Publishers' fees; revise those charged for publication of legal documents.

HB 598 revises Mississippi's fee structure for publishing legal notices in newspapers, directly affecting government agencies, newspapers, and private parties. It sets new rates: $0.12 per word for the first publication of government notices (e.g., summons, court orders), rising to $0.10 per word for subsequent publications, while non-government notices cost $0.25 per word initially ($0.23 per word after). Fees will automatically increase annually starting July 2026 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all required legal publications except municipal ordinances and school board proceedings.