First responders; authorize follow-up drug testing before certification.

HB 60 allows Mississippi first responders (firefighters, law enforcement officers, and public EMS personnel with 10+ years of service) to request a hair follicle drug test if a urine test shows a positive result. It requires employers to place them on paid administrative leave while they contest the result, giving them 2 business days to request the follow-up test and an additional 5 days to complete it. If the hair test is negative, the employer reimburses the first responder’s test costs and cannot require further testing; if positive, the responder pays for the test. The bill creates this process to address potential false positives in initial urine tests before disciplinary action is taken.