Mississippi ENACT Students visit State Capitol, meet with Legislators and Supreme Court Presiding Justice
February 26, 2025
State Senator. State Representative. House Minority Leader. House Appropriations Committee Chairman. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman. House Education Committee Chairman. State Supreme Court Presiding Justice.
For many college students these titles are opaque, the responsibilities of these roles confusing, and the people serving in those roles seem inaccessible.
It is a different story for ENACT Faculty Fellow Brian Pugh’s Mississippi State University students.
In Prof. Pugh's ENACT course “Community Service and Civic Transformation,” his students have been learning the ins and outs of the state legislative process, so that they can effectively engage directly in that process.
On February 26th, that learning extended to a visit to the Mississippi State Capitol. Prof. Pugh emphasized that “experiences like this help bring government to life in ways the classroom alone cannot.”
"Visiting the State Capitol provided me with valuable insight into how our state legislators are working to solve the problems Mississippians face every day,” said Holden Mattison ’26. “As someone who wants to pursue public service in the future, I enjoyed communicating with public officials about how to navigate that field."
Students learned about the state budget process from Mississippi House Appropriations Committee Chairman John Read and Mississippi Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Briggs Hopson (pictured left to right). Additionally, the chairmen specifically answered questions from students about H.B. 1, a bill that would eliminate the state’s individual income tax and S.B. 3095, a bill that would reduce the state’s income and grocery taxes if passed.
Mississippi House Education Committee Chairman Rob Robertson (pictured speaking with the visiting students) discussed the state’s role in education and spoke about Mississippi State University being in his legislative district.
Former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and current Presiding Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court Leslie D. King (pictured below with ENACT Faculty Fellow Brian Pugh and his Mississippi State University ENACT students) discussed his time serving as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in the 1990s before being elected to the judicial branch.
In his meeting with students, Mississippi House Minority Leader Robert L. Johnson III highlighted the priorities of Democrats in a legislature dominated by Republicans. He also spoke about the lack of legislative transparency of the majority party.
"Visiting the Capitol and meeting legislators in person brought our coursework to life,” said Regan Felder ‘26. “My group's semester project focuses on affordable housing, and speaking directly with state leaders gave us a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this area. We left feeling inspired and more confident in the legislative proposal we're developing – one aimed at expanding affordable housing options for college students who might not otherwise qualify for support."
“Visiting legislators at the Mississippi State Capitol provided an invaluable educational experience, offering firsthand insight into the workings of the state legislature,” said Prof. Pugh. “With a constitutionally weak governor, Mississippi has one of the strongest legislatures in the country, and it is always a privilege when legislative leaders take time out of their busy schedules to speak with MSU students."
"In addition to meeting with lawmakers – such as the House and Senate Appropriations chairman – students had the opportunity to sit in on floor sessions and committee meetings," noted Prof. Pugh. "Observing these proceedings allowed students to witness state policy being debated and shaped in real-time, while also gaining a deeper appreciation for the context and civic importance of Mississippi’s legislative process.”