competitive public contracts focused on price, quality, and expertise - ending favoritism and waste.


These ideas are already shaping the policy conversation in Mississippi. Many of the reforms outlined in this blueprint are now central to debates at the Capitol. While important work remains, the direction is clear: Mississippi can continue to grow faster, compete harder, and lead the nation in pro-growth reform.

Readers can access the full “Mississippi Momentum: A Blueprint for Lasting Prosperity” at mspolicy.org/publications/msmomentum/
 
I hope you find our latest paper inspiring and useful.
 
As someone who moved 4,000 miles with my family to make our home in the Magnolia State, I am more certain than ever that Mississippi can lead the way for other states in America to follow.

A small win for freedom in Mississippi!  Governor Tate Reeves recently signed HB3, a law that reforms the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) rules. 

CON is basically a government approval process healthcare providers (like hospitals) must go through before they can add certain services, build new facilities, buy expensive equipment, or make big expansions.

HB3 makes some modest changes, allowing more flexibility for some specific providers.  It also raises the dollar threshold for capital spending requiring approval. 

Perhaps the most significant part of the bill is that it mandates the Mississippi Department of Health to do a study over the course of this year into the feasibility of letting smaller hospitals skip CON when providing kidney dialysis treatment and adult psychiatric services. 

While HB3 does not give us the reforms Mississippi needs, it is a step in the right direction.  In a legislative session that has seen most significant reforms killed in the Senate, this is one rare example of a free market reform in the 2026 session.

Over the past few years, Mississippi lawmakers have passed some critical conservative reforms. Last year, Mississippi became the first state in America to legislate to eliminate the income tax in 40 years.  In 2022, we implemented flat tax reform.  A few years before that, we passed important labor market reforms.  In 2024, we reformed school funding to get more money into the classroom. 
 
It is thanks to these flagship conservative reforms that Mississippi has enjoyed more economic growth in the past five years than over the previous fifteen combined.  
 
Yet every single time one of these flagship conservative reform was being considered, I noticed a similar pattern. Those opposed to flagship conservative policy are too wily to come straight out and say they don’t want conservative policy in a conservative state.  What they do instead is offer less substantial alternatives, which might be perfectly good policy, but don’t really change much at all. 
 
On school funding, for example, those opposed to the new funding formula offered a few tweaks to the old system.  Those that did not want income tax to be eliminated proposed a handful of performative tax reductions here and there. Now that Mississippi has a real chance to achieve universal school choice, we are seeing the same distraction strategy. 
 
Speaker Jason White’s Mississippi Education Freedom Bill (HB 2) is the most consequential education legislation seen in a generation.  
 
It establishes Magnolia Student Accounts as education savings accounts to enable universal school choice in Mississippi. Families would receive roughly $7,000 per child deposited into a dedicated account. Parents could use these funds for tuition, curriculum materials, or other approved education expenses at the school of their choice—public, private, charter, or homeschool.
 
The program is due to begin in the 2027-28 school year with 12,500 accounts. Half of those (6,250) are reserved for students currently enrolled in public schools, while the remaining half are awarded via a first-come, first-served lottery to any eligible student.
 
Speaker White’s bill goes further by dismantling outdated, self-serving bureaucratic restrictions.  It eliminates school districts' ability to block student transfers: If a receiving district is willing and has capacity, students can freely switch.  The bill also removes barriers to charter school growth. HB 2 allows charters to open wherever operators see demand and viability, enabling statewide expansion.
 
You would have to be a socialist to oppose this – which is why it was so disappointing to see some Republicans listed at the bottom of this message vote against parent power. 

Having failed to kill HB2 in the House, the socialists are now trying another tactic.  They are offering up far less significant reforms that appeal to conservative ears, but fall far short of giving parents power.
 
This week the Senate approved a cluster of such education bills.  There’s a bill that will require financial literacy lessons, another that will insist on civics.  One of the bills approved by the Senate will try to improve math outcomes, another that will require 8th graders to reach a certain reading standard before advancing.
 
All of these things may be desirable, but they fall far short of parent power. 
 
The danger is that some misguided voices big up these bills as something more substantial than they really are – and in doing make it easier for those opposed to flagship conservative reform to quietly kill off the important bits in HB2.
 
HB2 has now passed out of the Mississippi House and is on its way for consideration by the State Senate. If enacted, this would represent the pinnacle of conservative education reform in the United States.  Most importantly, it shows a deep understanding that truly successful education reform requires parental involvement.
 
The Magnolia State has made great progress in recent years on the education front. Mississippi’s fourth graders now read better than those in New York, California, or Minnesota, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.   You read that correctly: A state that barely a decade ago ranked near the bottom for fourth grade reading now sits near the top of the NAEP tables.
 
But despite Mississippi’s stellar progress, almost half of fourth graders still are not proficient in reading and math, and roughly one in four elementary students continues to be chronically absent.
 
The solution to that is not to micromanage how teachers teach in every classroom in our state, but to give families the power to choose the education for their child. Mississippi needs to give parents - not politicians - the ultimate oversight of what happens in the classroom.
 
You cannot credibly claim to be a conservative in the legislature if you oppose HB2.  Here, incidentally, is a list of the Republican members of the House that sided with the socialists against parent power. 
 
Who sided with progressives to try to block school choice?

Last week, House Speaker Jason White unveiled HB2, the Mississippi Education Freedom Act - the most exciting and ambitious advancement for school choice in our state in years, perhaps ever!
 
This comprehensive bill delivers everything supporters of parental power have long hoped for, and it aligns perfectly with President Trump’s strong commitment to education freedom.
 
This isn’t some minor adjustment or performative law – it’s the real thing for anyone who believes in putting parents in charge of their children’s education.

Here’s what the bill does and why we at MCPP are so enthusiastic:
 


In the initial phase, up to 12,500 accounts will be available, with priority for low- and middle-income families, and a balanced split between current public school students and others. The program will expand each year until every family that wants one can have access. Homeschool families participating can also receive $1,000 annually to help cover costs.
 

 
HB2 is Speaker Jason White’s flagship reform for the 2026 session, fulfilling his promise that “all Mississippi families, regardless of income or zip code, have real choices and the freedom to pursue what works best for their children.”  He deserves strong support for the most significant conservative education reform our state has seen in a generation. 
 
Dozens of Mississippi business leaders, along with former Governors Haley Barbour and Phil Bryant, have already voiced strong support. Team Trump is behind it too.
 
In short: If you oppose this bill, it’s hard to credibly claim to be a conservative.  That’s exactly why the progressive left is already fighting it tooth and nail – they fear real parent power and will twist the facts to stop these reforms.
 
HB2 is now moving through the legislature, with real momentum in the House.  Having had a massive conservative majority in Mississippi for years, here at last is the opportunity to implement a conservative reform in our state that will change our state for the better.
 
Real change is happening – and Mississippi is leading the way!

As we kick off 2026, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy is more energized than ever.  We are excited about the successes our state has seen – and we have a plan to build on that momentum with further free market reform!
 
For decades, our state lagged behind.  Growth was slow and too many young people left our state to seek opportunities elsewhere.  That is starting to change.
 
Over the past five years, Mississippi has seen more economic growth than in the previous 15 combined. 
 
Mississippi’s progress is real, but it did not happen by chance.  It is happening thanks to free market reform - including major tax cuts, flexible labor laws, affordable energy, and fiscal discipline.
 
MCPP aims to help build on this in the 2026 legislative session.  We have a clear, targeted plan for further free market reforms. Here is our focus for the 2026 legislative session which starts this coming week:
 

  1. School Choice
     

Mississippi has already taken a strong step by assigning every public-school student a personalized education budget. Now is the time to let families truly control it. We are working to see a universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program, modeled on successful reforms like Arkansas’s LEARNS Act.  
 
Other education reforms, such as making it easier for families to move from one public school to another are important, but the key goal must be an ESA system, just like they now have in Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama. 
 

  1. Repeal of Certificate-of-Need (CON) Laws

 
Mississippi’s outdated health regulation regime stifles competition, blocks investment in healthcare and drives up costs - especially in rural areas. We are pushing for a partial repeal of these restrictions across regulated services.
 
It is also essential that we grant Advanced Practice Registered Nurses full practice authority. These changes could lower healthcare costs significantly, expand rural access, and save millions annually - freeing the market to deliver better, more affordable care.
 

  1. Conservative Spending 

 
To enable future tax cuts, and to prevent the public sector crowding out local businesses, we need to see fiscal discipline in this state. The fiscal climate is changing, and the days of large federal subsidies is coming to an end.  It is essential that our lawmakers live within our means.  That means keeping spending under control and not squandering any surpluses.
 
These are MCPP’s big three priorities for the coming session – and we will be working closely with key lawmakers and our coalition allies to advance them.  
 
MCPP is also supportive of a number of other reforms up for discussion.  For example, we would love to see a restoration of the ballot initiative.  With labor-force participation in Mississippi still too low, we would love to see reform in welfare administration to ensure more stringent requirements on able-bodied welfare recipients, and more meaningful sanctions for non-compliance.  We would support such changes, but they are not our primary focus for this session.  
 
We are super excited at the start of the 2026 legislative session. Our team will be working hard to ensure real reform – and I will be sure to keep you personally updated on the progress we make as the session advances!

Imagine facing arrest simply for posting sharp or critical comments online. Picture police at your door for expressing opposition to mass immigration. Envision a country where you could be imprisoned for years without a jury ever deciding your guilt.

This isn't dystopian fiction - it's the reality unfolding in Britain today, my former home and once part of the free world.

Earlier this year, parents Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine from Hertfordshire were arrested in front of their children over disparaging remarks made in a private parents' messaging group.  They were among the estimated 10,000 people arrested in Britain this year for online posts - more than in communist China.

Of course, not all those arrested are sent to prison.  But plenty are.  Lucy Connolly received a 31-month jail sentence after posting online, including a call for “mass deportation now.”
 
Lucy Connolly and others have received “exemplary” sentences - in other words, instead of the British courts dispensing justice dispassionately, they have handed down arbitrary sentences designed to make an example of people, as one might expect in a third-world country. 
 
For most people arrested in these cases, the process itself - months of uncertainty, reputational damage, family stress and the inability to earn a living - is intended to be the punishment.  Again, this is redolent of what you might find in a third world country, rather than the home of Magna Carta.

Clause 39 of Magna Carta declares that no free person shall be punished “except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land” - enshrining the right to trial by jury.  Yet recently, Britain’s Justice Secretary David Lammy has proposed reforms that would severely limit jury trials, restricting them largely to the most serious offenses (such as murder, manslaughter, and rape) while moving many others to judge-only hearings.

If these changes proceed, someone in Britain could be arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned for years for something they said online - all without ever facing a jury of fellow citizens.

Is Britain still a free country?  A generation ago, the question would have seemed absurd.  Today, it hangs in the balance.  Truly free societies do not treat their citizens this way.

England, birthplace of common law, no longer applies the law equally.  In some cases, individuals have received longer sentences for online speech than others convicted in serious child grooming gang scandals.

Just last week, Luke Yarwood was sentenced to 18 months in prison for anti-immigration posts viewed only 33 times.  That same period saw Demiesh Williams, who beat a man to death in a supermarket queue dispute, receive five years and three months.

Why should Americans care?  Because Britain serves as a stark warning of how quickly a once-free society can slide into anarcho-tyranny: lax enforcement against repeat offenders, yet draconian crackdowns on law-abiding citizens who speak out.

To understand why the British state has turned against its own people, consider what occurred just last week on the other side of the world in Australia. 
 
During a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, two Pakistani men - one an immigrant to Australia, the other his son - massacred 16 people for being Jewish. 
 
Now reflect for a moment on how the Australian authorities responded.


Did Australian authorities announce any review of how such extremists entered the country—or how radical views took hold among those raised here? No word of it.

Instead, Prime Minister Albanese quickly reaffirmed that “diversity is Australia’s strength,” while pushing for tighter gun laws and stronger hate-speech restrictions.

Rather than scrutinize immigration or integration failures, the focus shifted to limiting firearms access and curbing free expression.

Officially, these speech curbs aim to stop antisemitic mob chants - like those heard outside the Sydney Opera House after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, atrocities.

You don’t need powers of prophecy to grasp that Australia’s new free speech restrictions will end up being used to lock up those that complain about Muslim migration more than they’ll ever be used to tackle extremist Islam.  

Instead of acknowledging and facing up to the problem of radical Islam, the authorities in Australia are trying to make it as much about tackling "hate" and "Islamophobia". 

Now do you begin to see why the authorities over in Britain have turned Soviet on their own citizens? 
 
The British public now sees the real-world consequences of mass third-world immigration - roughly 4 million arrivals in the five years since I left - and they don’t like what they see.

Before Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, the state could suppress dissent through algorithmic censorship.  Now, with that avenue limited, targeted prosecutions and heavy sentences have become the tool of choice.  The situation is that dire.

Jury trials are being curtailed - not merely to clear backlogs (the official reason), but because juries often acquit those with dissident views, frustrating state efforts to silence opposition.

So how should America respond as Britain and other Western nations drift toward autocracy?

  1. Cherish and defend the First Amendment. Despite criticisms, the U.S. remains far stronger on free speech than most of the world, thanks to the Founders. Protect the Constitution fiercely, ensuring that even offensive or foolish speech remains free. 
  2. Stop treating allies as America’s equals if they mistreat their own citizens: If Britain, Australia, and others start behaving like banana republics, treat their governments accordingly.  Why should the United States provide defense subsidies and a diplomatic premium to a regime that fall so far short of Western standards of behavior?
  3. Secure your borders. Control immigration, or governments will control their citizens to suppress complaints about the fallout from uncontrolled borders.
  4. Stand with dissidents. During the Cold War, Ronald Reagan supported Soviet dissidents like Natan Sharansky, whose moral backing proved vital.
  5. Support dissidents: During the Cold War, Ronald Reagan made it clear that the United States stood with Soviet dissidents like Natan Sharansky.  As Sharansky explained in his brilliant book, that moral support was crucial in the fight against tyranny.  The US State Department should proactively identify and assist dissidents in Britain and elsewhere, in some cases offering asylum to those persecuted by their own governments.

A year ago, I half-jokingly suggested that if Britain deteriorated further, Donald Trump could offer every Brit under 30 the right to work in America, triggering a collapse-inducing exodus. That notion no longer feels entirely far-fetched.

For decades, Mississippi has been the punchline in national discussions about economic performance - often ranked at the bottom in income, education, and opportunity.

But something remarkable has happened in recent years: the Magnolia State is undergoing a genuine resurgence, driven not by federal handouts or gimmicks, but by principled free-market reforms.

A major national publication, the Washington Examiner, recently spotlighted this transformation in a feature titled "Mississippi Turning." The article notes that Mississippi has achieved more economic growth in the past five years than in the previous 15 combined.

This isn't hyperbole; recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows Mississippi posting some of the nation's strongest GDP growth rates, including a 4.2% real GDP increase in 2024 that ranked second nationally.

What’s fueling this engine? Bold structural changes that prioritize freedom, competition, and low barriers to opportunity.

First, labor-market reforms have opened doors for workers and entrepreneurs. In 2021, Mississippi enacted universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses, allowing skilled professionals to bring their talents here without jumping through needless bureaucratic hoops. The state has also slashed red tape on in-state licensing requirements, eliminating hundreds of hours of mandatory training for many everyday jobs. These changes have attracted talent, put downward pressure on remaining barriers, and made it easier for Mississippians to earn a living.

Second, historic tax reform is putting money back in people's pockets. Starting with the largest tax cut in state history in 2022, Mississippi phased in a flat 4% income tax. In 2025, lawmakers went further, enacting legislation to reduce the rate to 3% by 2030 and trigger annual cuts thereafter until the state income tax is fully eliminated—the first such move by a state in decades. This pro-growth policy rewards work and ambition while making Mississippi more competitive for businesses and families.

Third, a commitment to reliable, low-cost energy has made the state a magnet for investment. By resisting costly subsidized green mandates, Mississippi has kept electricity prices among the nation's lowest, powering energy-intensive industries like data centers and advanced manufacturing. Major announcements, including billions from companies like Amazon Web Services, underscore how affordable energy translates into jobs and capital inflows. Since 2020, the state has attracted tens of billions in private investment, fueling record-breaking economic development.The results speak for themselves: explosive GDP growth, surging personal incomes, rising university enrollments, and—for the first time in generations—net in-migration as people choose to move to Mississippi rather than away. Recent years have seen positive net migration, reversing long-standing outflows and signaling a brighter future.

This turnaround didn't happen by accident. It's the direct consequence of free-market ideas championed by policymakers and advocates who refused to accept the status quo. Mississippi is no longer just catching up; it's becoming a national model that other states are watching closely.

As we close out another productive year, moments like the Washington Examiner's recognition remind us that principled, steady work pays off. Mississippi is proving that freedom works—creating a freer, more prosperous place for all its citizens. Other states should take note: lower taxes, fewer regulations, and reliable energy are the path to revival.

Click here to read the Washington Examiner article.

Having just celebrated Thanksgiving across the United States, I’ve been reminded of what makes this holiday truly special.  If you’re an American who’s grown up with the holiday your whole life, it’s easy to take it for granted. Speaking as an immigrant, let me tell you: there’s something genuinely magical about a country setting aside a national day simply to give thanks.

Most nations have a national day, and like America’s July 4th, they’re often about celebrating independence.
 
France’s Bastille Day marks the occasion a mob stormed the Bastille (and committed all manner of atrocities).  Japan’s marks the ascension of an emperor.  England, Ireland and Scotland have national days for their patron saints – with the Scots sneaking in an extra national occasion, Burns Night, when they raise a glass or three to the poet Robert Burns.
 
Yet, I can’t think of any country besides America that dedicates a national holiday purely to gratitude. That, to me, says something beautiful about America.
 
Thanksgiving may have started as an English-style harvest festival - when getting the crops in before winter was literally a matter of life and death - but it has become something uniquely American: a day to gather with loved ones, count our blessings, and say thank you for the privilege of living in this country.  As a relatively recent arrival, I find the tradition uplifting.
 
Here are just a few of the things I found myself especially grateful for this year:

  1. For America itself
    Every single day feels like Thanksgiving to me.  I’ve now been in this country for 1,794 days, and I still don’t think I’ve woken up once without a quiet “Wow! I’m in America!”
  2. For the astonishing welcome my family has received
    Five years ago this week, I was starting to pack up in London, about to move to Mississippi - with my family to follow later.  I arrived with only two suitcases, but we’ve been so warmly embraced since stepping off the ‘plane.  People here didn’t just tolerate us - they opened their arms, their homes, and their hearts. 
  3. For Mississippi
    This state is on the rise. In the five years I’ve lived here, there’s been more economic growth than in the previous fifteen combined.  Drive around nearly any corner of Mississippi today and you’ll see good things happening.
  4. For the Mississippi Center for Public Policy
    We’re a small team, but we’re happy warriors who punch way above our weight.  Team MCPP has helped deliver a string of major free-market reforms that are making life better for families across the state. I’m proud to be part of it. 
  5. For American football
    I regret the decades I spent not knowing this sport existed.  From high school Friday night lights to college games to even the NFL, no other game I know is as exhilarating.  No other game I know can turn in an instant.   
  6. For you
    If you’re reading this, you’re one of the more than 80,000 people who subscribe to our newsletter. None of the wins we celebrate would be possible without your encouragement, your ideas, and your support.  So, from the bottom of my heart: thank you. You make everything we do worthwhile.

As we look ahead to a new year, thank you—from a grateful immigrant in a grateful state, in the greatest republic on earth.

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