Author

Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today’s senior capitol reporter, covers politics, government and the Mississippi State Legislature. He also writes a weekly news analysis which is co-published in newspapers statewide. A native of Laurel, Bobby joined our team June 2018 after working for the North Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo since 1984. He is president of the Mississippi Capitol Press Corps Association and works with the Mississippi State University Stennis Institute to organize press luncheons. Bobby has a bachelor's in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi and has received multiple awards from the Mississippi Press Association, including the Bill Minor Best Investigative/In-depth Reporting and Best Commentary Column.
Full 5th Circuit to hear arguments on whether felony voting ban is unconstitutional
By: Bobby Harrison - October 1, 2023
The entire U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will rule, again, on whether Mississippi’s lifetime ban on voting for people convicted of certain felonies is unconstitutional. The decision of the 5th Circuit to hear the case en banc vacates a three-judge August ruling that did find the lifetime ban unconstitutional. Now, the entire 5th Circuit […]
In Mississippi, no statewide official endorses Medicaid
By: Bobby Harrison - August 3, 2023
In 2013, then-state Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, said he opposed Mississippi expanding Medicaid because there was no guarantee the federal government would continue to pay for the program. “Knowing that the federal government may pay for a portion of it for the next two or three years is not enough comfort for me to go […]
AG Lynn Fitch wants to make info on out-of-state abortions available to Mississippi authorities
By: Bobby Harrison - July 16, 2023
JACKSON, Mississippi — Attorney General Lynn Fitch wants to ensure Mississippi authorities are allowed to investigate and gather information on abortions performed out of state on Mississippi women. Fitch, Mississippi’s first-term Republican attorney general, and 18 other state attorneys general have filed comments in opposition to a proposed change to federal regulations, known as HIPAA, […]
Louisianans on Medicaid expansion can get care across river at Natchez hospital
By: Bobby Harrison - November 30, 2022
Just across the Mississippi River bridge from Natchez are the Louisiana towns of Vidalia, Ferriday and other communities where there are people who have health care coverage through the expansion of Medicaid. Those Louisianans, if they are in the correct Medicaid health care network, can obtain medical services across the bridge in Mississippi at Merit […]
Jackson water system is failing; city with little or no drinking water indefinitely
By: Alex Rozier and Bobby Harrison - August 30, 2022
The drinking water system in Jackson — Mississippi’s largest city and home to more than 160,000 residents — is failing, state officials announced on Monday. Thousands of Jackson residents already have no or little water pressure, and officials cannot say when adequate, reliable service will be restored. The city water system has been plagued with […]
9 bills restoring felons’ voting rights pending in Mississippi Senate
By: Bobby Harrison - March 28, 2022
The chairman says it is probable that at least some of the suffrage bills will be taken up in his Judiciary B Committee with the intent to send them to the full Senate chamber for consideration.