How to testify before the Mississippi legislature

The mechanics of testifying are in the general guide. This page covers what is specific to Mississippi.

How Mississippi does it

Mississippi is an outlier: there is no formal, statewide process for constituents to sign up and testify, remotely or in writing, at House or Senate committee hearings. Committee meetings are open to the public, but attending and being recognized to speak is informal and left to the discretion of the committee chair. The Senate livestreams most of its committee meetings and all floor proceedings. The House livestreams only floor proceedings, not committee meetings, which makes in-person observation, or a direct request to a legislator's office, the more reliable path to being heard. If you want to be heard on a bill, the most reliable route is contacting the bill's committee chair or your own House member or Senator directly and asking to speak or submit written comments.

Deadlines and numbers

• No statewide sign-up deadline, portal, or per-speaker time limit exists because there is no formal testimony process.
• During session, committee meeting notices are announced by loudspeaker in the chamber or posted on a bulletin board.
• Between sessions, the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate keep meeting times and places available to the public during working hours.

Where to go

• Legislature calendars and schedules: https://www.legislature.ms.gov/calendars-and-schedules/
• Bill status and committee referrals: https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/
• Legislature homepage (member and committee contacts): https://www.legislature.ms.gov/

Whether informal comment is tolerated in a specific committee depends on that chair, and this isn't documented in official rules. Check /engage for current contacts before a hearing.