Elected and Appointed Government Officials 2022

Michael Watson was elected Mississippi’s 36th Secretary of State in 2019. Since that time, his office has undertaken a major initiative aimed at rolling back the regulatory burden on the state’s citizens and businesses, seeking to unleash the economic opportunity Mississippi should be enjoying.

Prior to taking office as Secretary of State in January 2020, Watson served three terms in the State Senate, where he represented District 51 in Jackson County. He authored the Fetal Protection Act, which strengthened the penalties for injuring an unborn child. He also wrote Mississippi’s first comprehensive law to tackle illegal immigration, as well as legislation to allow alternate-track diplomas—one of the first efforts to return a focus to career and technical training for high school students. 

More of Watson’s proposals came to fruition in the State Senate, including the Catastrophe Savings Accounts, which allows for pretax savings accounts to be used on deductibles or other catastrophe-related expenses, and the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act that provides scholarships for parents with a special-needs child, allowing them the ability to choose which education option best fits their child. In addition, former Governor Phil Bryant asked Watson to introduce the legislation adding “In God We Trust” to our state seal.