Gov. Reeves makes ample use of vetoes during 2026 session, with more expected

Among vetoes are three bills targeting public health

Gov. Tate Reeves has vetoed four bills passed by the legislature, with more expected as he continues reviewing legislation.

Three of the vetoes targeted public health measures—two medical cannabis bills and a rural health oversight bill—while the fourth struck down a disaster relief loan program for communities recovering from last winter’s ice storm.

Disaster loan program

Reeves’ first session veto came on March 23, when he rejected Senate Bill 2632, a disaster relief loan program designed to help cities and counties recover from the winter ice storm that struck the state in late January and is considered the most severe winter weather event in Mississippi since 1994. The program would have been administered by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and provided short-term, low-interest loans to local governments after federal emergency relief was delivered.

The veto triggered a public clash between the governor and legislative leaders. Reeves alleged in his veto message that Senate staff had committed a “plainly unconstitutional (and possibly criminal) act” by changing the bill’s interest rate language after it had cleared the legislature. The dispute centered on whether the loans were to carry a 1 percent monthly rate—amounting to 12 percent annually—or a 1 percent annual rate. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann called the veto message “malicious, unnecessary, and false,” stating that the removal of the word “monthly” was intentional and had been unanimously approved by both chambers. The bill itself had passed both chambers unanimously.

Lawmakers reworked the program in a separate bill, House Bill 1646, which set the interest rate at 0 percent until FEMA reimbursements were processed, then 3 percent annually. Both chambers passed the revised version unanimously on March 26, and it was sent to Reeves for consideration.

Medical cannabis

Reeves vetoed both medical cannabis bills on March 26. House Bill 1152, the Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act, would have created a pathway for patients with serious illnesses who are not on the state’s list of qualifying conditions to petition the state health officer for access to medical cannabis. The bill was filed by Rep. Lee Yancey (R-Byhalia) and passed with veto-proof margins—104-7 in the House and 34-17 in the Senate. The votes are considered veto-proof because the numbers exist to override a governor’s veto.

Reeves wrote in his veto message that while the bill’s original intent was “commendable,” a Senate amendment removing the residency requirement would have extended the right to try medical cannabis to “every person on the planet.” Under the amended bill, residents of states where medical marijuana is not legal could have obtained a Mississippi medical cannabis card from a licensed Mississippi provider.

The governor also vetoed House Bill 895, which would have extended the validity period of practitioner recommendations, removed THC potency caps on tinctures, and adjusted caregiver background check requirements. Reeves wrote that the bill sought to “erode important safeguards” designed to prevent the diversion of medical marijuana for recreational use, arguing that the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act has been “largely successful” and that there was “no reason to alter it now.” HB 895 had passed 98-11 in the House and 33-19 in the Senate.

On March 30, medical cannabis patients, dispensary owners and growers rallied at the Capitol urging lawmakers to override the vetoes. Overriding a veto requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Rural health oversight

Reeves’ most recent veto rejected a bill that would have increased legislative oversight of his administration’s spending of more than $200 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year initiative expected to deliver approximately $1 billion to the state. The bill would have required quarterly reports to the legislature, a competitive procurement process for a statewide health information exchange, and priority funding for rural areas and the Delta.

Making greater use of the veto pen

Overall, Reeves has been more aggressive with his veto power than recent predecessors. He vetoed eight bills in the 2025 session and is at four so far in 2026 with more expected. By comparison, Gov. Haley Barbour used the line-item veto only twice across eight years in office. Gov. Phil Bryant used it three times in eight years, all in 2017.

Overriding a governor’s veto in Mississippi is exceptionally rare. Only one of Reeves’ vetoes has ever been overridden—an education spending bill in 2020. Before that, no governor’s veto had been overturned since 2002, when the legislature overrode four vetoes by Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Barbour and Bryant both left office with zero overrides.

That history makes the current session notable. Both medical cannabis bills passed with veto-proof margins—HB 1152 cleared the House 104-7 and the Senate 34-17, while HB 895 passed 98-11 in the House and 33-19 in the Senate. Whether lawmakers actually attempt an override remains the open question.

More vetoes expected

Reeves’ four vetoes are half the number he issued in each of the previous two sessions, but he continues to review legislation and more rejections are expected. Lawmakers concluded their work for the session on April 4 but left open a procedural window allowing them to return through April 15 without a special session call—in part because many expect additional vetoes and may seek to override them.

Under the Mississippi Constitution, the governor has five days to sign or veto a bill presented to him during the legislative session; otherwise it becomes law without his signature. If the legislature adjourns during that five-day window, the governor gets 15 days from when the bill was transmitted to sign or veto it, or it becomes law without his signature.

Lawmakers finished their work on April 4, 2026, but because they left a procedural window open through April 15, the timing depends on when each bill hits the governor’s desk. Bills transmitted during the final days of session are still within the 15-day window.

---

Image: Gov. Tate Reeves at a bill signing (via Wikimedia Commons)