Mississippi House of Representatives

Lower house of the Mississippi Legislature

Mississippi House of Representatives

Mississippi Legislature
Type
Type|

Lower house

Term limits

| None
History

New session started

| January 2, 2024
Leadership

Speaker

Jason White (R)
since January 2, 2024

Speaker pro tempore

Manly Barton (R)
since January 2, 2024

Minority Leader

Robert Johnson III (D)
since January 7, 2020

Structure
Seats| 122

Political groups

* Republican (79)
* Democratic (41)
* Independent (2)

Length of term

| 4 years
Authority| Article IV, Mississippi Constitution
Salary| $10,000/year + per diem
Elections

Last election

| November 7, 2023
(122 seats)

Next election

| November 2, 2027
(122 seats)
Redistricting| Legislative Control
Meeting place
House of Representatives Chamber
Mississippi State Capitol
Jackson, Mississippi
Website
Mississippi House of Representatives
Rules
House of Representatives Rules

The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for four-year terms. To qualify as a member of the House candidates must be at least 21 years old, a resident of Mississippi for at least four years, and a resident in the district for at least two years. Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

## Membership, qualifications, and apportionment

[edit]

Article 4, Section 36 of the Mississippi Constitution specifies that the state legislature must meet for 125 days every four years and 90 days in other years. The Mississippi House of Representatives has the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel a member with a two-thirds vote of its membership.[1] Bills must undergo three readings in each house, unless two-thirds of the house dispenses with the rules.[1] They cannot be amended to a new purpose.[1] Amendments to bills must be approved by both houses.[1]

The governor has the power to veto legislation, but legislators can override the veto with a two-thirds decision.[1] From 1890 to 2020, State representatives were authorized under the Mississippi Constitution to elect the Governor of Mississippi if no candidate had received 62 of the 122 electoral votes (one per district) and more than 50% of the popular vote. This occurred only once, in 1999, when Ronnie Musgrove had the most votes statewide, but was one electoral vote and 2936 votes (0.38%) shy of a majority: Musgrove was elected on the first ballot.[2]

### Leadership

[edit]

The permanent position of Speaker pro tempore was established in a House vote on January 9, 1987.[3] (It had been previously used in temporary situations if the Speaker was not available.)[4] The Speaker Pro Tempore acts as Speaker in the Speaker's absence.[5] The Speaker Pro Tempore also serves ex officio as the Chair of the House Management Committee and as a member of the House Rules Committee.[5] The current Speaker pro tempore is Republican Manly Barton.[6]

## Salary

[edit]

State representatives earn $23,500 per year.[7]

## Current composition

[edit]

The following composition reflects the balance of power after the 2023 elections. Republicans secured a majority for the fourth time since 2011, the first year when Republicans won the majority of seats in the State House since 1870.[8][9] The 2023 elections were marked by new leadership, as the past speaker Phillip Gunn retired, allowing his chief lieutenant, then-Speaker Pro Tempore Jason White to become the new speaker.[9] The 2023 elections saw the seating of 25 new members.[9]

State representatives are elected every four years by the qualified electors of the district for which they are running.[10] Candidates are required to be at least 21 years of age and a resident of the state and district for which they are campaigning.[11]

Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |  |
Democratic | Republican | Independent | Vacant
End of previous legislature (2023)  | 40  | 76  | 3  | 119  | 3
Start of current legislature (2024)  | 41  | 79  | 2  | 122  | 0
Latest voting share  | 33.6%  | 64.8%  | 1.6%  |

### List of members

[edit]

Main article: 2024-2028 Mississippi Legislature

## List of speakers

[edit]

The House has elected a speaker 63 times since 1817:[12][a]

| Name  | Party  | County/District  | Term  | Session

|
|
|
|
|

1  |  | Thomas Barnes |  | Claiborne | October 6, 1817

February 8, 1818

| 1st
2  |  | Edward Turner |  | Adams | January 4, 1819

February 1819

| 2nd
Adams (Natchez)  | January 3, 1820

February 12, 1820

| 3rd
3  |  | Beverly R. Grayson |  | Adams | January 1, 1821

February 12, 1821

| 4th
4  |  | Cowles Mead |  | Jefferson | November 5, 1821

June 30, 1822

| 5th
5  |  | Gerard C. Brandon |  | Wilkinson | December 23, 1822

January 21, 1823

| 6th
6  |  | Cowles Mead |  | Jefferson | December 22, 1823

January 23, 1824

| 7th
January 3, 1825

February 4, 1825

| 8th
7  |  | Isaac R. Nicholson |  | Copiah | January 2, 1826

January 31, 1826

| 9th
January 1, 1827

February 8, 1827

| 10th
8  |  | Charles B. Green[13] |  | Adams | January 7, 1828

February 16, 1828

| 11th
9  |  | William L. Sharkey |  | Warren | January 5, 1829

February 6, 1829

| 12th
10  |  | Joseph Dunbar |  | Jefferson | January 4, 1830

February 13, 1830

| 13th
11  |  | M. F. Degrafenreid |  | Wilkinson  | 1832–1833  |
12  |  | David Pembel |  | Adams  | 1833–1834  |
13  |  | A. L. Bingaman |  | Adams  | 1834–1836  |
14  |  | John Irvin |  | Carroll  | 1836–1837  |
15  |  | William Vannerson |  | Lawrence  | 1837–1838  |
16  |  | J. W. King |  | Rankin  | 1838–1840  |
17  |  | Jesse Speight | Democratic  | Lowndes  | 1840–1841  |
18  |  | James A. Ventress |  | Wilkinson  | 1841–1842  |
19  |  | Robert W. Roberts | Democratic  | Scott  | 1842–1844  |
20  |  | J. L. Totten | Democratic  | Marshall  | 1844–1846  |
21  |  | James Whitfield | Democratic  | Lowndes  | 1846–1848  |
22  |  | John J. McRae | Democratic  | Clarke  | 1848–1852  |
23  |  | William S. Patton |  | Lauderdale  | 1852–1854  |
24  |  | Hiram Cassedy |  | Franklin  | 1854–1856  |
25  |  | William S. Barry | Democratic  | Lowndes  | 1856–1858  |
26  |  | James L. Autry |  | Marshall  | 1858–1859  |
27  |  | J. A. P. Campbell |  | Attala  | 1859–1861  |
28  |  | William A. Lake |  | Warren  | 1861–1862  |
29  |  | J. P. Scales | Democratic  | Carroll  | 1862–1863  |
30  |  | Lock E. Houston |  | Monroe  | 1863–1865  |
31  |  | Samuel J. Gholson | Democratic  | Monroe  | 1865–1866  |
32  |  | Freeman E. Franklin | Republican  | Yazoo  | 1870  |
33  |  | Henry Waterman Warren | Republican  | Leake  | 1871–1872  |
34  |  | John R. Lynch | Republican  | Adams  | 1872–1873  |
35  |  | Hugh M. Street | Democratic  | Prentiss  | 1873–1874  |
36  |  | Isaac D. Shadd |  | Warren  | 1874–1876  |
37  |  | Hugh M. Street | Democratic  | Prentiss  | 1876–1878  |
38  |  | William A. Percy | Democratic  | Washington  | 1878–1880  |
39  |  | Benjamin F. Johns | Democratic  | Amite  | 1880–1882  |
40  |  | W. H. H. Tison | Democratic  | Lee | 1882  |
41  |  | William M. Inge | Democratic  | Alcorn  | 1884–1886  |
42  |  | Jacob H. Sharp |  | Lowndes  | 1886–1888  |
43  |  | Charles B. Mitchell | Democratic  | Pontotoc  | 1888–1890  |
44  |  | James S. Madison | Democratic  | Noxubee  | 1890–1892  |
45  |  | Hugh M. Street | Democratic  | Lauderdale | January 5, 1892

January 2, 1894

| 1892–1896
46  |  | J. K. Vardaman | Democratic  | Leflore | January 2, 1894

February 10, 1894

47  |  | James F. McCool | Democratic  | Attala | January 7, 1896

February 11, 1898

| 1896–1900
48  |  | A. J. Russell | Democratic  | Lauderdale | January 2, 1900

March 5, 1902

| 1900–1904
49  |  | Emmet Thomas | Democratic  | Washington  | 1904–1908  |
50  |  | Hugh M. Street | Democratic  | Lauderdale  | 1908–1912  |
51  |  | Hillrie M. Quin | Democratic  | Hinds  | 1912–1916  |
52  |  | Mike Conner | Democratic  | Covington | January 1916

March 1918

| 1916–1920
1920–1924  |
53  |  | Thomas L. Bailey | Democratic  |  | 1924–1936  |
54  |  | Horace Stansel | Democratic  | Sunflower  | 1936–1936  |
55  |  | Fielding L. Wright | Democratic  |  | 1936–1940  |
56  |  | Samuel Lumpkin | Democratic  | Lee  | 1940–1944  |
57  |  | Walter Sillers Jr. | Democratic  | Bolivar  | 1944–1966  |
58  |  | John R. Junkin | Democratic  | Adams  | 1966–1976  |
59  |  | Buddie Newman | Democratic  |  | 1976–1988  |
60  |  | Tim Ford | Democratic  | 18  | January 5, 1988

December 20, 1991

| 1988–1992
| 1992–2004  |
61  |  | William J. McCoy | Democratic  | 3  | January 6, 2004

May 18, 2007

| 2004–2008
| 2008–2012  |
62  |  | Philip Gunn | Republican  | 56  | January 3, 2012

April 5, 2015

| 2012–2016
January 6, 2016

March 29, 2019

| 2016–2020
January 2, 2020

April 2, 2023

| 2020–2024
63  |  | Jason White | Republican  | 48  | January 2, 2024

Present

| 2024–2028

## List of speakers pro tempore

[edit]

Source for session dates:[5]

Before the position was made permanent, Buddie Newman served as Speaker pro tempore in three different stints between 1974 and 1975.[14][15]

| Name  | Party  | County/District  | Term  | Session

|
|
|
|
|

1st  |  | Cecil L. Simmons | Democratic  | 37th[16][17] | January 14, 1987[18][16]

August 29, 1987

| 1984–1988
January 5, 1988

December 20, 1991

| 1988–1992
2nd  |  | Robert G. Clark Jr.[19][20][21] | Democratic  | 47th[22] | January 7, 1992

September 16, 1992

| 1992
January 5, 1993

April 11, 1995

| 1993–1996
January 2, 1996

July 22, 1999

| 1996–2000
January 4, 2000

April 16, 2003

| 2000–2004
3rd  |  | J. P. Compretta[23][5] | Republican  | 122nd  | January 6, 2004

May 18, 2007

| 2004–2008
January 8, 2008

2012

| 2008–2012
4th  |  | Greg Snowden[24][25] | Republican  | 83rd  | January 3, 2012

April 5, 2015

| 2012–2016
January 6, 2016

March 19, 2019

| 2016–2020
5th  |  | Jason White[26] | Republican  | 48th  | January 2, 2020

April 2, 2023

| 2020–2024
6th  |  | Manly Barton | Republican  | 109th[6] | January 2, 2024

Present

| 2024–2028

## Past composition of the House of Representatives

[edit]

Main article: Mississippi Legislature § See also

## See also

[edit]

* Mississippi State Senate
* Mississippi State Capitol
* Mississippi Legislature
* List of Mississippi state legislatures

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ It is 62 speakers with the most recent election of Jason White.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Constitutional Provisions The Legislature And Legislation Rules of Procedure, Mississippi Legislature (accessed May 31, 2013)
2. ^ Breen, Dallas (January 6, 2021). "Mississippi Voted Out Its Electoral College-Like Election Process". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
3. ^ "House vote trims speaker's power". Newspapers.com. January 10, 1987. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
4. ^ "Three times in 2 years". Newspapers.com. May 11, 1975. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
5. ^ a b c d Delbert Hosemann, State of Mississippi (2012). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register Blue Book 2008-2012. pp. 104, 147–148.147-148&rft.date=2012&rft.aulast=Delbert+Hosemann&rft.aufirst=State+of+Mississippi&rft_id=https://archive.org/details/mississippi-2008-2012-bluebook/&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Mississippi+House+of+Representatives" class="Z3988">
6. ^ a b https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/members/house/Barton.xml
7. ^ "Comparison of state legislative salaries". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
8. ^ Wilkinson, Kaija (November 10, 2011). "GOP takes House; Busby leads Jones as of last count, but margin still very thin". gulflive.com. The Press-Register. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
9. ^ a b c Corder, Frank (January 2, 2024). "Mississippi Legislature Gavels in for New Term". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
10. ^ Article 4, Section 34, Mississippi Constitution (accessed May 31, 2013)
11. ^ Article 4, Section 41 Archived June 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Mississippi Constitution (accessed May 31, 2013)
12. ^ Watson, Michael (2021). "Historical and Statistical Information" (PDF). 2020-2024 Statistical Register. Mississippi Secretary of State.
13. ^ "Journal of the House of Representatives of the state of Mississippi". Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Mississippi. Jan 1828 11th Sess. January 1828 - via LLMC Digital.
14. ^ Mississippi. Legislature (January 1, 1980). "Hand book : biographical data of members of Senate and House, personnel of standing committees [1980]". Mississippi Legislature Hand Books.
15. ^ "Three times in 2 years". Newspapers.com. May 11, 1975. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
16. ^ a b Mississippi Legislature 1988 Handbook. 1988. p. 27.
17. ^ "house/1984-88.tif - House of Representatives (1948-2016)". da.mdah.ms.gov. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
18. ^ "Past week very eventful with rules changes, Allain's eventful speech". Newspapers.com. January 21, 1987. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
19. ^ Eric Clark, State of Mississippi (2004). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register Blue Book 2000-2004. p. 61.
20. ^ "Clark". June 6, 2000. Archived from the original on June 6, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
21. ^ "house/1992-96.tif - House of Representatives (1948-2016)". da.mdah.ms.gov. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
22. ^ "1992 MS Legislature". Newspapers.com. November 6, 1991. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
23. ^ Eric Clark, State of Mississippi (2008). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register Blue Book 2004-2008. p. 102.
24. ^ Delbert Hosemann, State of Mississippi (2014). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register Blue Book 2012-2016. p. 105.
25. ^ Delbert Hosemann, State of Mississippi (2017). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register Blue Book 2016-2020. p. 121.
26. ^ "2020-2024 Mississippi Blue Book | Michael Watson Secretary of state". sos.ms.gov. Retrieved November 25, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Mississippi House of Representatives

Speaker of the House
Jason White (R)
Speaker pro tempore
Manly Barton (R)

1. ▌Lester Carpenter (R)
2. ▌Brad Mattox (R)
3. ▌William Tracy Arnold (R)
4. ▌Jody Steverson (R)
5. ▌John Faulkner (D)
6. ▌Justin Keen (R)
7. ▌Kimberly Remak (R)
8. ▌Trey Lamar (R)
9. ▌Cedric Burnett (D)
10. ▌Josh Hawkins (R)
11. ▌Lataisha Jackson (D)
12. ▌Clay Deweese (R)
13. ▌Steve Massengill (R)
14. ▌Sam Creekmore IV (R)
15. ▌Beth Luther Waldo (R)
16. ▌Rickey W. Thompson (D)
17. ▌Shane Aguirre (R)
18. ▌Jerry Turner (R)
19. ▌Randy Boyd (R)
20. ▌Rodney Hall (R)
21. ▌Donnie Bell (R)
22. ▌Jon Ray Lancaster (R)
23. ▌Vacant
24. ▌Jeff Hale (R)
25. ▌Dan Eubanks (R)
26. ▌Orlando Paden (D)
27. ▌Kenji Holloway (D)
28. ▌Doc Harris (R)
29. ▌Robert L. Sanders (D)
30. ▌Tracey Rosebud (D)
31. ▌Otis Anthony (D)
32. ▌Solomon Osborne (D)
33. ▌Jim Estrada (R)
34. ▌Kevin Horan (R)
35. ▌Joey Hood (R)
36. ▌Karl Gibbs (D)
37. ▌Andy Boyd (R)
38. ▌Cheikh Taylor (D)
39. ▌Dana McLean (R)
40. ▌Hester Jackson-McCray (D)
41. ▌Kabir Karriem (D)
42. ▌Carl L. Mickens (D)
43. ▌Rob Roberson (R)
44. ▌C. Scott Bounds (R)
45. ▌Keith Jackson (D)
46. ▌Karl Oliver (R)
47. ▌Bryant Clark (D)
48. ▌Jason White (R)
49. ▌Willie Bailey (D)
50. ▌John Hines (D)
51. ▌Timaka James-Jones (D)
52. ▌Bill Kinkade (R)
53. ▌Vince Mangold (R)
54. ▌Kevin Ford (R)
55. ▌Oscar Denton (D)
56. ▌Clay Mansell (R)
57. ▌Lawrence Blackmon (D)
58. ▌Jonathan McMillan (R)
59. ▌Brent Powell (R)
60. ▌Fred Shanks (R)
61. ▌Gene Newman (R)
62. ▌Lance Varner (R)
63. ▌Stephanie Foster (D)
64. ▌Shanda Yates (I)
65. ▌Chris Bell (D)
66. ▌Fabian Nelson (D)
67. ▌Earle S. Banks (D)
68. ▌Zakiya Summers (D)
69. ▌Tamarra Butler-Washington (D)
70. ▌Bo Brown (D)
71. ▌Ronnie Crudup Jr. (D)
72. ▌Justis Gibbs (D)
73. ▌Jill Ford (R)
74. ▌Lee Yancey (R)
75. ▌Celeste Hurst (R)
76. ▌Gregory Holloway Sr. (D)
77. ▌Price Wallace (R)
78. ▌Randy Rushing (R)
79. ▌Mark Tullos (R)
80. ▌Omeria Scott (D)
81. ▌Stephen Horne (R)
82. ▌Vacant
83. ▌Billy Adam Calvert (R)
84. ▌Troy Smith (R)
85. ▌Jeffery Harness (D)
86. ▌Shane Barnett (R)
87. ▌Joseph Tubb (R)
88. ▌Charles Blackwell (R)
89. ▌Donnie Scoggin (R)
90. ▌Noah Sanford (R)
91. ▌Robert Evans (D)
92. ▌Becky Currie (R)
93. ▌Timmy Ladner (R)
94. ▌Robert Johnson III (D)
95. ▌Jay McKnight (R)
96. ▌Angela Cockerham (I)
97. ▌Sam Mims V (R)
98. ▌Daryl Porter Jr. (D)
99. ▌Bill Pigott (R)
100. ▌Ken Morgan (R)
101. ▌Kent McCarty (R)
102. ▌Missy McGee (R)
103. ▌Percy Watson (D)
104. ▌Larry Byrd (R)
105. ▌Elliot Burch (R)
106. ▌Jansen Owen (R)
107. ▌Steve Lott (R)
108. ▌Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes (R)
109. ▌Manly Barton (R)
110. ▌Jeramey Anderson (D)
111. ▌Jimmy Fondren (R)
112. ▌John Read (R)
113. ▌Henry Zuber III (R)
114. ▌Jeffrey Guice (R)
115. ▌Zachary Grady (R)
116. ▌Casey Eure (R)
117. ▌Kevin Felsher (R)
118. ▌Greg Haney (R)
119. ▌Jeffrey Hulum III (D)
120. ▌Richard Bennett (R)
121. ▌Carolyn Crawford (R)
122. ▌Brent Anderson (R)

* ▌Republican (78)
* ▌Democratic (40)
* ▌Independent (2)
* ▌Vacant (2)

* Mississippi Legislature
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