SB 2418 prohibits geoengineering activities in Mississippi, defined as the intentional release of chemicals into the atmosphere to alter weather or temperature. It directly affects any entity conducting such activities within the state, excluding standard agricultural pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. The bill amends environmental laws to define geoengineering, grant the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality authority to regulate it, and establish penalties for violations. Research institutions are exempt from the prohibition, and the law explicitly excludes routine farming chemical use. The measure aims to protect public health and environmental welfare by restricting atmospheric interventions not yet fully understood.
SB 2424 increases the authorized days of paid annual military leave for Mississippi public employees who are members of the National Guard. The bill amends Section 33-1-21 to raise the current 21-day limit for paid leave during military training, though the specific new number is not stated in the provided text. It directly affects state, county, municipal, and other public sector employees serving in the National Guard, ensuring they retain pay, leave accrual, and job protection during extended training. The change takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all qualifying public employers across Mississippi.
HB 1322 requires Mississippi's State Department of Health to study how to prevent and reduce diabetes-related amputations. The study must examine the prevalence and state costs of these amputations, evaluate evidence-based prevention methods (like early screening), and identify strategies to expand access to limb-saving care (including foot care and patient education). The department must form a workgroup of experts and submit a final report with recommendations to key legislative committees by December 1, 2026. This bill directly affects Mississippi residents with diabetes who face amputation risks, focusing on data collection and future policy options rather than immediate funding or service changes.
HB 1326 would allow year-round retail sales of consumer fireworks in Mississippi, but only for stores meeting strict conditions: they must operate in standalone buildings of at least 8,000 square feet with automatic sprinklers, use age/location verification software, be within 0.5 miles of an interstate highway, and have been open before the law's effective date. The bill amends existing law to create this exception while preserving current rules for wholesale fireworks storage (requiring fireproof rooms and extinguishers) and penalties for violations (fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenses). It directly affects retailers meeting all five criteria, not all businesses. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.
This constitutional amendment (HC 16) would require people charged with offenses punishable by over one year in prison ("bail restricted offenses") to post a secured bond (money, property, or surety) for release before trial. It prohibits unsecured release options like "release on own recognizance" for these cases, though judges could still grant unsecured release in limited circumstances under "sound discretion." The amendment, if approved by voters in 2026, would change Mississippi's constitutional bail standards for serious crimes.
HB 1389 establishes a licensure and regulatory system for professional midwives in Mississippi under the State Department of Health, creating a Midwifery Advisory Council to develop rules by July 2027. It requires health insurance plans covering maternity care to also cover services provided by licensed midwives within their scope of practice (same as physician services), prohibits discriminatory language about midwifery in coverage plans, and clarifies that midwifery is not considered medical practice. The bill directly affects licensed midwives (who must obtain a license to practice), healthcare insurers (required to cover midwifery services), and patients seeking community-based birth care. Key provisions include mandatory licensure, standardized scope of practice, confidentiality protections, and mechanisms to increase access to midwifery care in Mississippi communities.
HB 752 establishes the Mississippi Young Readers Club (MYRC) as a one-year pilot program (starting 2026-2027) to provide age-appropriate books and literacy materials to students in participating public schools. It requires each participating student to receive at least twelve books per school year, with priority given to schools serving economically disadvantaged students, Title I schools, or those with high numbers of students needing literacy support. The program will be administered by the University of Mississippi's Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction (CELI), in consultation with the Mississippi Department of Education, to expand home libraries and support early literacy development. The pilot's success will determine potential future expansion, subject to legislative funding.
HB 1448 requires Mississippi insurance companies to share claim information with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to help collect unpaid child support. Insurers must check if a claimant (the person receiving insurance payments) owes child support for claims over $500 involving negligence, personal injury, or life insurance. If child support is owed, insurers must withhold the arrears amount from the payment, send it directly to the child support agency within 10 days, and notify the claimant and their attorney. Insurers must comply fully by July 1, 2027, with penalties for non-compliance.
HB 1372 authorizes the City of Greenwood and Leflore County (current owners of Greenwood Leflore Hospital) to sell or lease the hospital property under specific conditions. New owners must competitively bid for the property, cover all hospital debts including Medicaid overpayments, and maintain key services like the emergency room, rural hospital program, and swing-bed program. The sale or lease must be completed within one year of the law's effective date, and new owners assume full responsibility for operating the facility. The bill also references existing law (Section 41-13-15) but focuses on enabling the transfer while preserving critical healthcare services.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Mississippi's voting eligibility rules, explicitly requiring that only U.S. citizens may vote in state or local elections and referendums. It would amend Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution to state that non-citizens, including permanent residents, are ineligible to vote, while maintaining existing requirements like residency, registration, and criminal record checks. The amendment must be approved by voters in the 2026 election. (Note: Mississippi currently prohibits non-citizens from voting, but this would make citizenship a constitutional requirement.)
Mississippi's HB 1492 requires solar developers (called "grantees") to secure financial assurance for removing solar facilities and restoring land when agreements end. It mandates that solar power facility agreements include a decommissioning plan and require developers to provide increasing financial security: 5% of estimated removal costs at startup, 50% at 10 years, and full cost at 15 years. This protects landowners and communities from abandoned facilities by ensuring funds are available for safe removal and land restoration, covering all components except deeply buried utility lines. The law applies to solar facilities 5 megawatts or larger (unless specified otherwise in agreements), excluding smaller installations.
HB 927 restructures the employment and governance of Mississippi's School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS). It transitions administrative and instructional staff to direct contracts with MSMS (replacing state employment), requires written contracts for these roles, and allows noninstructional staff to be hired or fired without cause by the Executive Director. The bill also exempts MSMS equipment purchases from public procurement rules, creates an 11-member advisory council to advise the State Board of Education on school planning, and expands 10th-grade enrollment options at MSMS when space is available. These changes take effect July 1, 2026.
