When Mississippi's lawmakers gather inside the state capitol at noon on Jan. 4, the 52 senators and 122 representatives are going to be in for the most jam-packed session in recent memory.

On top of the traditional items legislators deal with, like setting the state budget or discussing teacher pay, lawmakers have to decide on a number of potentially transformative topics for the state.

House and senate leadership haven't formally revealed their agendas for the upcoming session, but their comments since the 2021 session ended in April give an indication about what's top priority. And just because both chambers and the governor's mansion are controlled by Republicans doesn't mean every bill that passes one chamber is guaranteed to pass the other.

Gov. Tate Reeves and Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn have talked for a year now about completely repealing the state's personal income tax. 

The pair have been outspoken on how to do it, with Gunn holding a series of hearings in August on the subject. Both men, and several other Republican lawmakers, have said eliminating the income tax will make Mississippi more economically competitive with neighboring Tennessee and other southern states like Florida and Texas. 

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