JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced his legislative priorities for the 2026 session.
“Last year I had to defend the Office of the State Auditor from attempts to cut our legal power and restrict our budget by politicians in Jackson,” said Auditor White. “Thanks to the help of some fellow patriots in the legislature, we won those battles. This year, we’re leaning forward and going to try to strengthen laws to stop more waste and corruption.”
Auditor White’s legislative agenda for this year addresses illegal immigration, waste in state government, and ethics reform, such as the following:
Immigration
- A bill to make illegal immigration a state crime which gives Mississippi law enforcement the authority to arrest illegal immigrants without federal assistance.
- A bill to impose a fee on money sent outside the United States that would be used to fund the Immigration Enforcement Grant Fund.
Government Waste
- A proposal to require an annual review of all state-owned vehicles to find under-utilized vehicles the state can sell. Mississippi spends more on travel, vehicles, and fuel than other similar-sized states like Louisiana, Arkansas, and Iowa.
- A bill to require state office buildings have a maximum of 250 square feet of office space per occupant. Mandating this standard across state government could save an estimated $4 million.
Ethics Reform
- The Whistleblower Reward Act would reward private citizens who come forward with information about corruption and theft of taxpayer money with a portion of the funds recovered.
“My office found illegal immigration costs Mississippi taxpayers roughly $100 million per year, and these bills would cut down on that cost. We found state government wastes millions on buildings and cars we don’t need, and our legislation would fix that. And our whistleblower reward program—which has previously been killed by some key lawmakers—would be a game-changer in the fight against corruption,” said White.
For copies of draft legislation, contact media.relations@osa.ms.gov.