Mississippi Lawmakers Fail to Override Governor's Vetoes

Democrats sustain Reeves' vetoes, blocking attempts to override on opioid settlement and Gulf Coast restoration funds

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:34pm

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A photorealistic painting of the Mississippi State Capitol building, its grand architecture and columns rendered in warm, golden light and deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and unresolved tension.The Mississippi State Capitol stands as a silent witness to the political gridlock that prevented critical funding from reaching the state.Jackson Today

Mississippi lawmakers returned to the State Capitol expecting to override one or more of the governor's vetoes, but after hours of discussions, all vetoes remained in place. The House voted to override two vetoes, but the Senate was not successful in any of their votes. Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons said Democrats did not side with the governor, but rather wanted to take up a different bill first. Governor Tate Reeves had urged lawmakers not to override the veto on the Rural Healthcare Transformation Program, citing concerns over jeopardizing federal funds.

Why it matters

The failure to override the governor's vetoes means that the state will not receive the additional opioid settlement funds or be able to access the Gulf Coast Restoration Revolving Loan Program. This could have significant impacts on the state's ability to address the opioid crisis and support economic development in coastal regions.

The details

The House voted to override two of Gov. Tate Reeves' vetoes: one involving opioid settlement money and another for the Gulf Coast Restoration Revolving Loan Program. However, the Senate was not successful in any of their votes to override the vetoes. Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons said Democrats did not side with the governor, but rather wanted to take up a different bill first. Leading up to the session, Reeves had urged members not to override the veto on the Rural Healthcare Transformation Program, stating it would jeopardize federal funds.

  • The Mississippi legislature returned to the State Capitol on April 16, 2026 expecting to override one or more of the governor's vetoes.

The players

Tate Reeves

The Governor of Mississippi who issued the vetoes that the legislature failed to override.

Brice Wiggins

A Republican state senator from Jackson County.

Derrick Simmons

The Senate Minority Leader, a Democrat.

Sam Creekmore

The Republican chairman of the House Public Health Committee.

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What they’re saying

“'At the end of the day, when you look at the votes – which is what's the record – then it was Democrats who sustained his vetoes.'”

— Brice Wiggins, State Senator

“'We wanted to take up Senate Bill 2477, the rule of health transformation bill, first…because we did not take that bill up, unfortunately, Democrats were not interested in anything else.'”

— Derrick Simmons, Senate Minority Leader

“'I certainly think it made a difference. And look, you know, if you're a governor, you're gonna do that. It's your veto. You don't want it to be overridden.'”

— Brice Wiggins, State Senator

“'I truly believe they had the votes. For whatever reason, politically or whatever, it did not come up.'”

— Sam Creekmore, House Public Health Chairman

What’s next

The lack of action from the legislature will not prevent funds from coming into the state, but it does mean the state will not receive the additional opioid settlement funds or be able to access the Gulf Coast Restoration Revolving Loan Program.

The takeaway

The failure of the Mississippi legislature to override the governor's vetoes highlights the ongoing political tensions and divisions within the state government. The inability to reach a consensus on important issues like opioid funding and coastal restoration could have lasting impacts on the state's ability to address these critical challenges.