This bill creates the Delta Regional Health Authority (DRHA) to address health care access challenges in Mississippi's central and eastern Delta region, which faces significant health disparities and high rates of uninsured residents and Medicaid patients. It allows community hospitals in the area to join the DRHA, where they would be governed by the authority's board instead of existing community hospital laws, and directs Medicaid to create a supplemental payment program to support the DRHA's operations. The bill also temporarily prohibits Medicaid from collecting overpayments from a Greenwood hospital until after May 1, 2026, to prevent disruptions in critical health services. The DRHA will operate as a public entity with authority to collaborate with other health providers without antitrust liability.
This bill (HB 928) designates a one-mile segment of Mississippi Highway 533 in Jefferson County as the "Deloris Gibbs Rankin Memorial Highway" in honor of Deloris Gibbs Rankin. The Mississippi Department of Transportation will install and maintain appropriate signage along this highway segment. As a memorial naming bill, it does not create new policies or affect any specific groups or programs - it solely commemorates an individual through a highway designation. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1534 redefines "clean energy" in Mississippi to include Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from agricultural waste (like poultry litter and manure) and "Advanced Natural Gas" with carbon capture. It allows farmers to contribute to the energy grid via RNG and designates them as "Energy Harvest Partners," while requiring utilities to maintain affordable rates and protect natural gas infrastructure from mandatory retirement if it would raise costs or reduce reliability. The bill directly affects Mississippi's agricultural producers (especially poultry/livestock), utilities, and ratepayers, with implementation beginning July 1, 2026. It aims to support farm-based energy production without increasing consumer costs or compromising grid stability.
HB 1527 legalizes mobile sports betting and online race book wagering in Mississippi under strict regulations. It requires platforms operating these services to obtain a manufacturer's and distributor's license, implement geofencing to restrict bets to Mississippi residents, and verify users are at least 21 years old. Licensed casinos can partner with only one platform, and all revenue must be reported and taxed per existing state law. The bill explicitly prohibits all other forms of online gambling (like casino-style games) and updates gaming regulations to include these new services.
HB 1551 prohibits the knowing sale of nitrous oxide (e.g., whipped cream chargers) for intoxication, particularly to minors, while preserving legitimate medical, dental, automotive, and culinary uses. It bans selling nitrous oxide to anyone under 21 if the seller knows it will be used for intoxication and penalizes violations with fines up to $1,000 for first offenses (misdemeanor) or $10,000 for repeat offenses involving minors (felony). The law explicitly excludes lawful possession, medical use, food preparation, and industrial applications from its restrictions. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1564 reclassifies catfish (including channel, blue, flathead, and bullhead catfish) from "nongame gross fish" to "game fish" under Mississippi law. This change subjects catfish to the same recreational fishing regulations as other game fish, such as seasonal limits, bag limits, and size requirements. The bill also references the commercial fishing license provisions (Section 49-7-9.1) for potential amendment to align with the new classification. As a result, recreational anglers and commercial fishers harvesting catfish in Mississippi will be directly affected by this regulatory shift.
HB 1610 removes an automatic expiration date from Mississippi's 2021 Earned Parole Eligibility Act, ensuring the existing parole rules remain in effect. This bill does not change parole eligibility requirements (such as the 25% or 50% sentence served for nonviolent or violent offenses) but prevents the law from ending on its own. It directly affects Mississippi inmates currently subject to these parole standards under Section 47-7-3 of state code. The bill is procedural, preserving the current framework without altering policy.
HB 1629 makes it illegal for anyone to knowingly enter a commercial wildlife enclosure or shooting preserve without permission and then kill, injure, or capture exotic livestock. The bill directly affects trespassers who harm animals and provides enhanced legal recourse for facility owners. Key provisions include fines up to $500 or six months in jail for trespassing, additional Class I violation penalties for harming animals, mandatory restitution payments to owners for animal loss (based on replacement value), and civil liability for property damage caused during entry. The bill also defines "commercial wildlife enclosure" as facilities meeting specific size and habitat requirements, and "exotic livestock" as non-native herbivores like deer, antelope, or exotic ruminants raised for meat, sport, or exhibition.
HB 1706 increases the authorized number of legal assistants (not investigators) in 23 Mississippi circuit court districts, with specific raises effective January 1, 2027. For example, the Eighteenth Circuit Court District will add five new legal assistants (rising from three to eight), while the Twentieth Circuit will add three (from seven to ten). The bill establishes two tiers: base staffing levels (Section 25-31-5) and optional additional positions (Section 25-31-10) if funds are appropriated or local counties adopt resolutions to cover costs. These changes directly affect prosecutors and court operations in the specified districts, with some provisions (like the Twenty-third Circuit’s extra staff) set to expire by 2027.
HB 1643 creates the Mississippi Department of Emergency Management within the state's executive branch to centralize all emergency management functions under one agency. The Governor appoints an Executive Director to lead the department, coordinate state emergency efforts, and oversee existing units like the Emergency Management Agency and Emergency Communications Authority. The bill reorganizes these units into the new department structure and establishes an Office of Administrative Services for internal operations. This change aims to streamline emergency response coordination across state agencies without altering existing emergency management programs.
HB 1688 revises definitions in Mississippi's Unfair Cigarette Sales Law to gradually increase the presumed "cost of doing business" for cigarette wholesalers and retailers. It phases in higher default markup percentages: wholesalers' cost increases from 2% to 5% of basic cigarette costs over 2026-2028, while retailers' cost rises from 6% to 8%. These changes directly affect licensed cigarette wholesalers and retailers in Mississippi by altering how their minimum legal markup is calculated when selling to consumers. The bill modifies existing definitions without creating new requirements, focusing solely on adjusting these default cost percentages through specific date-based increments.
HB 1711 modifies Mississippi's Medical Cannabis Act to streamline access for patients with caregivers. It amends Section 41-137-23 to require criminal background checks for designated caregivers only once every five years (instead of more frequently) for registry card renewals. Additionally, it amends Section 41-137-39 to allow dispensaries to sell medical cannabis directly to a registered designated caregiver on behalf of a qualifying patient without the patient needing to be present. This directly affects registered qualifying patients, their designated caregivers, and dispensaries operating under the state's medical cannabis program.
