HB 1078 creates a new crime for misappropriating funds meant to pay utility bills, directly affecting landlords, property managers, and businesses handling tenant utility payments. It prohibits failing to pay utility bills within 60 days of receiving funds or using deception to avoid payment, with penalties escalating based on the amount misused: $1,000-$5,000 (up to 5 years jail/fine), $5,000-$25,000 (up to 10 years), and $25,000+ (up to 20 years). The law requires offenders to pay full restitution to affected parties and excludes cases where tenants didn’t pay or utility companies made errors. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2306 requires Mississippi's Commission on School Accreditation (under the State Board of Education) to create rules governing school board members' professional conduct and establish penalties for violations. It directly affects all Mississippi school board members, authorizing the Department of Education to direct school boards to reduce or remove a member's compensation if they violate these rules. The bill creates a new subcommittee to assist with reviewing and addressing conduct violations. This law establishes a formal process for holding school board members accountable through financial penalties for misconduct, rather than changing educational standards or funding. The rules and penalties will take effect starting July 1, 2026.
SB 2639 requires anyone operating a crawfish farm in Mississippi to obtain a license from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC). It directly affects crawfish farmers who raise crawfish in privately owned ponds or waters, mandating they apply for this license before farming. The bill directs MDAC to create rules for issuing and overseeing these licenses, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. This establishes a regulatory framework for crawfish farming operations within the state.
SB 2661 allows Mississippi counties to join group purchasing programs run by the Mississippi Association of Supervisors for buying supplies, equipment, and commodities. County boards of supervisors can approve participation via a formal resolution if it promotes cost savings or efficiency. Purchases made through this program are exempt from certain state procurement laws (Sections 31-7-9 to 31-7-13). The bill directly affects county governments by providing a streamlined, cost-saving purchasing option for routine operations.
HB 1751 is a procedural bill that compiles 30+ existing Mississippi correctional statutes for potential future review and amendment. It gathers sections related to parole eligibility, probation terms, inmate case planning, community corrections, and technical violation centers (e.g., Sections 47-7-3, 47-7-3.2, 47-7-27) into one document. The bill does not change current law but formally brings these provisions forward for possible updates by the legislature. It directly affects Mississippi’s correctional system, including parole boards, inmates, probation officers, and county jail facilities housing state offenders. The bill was referred to the Corrections and Judiciary committees and passed a committee "Do Pass" in early 2026.
HB 4 requires municipalities seeking to annex adjacent unincorporated land to hold separate voter elections in both the municipality and the proposed annexation area, replacing the previous court approval process. If 20% of residents in the target area petition for an election within 60 days of an annexation ordinance, officials must schedule votes in both locations within 60 days of petition certification. Annexation only proceeds if majority voters in *both* areas approve the measure; otherwise, the municipality cannot re-propose the same annexation for five years. This bill directly affects municipalities aiming to expand and residents in territories targeted for annexation by shifting decision-making from courts to voter input.
HB 1771 extends the expiration date of Mississippi's building energy efficiency standards, which require certain commercial, public, and institutional buildings to meet specific energy-saving design and construction requirements. The law applies to buildings with heating/cooling systems (like offices, schools, hotels, and retail stores) but excludes small, unheated structures, mobile homes, and federal properties. It delays the automatic repeal of these standards from July 1, 2029, to a later date (not specified in the text), keeping the current requirements in place. The bill does not change the standards themselves but ensures their continued application for covered buildings.
SB 2700 extends the expiration date of Mississippi's Length-of-Service Award Program (LOSAP), which provides $500 annual awards to eligible volunteer firefighters to support recruitment and retention. The program directly affects registered part-time or on-call volunteer firefighters who meet activity requirements (like responding to calls and completing training) and are not full-time career firefighters. Administered by a board including the Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Coordinator, LOSAP funds are deposited into individual accounts, with the program funded through a special state treasury fund. This bill does not change the $500 annual limit or core eligibility rules but delays the program's automatic termination date beyond its current 2030 deadline.
SB 2802 makes it a misdemeanor for parents, legal guardians, or custodians to falsely claim residency (domicile) to enroll a child in a Mississippi school district without actually living there. It imposes fines up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail for such violations. The bill requires schools to notify law enforcement if a student is enrolled in violation of this rule and mandates that the school district deny future enrollment for the child involved. This directly affects families seeking to enroll children in districts where they do not reside, aiming to prevent fraudulent enrollment for school funding or other benefits.
SB 2799 revises Mississippi's penalties for witness tampering by setting fines and imprisonment at 50% of the maximum authorized for the underlying crime (the "subject offense"). It defines the "subject offense" as either the main crime being prosecuted or the crime a witness is being pressured to cover up. The bill applies to anyone convicted of intentionally intimidating, threatening, or inducing a witness to withhold testimony or provide false information in official proceedings. This change reduces potential penalties but maintains a 15-year maximum jail term for convictions. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2919 is a procedural bill that renumbers existing sections of Mississippi law related to ballot initiatives (specifically sections 23-17-1 through 23-17-61) to new section numbers. It does not change any substantive requirements for ballot initiatives, such as petition filing deadlines, revenue disclosure rules, or the Attorney General's review process. The bill solely updates the code's structure for administrative clarity, making it easier to reference these provisions in future amendments. This affects state officials who administer ballot initiatives (like the Secretary of State and Attorney General) but does not alter how citizens or petitioners interact with the process.
SB 2486 tasks Mississippi's Standing Commission on School District Efficiency with studying potential school district consolidations statewide. The commission must compile specific data (student enrollment, costs, accreditation, and operational details) by November 2026 and submit annual reports to the legislature and governor. If a district doesn't propose its own consolidation plan or the commission rejects one, it will develop a plan for that district, including creating a transitional governing board to manage operations during consolidation. Consolidation phases would begin July 2028, with districts in counties having multiple districts targeted for potential merger based on the commission's analysis.
