Crucial state senatorial runoff elections Dec. 2
Kamesha B. Mumford, J.D.
MS Senate District 26
1. Please provide us with a draft copy of the first bill you will introduce at the beginning of the 2026 legislative session.
I would propose the Mississippi Student Success and Safe Schools Act, to establish a comprehensive framework to strengthen early learning, improve school safety, expand career and technical education opportunities, and deepen community partnerships across the state. The act creates new provisions under Title 37 directing the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to administer targeted programs that elevate student achievement and promote safer, more supportive learning environments. Through an Early Learning and Literacy Support Program, the act provides grants for literacy interventionists, early childhood educators, evidence-based tutoring, and partnerships with community early learning providers, while requiring districts to report annual K–3 reading progress. To enhance campus security and student mental health services, the act creates a School Safety and Student Wellness Grant Program that supports controlled access systems, emergency response technology, professional mental-health staff, and trauma-informed training for school resource officers. The act also expands workforce pathways through a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Expansion Initiative, prioritizing sectors such as health care, skilled trades, information technology, transportation, and agriculture, and authorizing partnerships with employers, community colleges, and universities to provide dual credit, apprenticeships, and industry-recognized credentials. Additionally, the legislation strengthens family engagement and student support systems by enabling districts to partner with nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and youth programs for mentoring, after-school services, and wraparound care, with MDE required to develop guidance for evaluating these partnerships. To ensure transparency and accountability, all districts receiving funds must submit annual public reports detailing expenditures and program outcomes, and MDE must publish a statewide summary each year. The act grants MDE rulemaking authority, authorizes necessary appropriations, prioritizes high-need districts, and becomes effective July 1, 2026.
2. What legislation will you propose to decrease the number Mississippians without health care insurance? When will you introduce this bill?
I will pursue practical, achievable legislation aimed at reducing the number of uninsured Mississippians by improving access to existing coverage options and strengthening the state’s capacity to help families navigate the enrollment process. Rather than proposing broad expansions unlikely to pass in the current climate, my plan focuses on realistic, bipartisan strategies. First, I will introduce a bill establishing a Statewide Insurance Enrollment Assistance Program, partnering with community health centers, hospitals, and local nonprofits to help residents complete marketplace, Medicaid, and CHIP applications. Mississippi consistently ranks among the lowest in enrollment assistance, and this approach directly targets the gaps without expanding eligibility. Second, the legislation will direct the Division of Medicaid to simplify renewal and verification procedures, reducing coverage loss caused by administrative issues—an area where Mississippi already has flexibility under federal rules. Third, the bill will require the creation of a county-by-county uninsured data report to help legislators, providers, and local governments clearly identify areas with the greatest need and target resources more effectively. Finally, the proposal will encourage small employers to participate in existing insurance programs by commissioning a feasibility review for future incentives—keeping the state fiscally responsible while planning for long-term solutions. I intend to introduce this legislation during the first weeks of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session, following consultations with state agencies, healthcare providers, and community partners throughout late 2025.
3. What steps will you take to ensure state-funded HBCUs receive additional funding during the 2026-2027 academic year?
As State Senator, I will take decisive action to ensure Mississippi’s state-funded HBCUs receive the funding they deserve in the 2026–2027 academic year. Mississippi can no longer ignore the decades of underinvestment that have weakened our HBCUs’ infrastructure, strained their academic programs, and placed them at a competitive disadvantage. I will introduce a comprehensive HBCU Investment Act that mandates equity-based budgeting, directs new state appropriations toward critical facility upgrades, enhances campus safety, and expands high-demand academic programs. I will work directly with IHL, university leadership, and the appropriations chairs to secure guaranteed line-item increases—not temporary or one-time allocations, but recurring, structural funding. I will also push to maximize federal matching dollars and create public–private partnerships that bring new research and workforce development opportunities to HBCU campuses. Finally, I will require transparent annual reporting so the Legislature—and the public—can see where every dollar goes and whether the state is meeting its obligations. Strengthening our HBCUs is not optional; it is an economic necessity, a moral responsibility, and a commitment I intend to lead on from day one.
