By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Governor vetoes cut to teacher pay program, criminal justice reform bills
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Governor vetoes cut to teacher pay program, criminal justice reform bills
Search
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Follow US
Politics

Governor vetoes cut to teacher pay program, criminal justice reform bills

Steven Gagliano
By Steven Gagliano July 9, 2020
Share
5 Min Read
Photo by News Mississippi
SHARE

Wednesday represented the deadline for Governor Tate Reeves to either sign or veto numerous bills passed by the legislature, and while many of them made it into law, several did not.

In a Facebook post, Governor Reeves outlined his reasoning behind his decision to veto several bills, including a large portion of the appropriations bill for the Department of Education. This decision wasn’t a surprise after Reeves indicated that a veto was a possibility on Tuesday when he criticized a $26 million funding cut to a teacher incentive program.

The governor explained that if the program, which rewards teachers in A & B-rated districts or districts that improve by a letter grade from the previous year, was cut, over 23,000 teachers would see a cut in pay.

“It was done quietly, without much or any conversation. Pretty much nobody in the legislature or education community knew about it until we discovered it in our bill review process this week and raised the alarm. We have to veto this so that they can come back and fix it—otherwise 23,157 teachers will get a pay cut,”

The bill did pass unanimously in the Senate and just one representative voted against the bill in the House, which could override a veto.

“After I’ve vetoed the bill, the legislature has a chance to come back and override my veto—locking in a teacher pay cut. Or they can sustain it and fix this. I suspect most legislators didn’t realize that they were voting to cut teacher pay, and they will fix it. I believe they can get it done in a special session as soon as the legislature is finished with their quarantine due to the high number of COVID-19 cases that spread there.”

The veto won’t leave the MDE without funding as Governor Reeves explained that the agency will run in the short term “by a letter, backed up by an attorney general opinion, stating that they constitutionally have to perform their duties until the legislature can fix this.”

In addition to the education bill, Governor Reeves also announced the veto of two separate criminal justice reform bills that “go too far” in his opinion.

HB 658 would have allowed for the expungement of up to three felonies from an individual’s criminal record.

“Right now, under Mississippi law, you can erase one felony from your record after a few years. One of these bills says that criminals can get three separate felony incidents erased from their record. To me, that goes too far. We can’t have career criminals walking around with no records. The law enforcement community that I spoke with agreed.”

SB 2123 was intended to increase the number of Mississippi prisoners eligible for parole by granting eligibility to nonviolent offenders who have served either 25% or 10 years of their sentence (whichever is less).

Certain violent offenders would have become eligible for parole after serving 50% or 20 years of their sentence if they were sentenced after June 30, 1995, and before July 1, 2014. Violent offenders sentenced after July 1, 2014, would have to serve 50 % or 30 years.

The bill also allowed for geriatric parole for prisoners 65 years and older that have served “no less than 10 years.”

“Contrary to what some will say, this was not a conservative reform effort. While some of my friends and good people supported it, two-thirds of Republicans in the Senate voted against it. That says something to me.
If they want to try again, I’ll listen. This was not the right approach.
I know that I’ll get attacked and protested for this. In a time when efforts to “defund police” and “dismantle the criminal justice system” are part of the discussion, they’ll probably try to paint any effort at law and order as the radical position. It’s all part of the job—this is the right thing to do.”

The governor also stated that there were several other bills that he chose to veto, one of which was due to an issue with the allocation of $6 million in CARES Act funding to a “cherry-picked” corporation.

Governor Reeves’ full post can be read below.

Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved.

Politics

Stay informed.

Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

Stay Connected

19kFollowersLike
12.3kFollowersFollow

Latest News

SEC
SEC’s spring meetings: The future of college sports is in the balance
May 28, 2025
Ryan Coogler bringing ‘Sinners’ to Clarksdale after community invitation 
May 28, 2025
Former Southern Miss softball coach Wendy Hogue returns to William Carey
May 28, 2025
Alex Foster
Baylor defensive lineman, Mississippi native Alex Foster confirmed dead in Greenville
May 28, 2025
Jackson City Hall
Municipal general election: See who’s running for Jackson city council
May 28, 2025

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

News / Talk Stations

  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9
  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9

Music Stations

  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast
  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast

Shows

  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth
  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth

News

  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
ST logo

SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news, politics, sports, music, and all things Mississippi. With four statewide radio networks, 12 talk stations, 16 music stations, SuperTalk TV, and over 50 affiliates, SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state.

Contact us: [email protected]
nab
© 2020 - 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?