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BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana lawmakers passed a new congressional map Friday designed to help Republicans pick up a seat while eliminating one of the state’s two majority-Black House districts, both of which are represented by Democrats.

Approval of the new House map came a month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state’s current map as an illegal racial gerrymander, weakening the landmark 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. That decision intensified a national redistricting battle fueled by President Donald Trump’s efforts to protect the Republicans’ slim House majority in the midterm elections. Louisiana is one of several Southern states now redrawing their maps to help Republicans.

Louisiana Republicans had considered drawing a map giving the party a shot at winning all six of the state’s U.S. House seats. But that would have required adding more Black voters to Republican-held districts, potentially backfiring with GOP losses.

READ MORE: ‘We’re ready to fight’: Thousands protest Mississippi redistricting and rally for voting rights

READ MORE: Redistricting affects millions of Americans. Here’s what’s happening across states

South Carolina Senate rejects Trump’s call for congressional redistricting before midterm elections

The map approved Friday in a 28-10 state Senate vote reflected Republican arguments that a 5-1 map is safer for the GOP and better protects U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from facing a difficult reelection. Republicans currently hold four of Louisiana’s six congressional seats.

A half-hour Senate debate revolved around Democrats contending that the proposed map is racially gerrymandered to squeeze more Black voters — who tend to be registered Democrats — into a single district.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jay Morris, repeatedly insisted that party affiliation, not race, drove district boundaries.

“I purposely put more Democrats into District 2 to make the remaining districts better performing for Republicans,” Morris said at one point.

Morris said he told the map demographers to avoid including any data on race or including those statistics in information shared with lawmakers before the vote.

Democratic state Sen. Sam Jenkins told Morris, “I think it’s a racially gerrymandered district that’s going to get us into a lot of trouble here.”

“Agree to disagree,” Morris told Jenkins.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to sign the new map into law.

Louisiana is currently using a court-ordered map drawn in 2024 to comply with the Voting Rights Act by including a second district with a majority-Black population.

That map, however, was challenged in court, and the Supreme Court responded on April 30 by striking it down as an illegal racial gerrymander.

Landry postponed the state’s closed U.S. House primary slated for May 16. He later signed a law making the U.S. primary open and shifted the date to Nov. 3 to allow time for Republican lawmakers to draw and pass a new map. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will be on the ballot for voters in their district.

The proposed map redraws Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields’ district, clustering it around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana. It also adds part of Baton Rouge to a heavily Democratic, majority-Black district based in New Orleans currently represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.

More lawsuits were expected over the new map.

Democrats say the proposed map could draw a lawsuit over racial gerrymandering. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision criticized the Legislature’s map earlier this week for leaving a majority-Black district in place.

“From the beginning of the process, I said we’re building a house on a broken foundation — now it feels more like quicksand,” Democratic state Sen. Royce Duplessis said during floor debate. “I’m really, really troubled by the fact that we’re going to continue to lead the charge in this race to the bottom.”

In the weeks following the Supreme Court’s decision, several other Republican-controlled Southern states have seized upon a weakened federal Voting Rights Act to try to redraw their own congressional districts.

So far, Republicans are winning the redistricting contest. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they will win a narrowly divided U.S. House in November. Republicans think they could gain as many as 15 seats from their redistricting efforts so far, while Democrats think they could gain six seats from new districts in California and Utah.

Florida’s Legislature passed new congressional districts just hours after the ruling, completing a redrawing that was in the works in anticipation of the decision. It could yield Republicans as many as four additional seats in the midterm elections.

Tennessee adopted new U.S. House districts a week after the ruling, carving up a majority-Black district based in Memphis in a Republican attempt to win an additional seat.

In Alabama, Republicans are attempting to pick up another seat by redrawing two districts where Black residents compose a majority or close to it. Democrats hold both seats, and the proposal is mired in a court battle.

South Carolina’s Senate, meanwhile, decided against redistricting, despite pressure from Trump.

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Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Mississippi Today Ideas is a platform for thoughtful Mississippians to share their ideas about our state’s past, present and future. Opinions expressed in guest essays are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Mississippi Today. You can read more about the section here. 

When Mississippi releases the A–F school and district grades for the 2025-2026 school year, the results may catch people off guard. It is possible that fewer schools will earn As and Bs even though more students are achieving proficiency and making learning gains. That may raise both eyebrows and questions, but it is necessary to ensure Mississippi student performance continues to improve and remain the focus of education. 

More than a decade ago, Mississippi policymakers planned for this. They wrote a state law requiring expectations to be raised once 75% of students reach proficiency or 65% of schools earn a “B” or higher. 

This past fall, the state Board of Education through the Mississippi Department of Education took this requirement seriously and convened a panel of Mississippi educators and national experts to make recommendations for a new more rigorous A-F grading scale.  After reviewing data and discussing past successes, the panel confidently made a recommendation to raise the bar to an aspirational, yet attainable level – and the state Board approved it.

Mississippi is raising the bar to avoid the mistake seen in other states of becoming complacent and resting on their laurels.  While more students are exceeding expectations, not all students are set for success, and raising the bar prompts us to keep our foot on the gas. 

Mississippi has already shown what happens when it takes high expectations seriously. Over the past decade, the state has made real improvements on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, moving from one of the lowest-performing states for fourth grade reading in 2013 to the ninth best state in 2025. Math scores also improved, making Mississippi one of the only states to see improvement in all four major NAEP categories.  

Most importantly, Mississippi policymakers recognize the work is not done. Just this year, lawmakers appropriated more than $9 million to support and improve adolescent literacy, including banning the harmful reading instructional practice of three-cueing or using available information to determine what unknown words are and instead Mississippi is requiring evidence-based literacy practices.

Mississippi leaders are also investing $3.48 million to better fund the Math Act which supports multiple policy solutions we support at ExcelinEd including: access to math coaches, establishing a K-5 universal math screener and requiring districts to adopt high-quality instructional materials.   

Fortunately, Mississippi’s strong state leadership and commitment to students sets it apart from many states that are lowering accountability expectations. The honest, transparent measurement of school performance ensures Mississippi students won’t fall through the cracks or miss out on critical academic intervention. Meeting these higher expectations ensures  students progress through the K-12 system obtaining the proper foundation for whatever they choose to pursue post-graduation, ultimately positively impacting Mississippi’s workforce and economic prosperity.  

When the new Mississippi letter grades come out, the headlines may focus on how many As and Bs disappeared. There likely will be some frustration, especially in communities where those grades drop. That reaction is understandable but misplaced. We all know educators are working hard to support students. These new ratings simply mean that there’s still room to grow.  

Mississippi has made real progress by doing the hard work. Raising expectations is a continuation of that effort, not a departure from it.

In the end, the goal isn’t to protect the appearance of success. It’s to persist and build upon it. That is what Mississippi has been doing since 2013. That is why student performance has improved and there is no reason to stop now.

Christy Hovanetz is a senior policy fellow for ExcelinEd focusing on school accountability and math policies. She served as the assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Education and assistant deputy commissioner at the Florida Department of Education. Hovanetz graduated summa cum laude from St. Cloud State University and is a certified teacher in the state of Minnesota. She earned her Master of Public Administration at the University of Minnesota and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. ExcelinEd is a national nonprofit formed by former Florida Gov Jeb Bush to work with states on education improvement efforts.

The Mississippi Press Association will induct investigative journalist and civil rights advocate Ida B. Wells and former longtime publisher Tim Kalich into the Mississippi Press Hall of Fame in June.

In 1892, after three of Wells’ friends were killed by a white mob in Memphis, the Holly Springs native began to document the lynchings of Black Americans.

After a mob destroyed her presses and threatened to kill if she ever published again, she moved to Chicago and continued reporting.

“Nowhere in the civilized world save the United States of America do men, possessing all civil and political power, go out in bands of 50 and 5,000 to hunt down, shoot, hang or burn to death a single individual, unarmed and absolutely powerless,” Wells wrote. “We refuse to believe this country, so powerful to defend its citizens abroad, is unable to protect its citizens at home.”

She helped found the NAACP and became a leader in the early Civil Rights Movement, working alongside W. E. B. Du Bois, Madam C. J. Walker, Mary Church Terrell and Frederick Douglass. She also pushed for women’s suffrage, working with Susan B. Anthony and others.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, which opened in 2018, features a reflection space in her honor.

Wells and Kalich will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the 160th Annual Meeting of the MPA on June 26 in Biloxi.

Kalich retired in 2025 as editor and publisher of The Greenwood Commonwealth after a journalism career spanning more than 40 years. He is a seven-time recipient of the Emmerich Award for Editorial Excellence, one of the highest honors presented annually by MPA, and has earned dozens of awards for reporting, photography and column writing.

He is a past president of MPA and former chairman of the Mississippi Press Foundation. In 2024, the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media presented him with the Silver Em Award for outstanding contributions to journalism. Since  2025, he has coordinated statewide editorial collaborative projects for Press Forward Mississippi, a philanthropic initiative focused on strengthening local journalism.

“We are very excited by the committee’s choices for induction into the Hall of Fame this year,” said MPA  President George Russell Turner, publisher and editor of The Greene County Herald and The Richton Dispatch. “We feel these are worthy recognitions of journalism’s significance in our state and very appropriate for our 160th year.”

A 24-year-old Hinds County detainee reported being stabbed at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in the Delta. The Hinds County sheriff said he didn’t know about it, and a spokesperson for the company operating the private facility where the man is housed said it didn’t happen. 

Emmanuel Gonzalez-Rubio and his mother found the response baffling, saying he was left with cuts and scratches and that he had spoken with various people, including medical staff and guards about the injuries. They asked for him to be moved. Prison officials refused. 

A month later, Gonzalez-Rubio said he was attacked again. This time, so was his cellmate.

Both men were moved away from the alleged perpetrators. But the men and their family members say they expect to be returned to their zone where they’ll remain at risk. 

“All of that could have been prevented, though, if they had just listened,” Gonzalez-Rubio told Mississippi Today. 

Gonzalez-Rubio has been at Tallahatchie Correctional since 2024. It will be a year next week for his cellmate, Jonathan Sanchez, 21. Since 2023, Hinds County has contracted to send up to 250 people to the facility in Tutwiler because of crowding in the county’s jail in Raymond. The two facilities are about 145 miles apart.

CoreCivic also contracts with other counties to house pretrial detainees and with states to hold people who have already been convicted. Family members and elected officials have raised concerns about violence that in recent years has left several people dead.

About two weeks ago, Gonzalez-Rubio and Sanchez say they were in their cell at night when multiple men entered and stabbed them. Sanchez said he received injuries on his hands and arms, and Gonzalez-Rubio said he was attacked but not injured. 

Bayola Gonzalez-Rubio said her son Emmanuel called afterward and told her what happened. She said he wondered how he was supposed to fight off at least 10 people who had knives. 

Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, confirmed that two Hinds County detainees reported being assaulted by other detainees during the same time frame. He said because they did not know who their assailants were, Tallahatchie Correctional staff are working to identify all who were involved. 

“We have shared the concerns expressed by the family members you provided in your inquiry with our facility leadership team,” Gustin said in a Thursday statement. “The safety, health and well-being of the individuals entrusted to our care is our top priority.”

After the attack, Gonzalez-Rubio and Sanchez remained in their cell until the morning, when Sanchez said he was able to show the guards his injuries. He said the guards took them to a medical unit, where staff cleaned and bandaged his wounds. 

Since the stabbing, prison officials moved them into a lockdown cell for 24 hours a day. Gonzalez-Rubio described it as being in “the hole,” which commonly refers to restrictive or segregated housing. 

Gustin, the CoreCivic spokesman, said restrictive housing can be used for a number of reasons, including protective custody, medical purposes, mental health observation and administrative or investigative reasons. He added that inmates and detainees themselves can request protective custody. 

But the men were told they can’t stay there.

“It’s like they are leaving us for dead,” Sanchez told Mississippi Today. 

Gonzalez-Rubio said that for months, he and his cellmate have told prison staff they couldn’t be in the same zone as the people who were responsible for the first stabbing. But he said it seems like staff don’t want to listen or that they believe they are lying. 

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said he had not heard about the stabbing and declined to comment on nonfatal incidents at Tallahatchie Correctional involving Hinds detainees. 

“Unless there is a death that is being conducted as a murder investigation as a threat to public safety, I don’t have a comment about the jail at this time,” Jones said Tuesday. 

Other Hinds County detainees have died in the facility, but their deaths were believed to be drug-related. Ulysses Nelson III and Christian Dyre, both 24, died within days of each other in 2025.

On Thursday, Gustin said Hinds County had been informed about the stabbing.

The attack Gonzalez-Rubio and Sanchez described shares similarities to the April stabbing of Gonzalez-Rubio. 

Gonzalez-Rubio remembers the night of April 11 when about three people jumped him, stabbing him in the hand and arm. He said he also had scratches from trying to defend himself. 

Two days earlier, Gonzalez-Rubio heard through the prison that a man from the U.S. Virgin Islands was stabbed to death in another area of Tallahatchie Correctional.

Bayola Gonzalez-Rubio said she called the manager of her son’s unit to request that he be moved because she feared for his safety, but that didn’t happen. 

Within days of the stabbing, her son told her that prison staff didn’t believe he was stabbed. His mother said she called the prison and they told her they didn’t know about a stabbing. 

Jones, the Hinds County sheriff, said in April that he wasn’t made aware of a stabbing involving Gonzalez-Rubio and any information “would have to be funneled from CoreCivic.” 

When reached for comment, a CoreCivic spokesperson wrote in an email: “It is important to know that the information you received regarding the Hinds County inmate is completely false. The individual in question was neither stabbed nor injured in any way.” 

During both incidents, the men were in a lockdown zone meant for disciplinary cases, and they said weeks earlier other people were moved into the area. 

In both stabbing incidents, the detainees said they don’t know who stabbed them, but they believe they are also Hinds County detainees. They said they also believe it’s a similar group of people responsible for both stabbings because there are members of opposing gangs in the same zone. The men have said they are not gang members. 

“We told the guards these are their ways,” Sanchez said. 

A spokesperson from CoreCivic did not respond to questions about the presence of gangs in the zone for Hinds County detainees or elsewhere throughout the prison.  

Gonzalez-Rubio and Sanchez said they have requested to be moved to a different area of the prison away from the people who allegedly stabbed them. If they could go back to the Hinds County Detention Center, where both of them were housed initially, they said they would. 

From other states, the men’s family members have maintained contact with them, but they said it has been a challenge to receive information from prison staff. Gonzalez-Rubio is from Louisiana, and Sanchez is from Texas. 

Gonzalez-Rubio is set to go to trial in July for charges including aggravated assault, armed robbery and burglary. Sanchez is awaiting indictment for a drug possession charge. 

When Sanchez was wounded by another detainee in the Hinds County Detention Center last year, his wife Lily Cross remembers losing contact with him and assuming the worst. She called the jail and hospitals trying to find him. She dropped the effort when Sanchez called her and told her what happened.

“It’s just been the same thing over and over again,” Cross said about a lack of information from staff at whatever facility Sanchez is housed. 

Jackson State University’s new president will receive a year of outside leadership training as she transitions into the job, which has been tumultuous for her predecessors.

Denise Jones Gregory took the permanent role of president on May 1 after holding the interim role for a year. She is entering a position that has been held by four people in six years. And she will be in charge of leading an institution dealing with a number of challenges, including a student housing shortage and frayed relationships with alumni because of the constant leadership turnover and skepticism of the presidential hiring process.

The coaching she will receive was part of the $97,500 contract Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board signed with AGB Search in September, according to a copy obtained by Mississippi Today. The firm leads executive searches at universities.

It marks the first time a Jackson State president has received such training when moving into the role.

READ MORE: In Q&A, Jackson State’s new president shares the path ahead for the university 

Kim Bobby, a principal with AGB Search, said the training helps presidents get familiar with their new institution and the region and build relationships with the board, faculty, and community members. The firm took Jackson State’s cultural significance as a historically Black university into consideration when shaping the training, she said.

“It’s not a generic process,” Bobby said. “It’s really designed looking to initiate a close relationship and establish communication expectations and protocols around the transition.”

Gregory, a Jackson State alumna, enters the permanent role at a time when colleges and universities across the country are facing significant pressure from state lawmakers scrutinizing how well they are preparing students and from President Donald Trump’s administration, which has pushed universities to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs and has threatened their research funding.

University presidents are serving shorter tenures than ever — 5.9 years compared to 8.5 years two decades ago — according to the American Council on Education.

Gregory said in an email statement to Mississippi Today that, like every university, JSU “faces challenges that require steady attention and measurable progress.” Those challenges include helping students stay enrolled and ensuring they have access to academic support and real-world opportunities.

There are also infrastructure needs that must be addressed, she said. The university struggles to maintain enough housing and complete building renovations on schedule, she said. A key win happened recently: On Tuesday, the university broke ground on a new dining hall, which will have a capacity of 550. Several housing projects are ongoing and set to be completed next year, she said.

Gregory also said she’s working to expand scholarships and sustain donor support for the university.

“Students and families want to invest in institutions where they can clearly see momentum, opportunity, support and long-term vision, and that is exactly what we are working to build,” she said.

The role of president at JSU is historically one marked by turmoil and leadership scandals.

In 2016, Carolyn Meyers resigned from JSU, leaving behind unresolved financial issues. William B. Bynum Jr., Meyers’ successor, resigned in 2020 after he was arrested in a prostitution sting.

The next two presidents, Thomas Hudson and Marcus Thompson, both resigned suddenly without explanation.

Gregory said she hopes to bring stability. Shifting from interim to permanent helps “to ensure continuity with strong governance support and an effective transition,” she said in an email statement.

College presidents are stepping down earlier than ever due to the demands of the job and sometimes their lack of experience, said Judith Wilde, a George Mason University professor who studies college presidential searches. Training like what AGB Search offers can help a president navigate an increasingly complex role, she said.

“I don’t think any president, even if they’ve been president before, is ready to become a president right now,” Wilde said. “Things are so different with the current administration. It has also become a job that is not Monday through Friday, nine to five.”

Presidential search firms interact with alumni, faculty, students and board members during the search process. That gives them a unique perspective that helps them see what an institution needs, said Felecia Commodore, an education policy professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who studies HBCUs.

Women presidents, particularly at HBCUs, are often scrutinized for their ability to lead a university in ways their male counterparts aren’t, Commodore said. Gregory is the second woman in a decade to hold the permanent title at JSU.

“We see it happen more so with women, especially black women, that after there have been some challenges and sometimes crises at an institution, women are either put in as interim president or president and expected to fix everything,” Commodore said.

Gregory’s experience as JSU’s interim president for nearly a year may help her transition into the top job, Wilde said.

Gregory told Mississippi Today in an email statement that she spent the last year fostering relationships, including with staff, faculty and leaders within the university community.

“If she showed that she is serious and does position herself with the knowledge, skills and expertise to lead a university, that shows her commitment to the institution and serving the community,” Wilde said.

Earlexia Norwood, incoming JSU National Alumni Association president, said Gregory deserves this type of coaching. Alumni in recent years have clashed with JSU and IHL over presidents not receiving the support needed to lead Mississippi’s largest historically Black university.

“All the support possible should be given to her just like support is given to all Mississippi university presidents,” Norwood said. “That support is well overdue.”

Denise Jones Gregory took the helm as president of Jackson State University in a permanent capacity on May 1 after serving as the interim president. She enters a role that has been marked by years of turmoil, with several of her predecessors leaving unexpectedly or amid controversy.

Gregory, a JSU alumna, said she hopes to bring stability to the university.

As she settles into her role, Mississippi Today asked her to outline the challenges she sees ahead for the state’s largest historically Black university. Gregory said that while she, like all university presidents, is concerned about funding and budgets, she is particularly focused on relationships because effective leadership is about “trust, communication and shared purpose.”

READ MORE: Jackson State’s new president will receive leadership training for a role previously marked by turmoil

The following email responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. 

On budget and funding:

Recent accomplishments include renovations at Transitional  Hall and One University Place, campus-wide infrastructure improvements like sewer, line replacement and continued investment in student housing, including the renovation of McAllister-Whiteside Hall. 

JSU secured more than $65 million in research grants during fiscal year 2025. Faculty also earned national recognition and multi-million-dollar awards that continue elevating the university’s profile and impact.

As we continue strengthening the university financially, I believe we must also continue advocating for opportunities to reward the dedication, talent and commitment of the people who serve our students every day. Expanding scholarships, strengthening donor participation and securing long-term financial support remain essential priorities. 

On relationships with students: 

I believe leadership should be visible, approachable and genuinely engaged in student life. Retention, mentoring, networking and career readiness remain central to our student success efforts. I am proud that freshman enrollment has increased for two  consecutive years. 

Beyond academics, we continue investing in campus life through improvements to student housing, dining and gathering spaces that strengthen the student experience and sense of  belonging. 

On relationships with faculty and staff: 

Our faculty and staff are the heartbeat of Jackson State University. Supporting and  investing in them is critical to sustaining institutional excellence.

Our faculty and staff are deeply committed to this institution and to the students we serve, and I believe it is important that they feel valued, supported, connected and celebrated. Equally important is creating opportunities for employees to engage beyond their daily responsibilities and build a stronger sense of community across campus.

Whether through employee appreciation initiatives, professional development opportunities or simply creating spaces for colleagues to connect authentically, we are continuing to foster a culture where people feel seen, appreciated and empowered to thrive alongside the institution. 

On relationships with alumni: 

I believe meaningful leadership requires visibility, presence and connection. This  summer, I look forward to supporting alumni chapter initiatives both virtually and in  person as I travel to cities, including Detroit, Atlanta and D.C. 

I enjoy celebrating the accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, staff and supporters because every success story connected to JSU strengthens our collective legacy. Expanding alumni engagement and fundraising efforts is ultimately about sustaining opportunities for future generations of students. 

On athletics and campus culture: 

Jackson State University earned the 2025–2026  SWAC Dr. James Frank Commissioner’s Cup, recognizing JSU as the conference’s top overall athletics program.

It was especially meaningful to witness our men’s outdoor track & field team capture a SWAC Championship for the first time since my undergraduate years.

Our football program also earned the highest academic progress rate in the SWAC, while multiple student-athletes advanced to NCAA championship competition.

JSU achieved an 88% graduation success rate, the highest in the SWAC, while the  athletics department earned a cumulative 3.3 GPA this past semester, with 12 teams  finishing Spring 2026 with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Those accomplishments reflect our  commitment to developing not only champions in competition, but scholars and leaders prepared for success beyond college.

On state board and community officials:

Relationships with state leaders, community partners and external stakeholders are critically important because their support directly impacts how quickly we can advance infrastructure, housing and student-centered initiatives. My commitment is to advocate for Jackson State with clarity, transparency,and visible results.

Our recent Legislative Renovations and Repair Tour and dining hall groundbreaking  served as an opportunity to showcase both our institutional needs and the measurable  progress taking place across campus. I believe stakeholders should not only hear  about the vision for Jackson State University, but also be able to see it in action. 

Experts tracking how states are spending billions of federal dollars to improve rural healthcare told a panel of lawmakers on Thursday what many of them already knew: Mississippi is uniquely opaque about how it will spend this money. 

Jamila McLean, the director of health equity for the State Health and Value Strategies consortium, told legislators at a joint meeting of House and Senate Public Health committees that nearly every other state in the nation has held public meetings to gather input on how to spend this money.

“I do think that Mississippi is an outlier in terms of the availability of the information,” McLean said. 

Some state lawmakers have expressed frustration at the limited role they have played in the application and appropriation of the money and criticized what they see as Gov. Tate Reeves’ lack of transparency in administering the program. 

Rep. Donnie Scoggins, a Republican from Ellisville, homed in on that comment and asked McLean to repeat herself to make sure he understood her.

“To put it bluntly, yes, we have not seen any public information,” McLean said. “All of our tracking is based off of what we are able to find publicly. And there is very little that we are able to find.”

“I appreciate very much you saying that because out of all the 50 states, we probably need the money the most, and it appears we’re the least transparent in using that money,” Scoggins responded. 

Mississippi ranks near the bottom of most health outcome reports and the state’s rural hospitals have for years struggled to remain solvent. 

Thursday’s hearing stems from the federal government awarding Mississippi nearly $206 million in December as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. States will receive payments over five years as part of a national, $50-billion program. 

Congress created the last-minute fund as a part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed last July, to sweeten the deal for Republican lawmakers concerned about the disproportionate impact that rural hospitals are expected to face as a result of the legislation. 

Reeves’ office led the state’s application for the federal money last fall and is overseeing distribution of it. Mississippi’s plan includes a statewide rural health assessment and other initiatives that focus on coordinating care, strengthening the workforce, creating a statewide health information exchange, expanding telehealth opportunities and improving infrastructure.

Mississippi and New Hampshire are the only two states where the governor’s office directly oversees the distribution of the money. McLean told lawmakers, though, that New Hampshire is being more transparent in how it’s using the funds. 

McLean said Mississippi did solicit input from the public via an online survey. Examples of how other states have solicited more public input include having in-person health summits, establishing advisory councils and conducting workshops to advise groups on how to apply for the federal money. 

Reeves announced April 29 that Richard Grimes, a certified public accountant, will serve as project director for the Mississippi Rural Health Transformation Office.

Grimes did not attend Thursday’s hearing, but House Public Health Chairman Sam Creekmore said lawmakers have arranged for Grimes to testify at a June 4 hearing. 

“This is for rural health, and it is to be transformational,” Creekmore said. I think the Legislature has shown that we are serious about transparency, holding people accountable and making sure that these funds are making a difference in our rural communities, which is most of our state.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved Mississippi’s program budget on April 20. 

“What’s going on in Mississippi is not what other states are doing,” Senate Public Health Chairman Hob Bryan said Thursday. “It’s not typical, and what’s going on in Mississippi is not based on some requirement from CMS. It’s an intentional decision to proceed this way in Mississippi.” 

Lawmakers passed oversight and transparency legislation in March requiring the program’s funding to be directed toward rural communities and spending to be reported to the Legislature. Reeves vetoed the bill, arguing it could jeopardize the state’s access to the money by slowing down its distribution and potentially result in a loss of up to $1 billion over five years. Lawmakers failed to override his veto. 

The vetoed legislation would have:

• Mandated quarterly reports on how funds were spent be provided to the Legislature.
• Required a competitive procurement for establishing a statewide health information exchange to support real-time data sharing between providers.
• Called for priority for the funding to be given to rural areas, the Delta, programs that provide direct assistance to Mississippi providers and patients and entities that have not received state or federal assistance for facility improvements or medical equipment in the past three years.

Bryan, a Democrat from Amory, and several other lawmakers have said it’s unthinkable that legislators, who are constitutionally tasked with appropriating money, have largely abdicated their spending authority over these funds to the governor. 

As part of their reasons for siding with the governor, some lawmakers have said their local hospitals asked them not to override the veto because the hospitals were promised a portion of the federal money. 

“It raises the question how do these people know that they’re going to get money out of this program?” Bryan asked. “We keep hearing there’s information being shared with some individuals, but not publicly.”

 Reeves did not respond to Mississippi Today’s questions about the transparency elements the office plans to implement. He also did not respond to a request for an interview with Grimes. 

The governor’s office in January entered into a seven-year, $10.2-million contract with BDO Government Services, formerly HORNE, for consulting and accounting services to administer the program. 

The program’s website currently lists one funding opportunity, for a vendor to assist with the Mississippi Comprehensive State Health Plan. The plan will be used to identify health care gaps and workforce needs to support long-term policy. 

Mississippi must obligate all of its first-year funds by October and spend them by September 2027. 

A new report looking at Amazon’s data center facilities in Mississippi argues the projects have likely already increased rates for residential customers in the state. Since 2024, the company has announced four data centers in the state, with locations in Ridgeland, Canton, Clinton and Vicksburg. Together, Amazon is looking to invest $25 billion into Mississippi, creating 2,000 jobs.

While state leaders have touted the immense economic impact of the projects — in terms of power grid investment, job creation and job training — Thursday’s report by Synapse Energy Economics Inc. estimates that the data center projects have already increased rates for Entergy Mississippi’s residential customers by $10.60 each month. Based on public utility filings, the researchers estimated the utility has charged residential customers in the state a total of about $38 million for data center investments as of March.

The average monthly bill amount cited in the report, from 2024, is $157.

The report, commissioned by groups Earthjustice and Environmental Advocates Mississippi, stresses that the figure is an estimate because much of the information behind Entergy’s agreement with Amazon isn’t available to the public. But while it’s hard to nail down an exact amount, the authors are confident the projects have driven rates up.

 ”Based on, you know, all of the publicly available evidence, we are quite confident that rates have increased because of data center investments,” Ben Havumaki, one of the report’s authors, told Mississippi Today.

In 2024, the state Legislature passed Senate Bill 2001, which was signed into law, allowing Entergy and Amazon to skip through usual regulatory processes to expedite the company’s investment. Among several changes, lawmakers hid the company’s agreement with Entergy, the state’s largest power provider, from the public.

“(SB 2001) creates an unusually frictionless path for the utility to make investments on behalf of data centers,” said Havumaki, a principal associate with Synapse based in Massachusetts who studies utility regulations around the country.

One of the ways the law eased that path was by allowing Entergy to recover, through its rates, costs associated with the data center projects even before the facilities are running, he said.

“Normally, utilities make investments on their own dime, then they go before the regulatory commission and they make the case for the investment,” Havumaki added. “If the commission finds that it’s prudent, then (the utility) is permitted to recover that investment (through rates).

“That usually would occur in public  with transparency and reasonable vetting from other parties. In this case, a lot of that is just shrouded in regulatory cover and secrecy.”

The state agency tasked with regulating utilities, including approval of spending and rate increases, is the three-member Mississippi Public Service Commission.

In a Thursday statement responding to the Synapse report, Entergy said its customers “are not subsidizing data centers — they’re benefitting from them.”

“Independent regulators in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana confirm that data centers are paying their fair share, plus additional benefits for customers,” the statement said. “And, the Trump administration has pointed to Entergy’s data center agreements as a success story for customers, in line with the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge.”

Amazon’s spending as a large customer allows Entergy to make needed grid improvements and in turn reduce power outages, the utility added.

“They are fully funding their infrastructure needs, and their presence helps keep bills affordable while supporting reliability improvements across the state,” Entergy said. “Customer confidentiality doesn’t reduce accountability. The facts are clear: Technology investment is making power in Mississippi more reliable, more affordable, and more competitive.”

While acknowledging an increase in rates, Entergy projects that by 2030 customers’ monthly bills will be 16%, or about $30, lower than they would be without Amazon’s investment. Entergy, though, has released limited data backing up those claims, citing trade secrets in its agreement with Amazon.

The utility announced its “Fair Share Plus” pledge in March, claiming the data center projects would lead to over $2 billion in savings for Mississippi ratepayers.

In its own statement to Mississippi Today, Amazon echoed that it’s paying its fair share.

“We pay the full cost of the power and infrastructure we use through long-term investments in transmission, substations, grid upgrades, and new energy generation that help strengthen the broader grid for everyone. We believe other large energy users should as well,” a spokesperson for the company wrote. “That’s why we work with utilities on long-term agreements and investments that modernize aging infrastructure to help maintain affordable, reliable power for homes, businesses, hospitals, and communities on the grid where we operate.”

We’ve talked a lot about artificial intelligence and data centers in Mississippi Marketplace.

Over the past few weeks, state leaders have chimed in with their thoughts on AI. 

Last week, Gov. Tate Reeves announced the release of the Mississippi Statewide AI framework. While it does not set policy, compliance, accountability or any requirements, it provides a foundation for how the state would like AI to be incorporated into education and the workforce.

According to a Facebook post from the governor, the document “establishes statewide AI priorities and provides a structured, stage-by-stage map of the AI skills learners need from K-12 through career leadership.” 

Andy Gipson, Mississippi’s agriculture commissioner and a candidate for governor, added his thoughts about AI on Facebook.

“I have traveled all across Mississippi and I can tell you firsthand: the Real People of Mississippi have real concerns about AI and the future of Mississippi. Politicians and leaders should not discount or ignore those concerns,” Gipson wrote. He called for balancing economic development with “real world needs and concerns of real Mississippi people.”

Bill Cork, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, weighed in on Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on AI, entitled Magnifica Humanita. On his blog, Cork breaks down key areas in which he agrees with the Pope and offers his own experience as an AI user and as a development official who has sat across the table from many of the companies building AI. 

“Receive Magnifica Humanitas with gratitude and obedience. Heed its warnings on power, labor, children and truth. But also receive the gifts of this age with proper thanks. Pray that these tools become instruments of translation rather than confusion, access rather than exclusion, and communion rather than mere connection,” Cork wrote. 

Data center pushback

AI is inextricably tied with the data center build out rapidly expanding in Mississippi, and there continues to be pushback from residents. This includes: 

• People across the state who are opposed to or skeptical of data centers being built near them often bring up a lack of transparency from the company and local officials, and that there were no opportunities for community input on the project. Others have welcomed the new investment in their city.
• In April, the city of Ridgeland, which is home to two Amazon data centers, amended its zoning ordinance to place more requirements on any new data center projects, including distance from residential properties, security measures and when generators can be run. 
• A potential data center in Jackson has postponed its rezoning hearing in order to address concerns from the community and the city. 
• The Jackson City Council postponed a vote on a data center moratorium. There will be a public hearing about data centers and a zoning ordinance on June 22.  

In other news:

• A new report from MDA outlines a strategy for Mississippi to become a leading domestic producer of critical minerals, focused on lithium-rich brines. 
• Rosedale Distilling Company is investing $17 million in the Mississippi Delta town of Rosedale to open a new distillery, event spaces and retail shops. 
• Memphis-based International Paper broke ground on a $225 million packaging facility in Rankin County. The investment will bring around 150 jobs according to the company.
• The University of Southern Mississippi’s Innovation Week for the Gulf Blue program highlighted new technologies and opportunities along the Gulf Coast. Ideas included artificial reefs to grow the oyster population and artificial intelligence tools for marine data analysis.

Will we see more conversations/debates about AI policy and regulation in the upcoming elections or in the next legislative session? Send me your thoughts at marketplace@mississippitoday.org

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Democratic leaders in a handful of southern states are lobbying for South Carolina to reprise its role as the party’s first-in-the-nation state to cast primary ballots in 2028, arguing that the state best represents the initial playing field for presidential candidates to build the coalitions needed to win.

The state party chairs of five Democratic parties, including Mississippi’s, wrote a letter Thursday to the Democratic National Committee calling on party leaders “to do everything in your power to ensure South Carolina continues to serve as the indispensable first proving ground for Democratic presidential nominees.” The DNC is currently debating the order in which states will vote in the next round of presidential primaries.

The state should hold the first presidential balloting in 2028, they argued, in part because it “is not simply a geographic starting point. It is a moral and political compass for our party and our nation.”

The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting this week, hearing presentations from the dozen states seeking to lead off its 2028 calendar. Other Southern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, are in the mix.

South Carolina chair Christale Spain, who is set to make her argument on behalf of the state later Thursday, has said she believes her state has “more to offer than other states do,” including “the role of Black folks.”

“The fight for voting rights is no longer just a courtroom battle, it is an electoral one,” the Democratic chairs from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia wrote in the letter, provided to The Associated Press ahead of its release. “And it begins in South Carolina.”

“Any effort to diminish South Carolina’s role in the primary process would be a step backward for the Democratic Party’s stated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” they wrote. “It would signal to Southern Democrats and to Black voters in particular, that their loyalty to this party is taken for granted. We refuse to accept that, and we will stand firmly against it.”

In a separate letter to DNC leaders, Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus Institute — which has partnered with the South Carolina Democratic Party on several presidential debates in the past — reiterated those sentiments.

“To remove or diminish South Carolina’s standing in the primary calendar would send precisely the wrong message to Black voters and to every voter who has been told their voice does not matter until after the outcome is already decided,” Thompson wrote.

For years, South Carolina has held one of the earliest Democratic primaries in the country. As the first Southern state to hold its primary, South Carolina has been the initial gauge of a candidate’s ability to appeal to Black voters, who play an outsized role among the state’s Democratic voters.

In 2020, Joe Biden’s ability to make that appeal — along with a coveted endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state’s lone congressional Democrat and for a time the top Black Democratic lawmaker on Capitol Hill — helped him revive a flagging primary campaign, win a resounding victory in South Carolina, and go on to secure the nomination.

For the 2024 cycle, Biden led a DNC effort to have South Carolina go first overall in the party’s primary, citing the state’s more racially diverse population compared to the traditional first-in-the-nation states of Iowa and New Hampshire, which are overwhelmingly white. New Hampshire, which rejected the DNC’s plan, held a leadoff primary ahead of South Carolina anyway, and Biden — who didn’t campaign or have his name on the ballot — still won by a sizable margin after supporters mounted a write-in campaign on his behalf.

Biden, who also handily won South Carolina’s 2024 contest, pushed for a revamped primary calendar that saw Nevada go second. He also pushed the Democratic primary in Michigan — a large and diverse swing state — ahead of the expansive field of states voting on Super Tuesday, the date in early March when multiple states hold primaries and the largest number of delegates needed to win the nomination are up for grabs.

Although the calendar won’t be set until later this summer, Democrats likely to be among their party’s 2028 slate have been making the rounds in South Carolina for months