LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) “It is really a slap in the face to first responders,” said Mike Perkins, Winston County Sheriff. “After 30 years in this job, it wears on you, and having to do this job at one percent, it is just really a slap in the face.”

“It is going to hurt the fire service,” said Robert Hutto, Louisville Fire Chief.

Winston County Sheriff Mike Perkins and Louisville Fire Chief Robert Hutto are disappointed about some of the changes in House Bill 1.

House Bill 1 was passed by the legislature in March of 2025, and Tier 5 has pushed the retirement requirement from 30 years of service to 35 years for public employees hired on or after March 1, 2026.

“It is going to hurt us because we will not be able to get the firefighters that we need because they will have to do it for 35

See Full Page