Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has ordered the Legislature to convene on Wednesday for a special session to reform Mississippi’s youth court system after lawmakers failed to act during their regular session months ago.
Reeves made the announcement in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, exactly 24 hours before lawmakers are to return to Jackson. The special session is necessary because statutes relating to youth court expired on June 30. Reeves said lawmakers have reached a deal to “create a far better system,” indicating they will be passing some reform measures and that they are prepared to pass the measure quickly.
“The agreed upon solution (as proposed and agreed by House and Senate leadership) sets up a far better system for both kids who are abused and neglected, as well as those children facing delinquency proceedings,” Reeves said. “For the first time, children and families will have access to full-time judges and moves us toward a uniform youth court system statewide.”
Reeves did not offer additional details on the apparent agreement, but he said he was optimistic that both Republicans and Democrats would support the legislation.
But in a joint statement, Democratic leaders in both chambers said Democratic members have “neither seen nor been meaningfully engaged in negotiating,” and some rank-and-file Republican lawmakers said they know little about the agreement.
“The constituents we represent do not expect us to rubber-stamp legislation we have not had the opportunity to thoroughly review,” the Democratic leaders said. “If this proposal strengthens protections for abused and neglected children, improves our youth court system, and better serves Mississippi families, then it deserves careful consideration. But consideration requires transparency, collaboration, and access to the legislative language — not assumptions about how members will vote.”
Andrew Ketchings, clerk of the House, said the House will convene in the Old Capitol building because the House chamber in the current Capitol is undergoing renovations. Lawmakers had been set to reconvene at the Old Capitol building in May to redraw state Supreme Court districts, but Reeves ultimately called that special session off.
The Old Capitol is the site where Mississippi lawmakers once implemented Jim Crow and voted to secede from the Union over slavery. The plan to host a special session there on redistricting drew fierce criticism from Democratic lawmakers, most of whom are Black.
As of now, Reeves has not called a special session on redistricting. Although unlikely, he could add that to the agenda while lawmakers are back in Jackson starting tomorrow, or call another special session later this year. During his tenure as governor, Reeves has been reluctant to call lawmakers into special session unless at least rough agreements had been reached, to avoid long, costly sessions.
Lawmakers debated a youth court reform bill during their 2026 regular session. The reform package also contained a measure extending the “repealer” in existing law on how confidential youth court records can be shared between courts, state agencies, attorneys and law enforcement.
When a repealer, or sunset clause, is included in a state law, the law or a section goes away on a specified date unless the Legislature votes to reenact it. Because the Legislature didn’t pass a measure extending the repealer, those confidentiality measures and other youth court laws expired.
The state Supreme Court issued an order earlier this month that state officials said will allow youth court business to proceed as usual. That order expires on July 24, but the Court could extend that order.
The special session will begin Wednesday at 3 p.m.
