State Representative Zach Grady Discusses Key Legislative Priorities

Grady addresses teacher pay raises, PERS reform, and Gulf Coast restoration funding ahead of legislative session's final week.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 10:49pm

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A vibrant, abstract painting featuring overlapping, geometric shapes and brushstrokes in shades of blue, green, and orange, conceptually representing the dynamic legislative process in Mississippi.As the legislative session nears its conclusion, the fractured, kinetic energy of the state capitol building reflects the complex negotiations underway to address Mississippi's pressing priorities.Biloxi Today

In an interview with WLOX, Mississippi State Representative Zach Grady provided an update on several key issues being debated in the final week of the legislative session, including teacher pay raises, reforms to the state's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), and the allocation of Gulf Coast Restoration Funds (GCRF) for coastal projects.

Why it matters

As the legislative session nears its end, the decisions made on these issues will have significant impacts on Mississippi's teachers, first responders, and coastal communities. Grady's insights shed light on the negotiations and compromises taking place between the House and Senate to address these priorities.

The details

Grady noted that while there is good communication between the House and Senate, balancing the state budget means some priorities will be funded while others may not. He expressed confidence that a teacher pay raise will be approved, though the final amount is still being negotiated. On PERS reform, Grady said there is bipartisan support to lower the retirement age for first responders, which was increased to 35 years of service last year. Grady also discussed the potential use of mobile sports betting revenue to help fund PERS, though he acknowledged the challenges of passing such a proposal given the rapidly evolving gaming industry. Regarding Gulf Coast Restoration Funds, Grady said he has had encouraging conversations with fellow legislators about directing more of these funds to coastal projects after two years of no allocations.

  • The legislative session is scheduled to end on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2026.
  • Lawmakers are currently in the 'conference' or 'conference weekend' phase, hashing out the state budget and other key priorities.
  • The House and Senate have reached an agreement to fund a $2,000 teacher pay raise, down from the initial proposals of $5,000 (House) and $6,000 over three years (Senate).
  • Negotiators have also agreed to lower the PERS retirement age to 30 years of service, a compromise from the current 35-year requirement.

The players

Zach Grady

A Mississippi State Representative who previously served as a law enforcement officer and is now discussing key legislative priorities, including teacher pay, PERS reform, and Gulf Coast restoration funding.

Hugh Keeton

A WLOX news anchor who interviewed Representative Grady about the legislative session.

Bill Snyder

A WLOX news anchor who also participated in the interview with Representative Grady.

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What they’re saying

“We've got a lot of things that we've got to budget in this year. And I know we're going to talk about them right now. But, you know, teacher pay raise, PERS, different things like that. There's a cost associated with everything. So, you know, that's what we do right now. We kind of hash out the budget and prioritize and get everything together going into next week for sure.”

— Zach Grady, State Representative

“I'm former law enforcement. And I can remember driving around a patrol car in 2011 when it went to 30 years. And we've been trying ever since to get it back down to 25 years. And not only did we not get it to 25, it went to 35. You know, so I'm not a fan of Tier 5 of how it sits right now. I definitely believe we have to see those Tier 5 fixes.”

— Zach Grady, State Representative

“I spoke with some of our senators this week, Delano and Sen. Sparks. And I know that there is one on both sides of the legislature to try to get the retirement threshold back down as far as years served. And other Tier 5 fixes. So I would love to see, you know, one thing we're trying to figure out is a dedicated revenue stream to go into PERS.”

— Zach Grady, State Representative

What’s next

The House and Senate are scheduled to vote on the revised PERS reform bill that would lower the retirement age to 30 years of service on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The takeaway

As the legislative session nears its end, Representative Grady's insights highlight the ongoing negotiations and compromises taking place to address key priorities like teacher pay, public employee retirement, and coastal restoration funding. The final outcomes of these debates will have significant impacts on Mississippi's teachers, first responders, and coastal communities.