HB 76 would allow Mississippi's Lottery Corporation to authorize video lottery terminals (VLTs) under strict limits: $0.01 per play, $750 maximum payout per play, and only in truck stops (with a cap of five per congressional district). It directly affects truck stop businesses and the Lottery Corporation by modifying how VLTs can operate, while excluding them from general lottery definitions except under these specific rules. Key provisions clarify that VLTs are prohibited elsewhere and amend lottery code to define terms like "video lottery" and restrict terminal use to the specified locations and limits. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and does not change existing casino gaming operations.
HB 188, titled "Volunteer and Parents Incentive Program," actually creates an informational guide called "The Parents' Bill of Rights" for parents of children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in Mississippi schools. It requires the State Department of Education to develop and distribute this guide by January 1, 2027, outlining specific rights such as attending IEP meetings, requesting evaluations, accessing school records, and understanding placement in the least restrictive environment. The guide must be provided to parents when a child qualifies for an IEP and posted online, with content aligned to existing federal and state law. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
HB 44, titled the "Create A Respectful And Open Workplace For Natural (CROWN) Hair Act," prohibits workplace and school policies that discriminate against natural hairstyles like afros, braids, twists, and locs. It bans termination, reduced pay, or expulsion based on hair texture and requires employers and schools to allow natural hairstyles without penalty. The bill amends Mississippi law to include natural hairstyles as a protected characteristic in state discrimination policy, condominium restrictions, and real estate licensing, while providing remedies like back pay and attorney fees for victims of violations.
This bill establishes a voluntary certification program for birth doulas in Mississippi, administered by the State Department of Health. It requires the Department to set competency standards, fees, and procedures for certification, while creating a dedicated fund to cover program costs. Birth doulas may choose to become certified but are not required to do so to practice; the bill prohibits using the title "state-certified birth doula" without official certification. The program aims to standardize nonmedical support services during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period, without replacing medical care.
HB 6 would create a process for identity theft victims to have debts forgiven and credit reports removed. Victims could send certified mail to creditors claiming identity theft; if creditors don't forgive the debt and notify credit bureaus within 60 days, victims could petition court with proof they didn't incur the debt, had no knowledge of it, filed a police report, and received no benefit. The court would then order creditors to release the debt and allow credit report purging. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and is not law.
HB 180 creates a program allowing Mississippi assistant teachers with at least five years of classroom experience to have a portion of their salary (equal to the statutory minimum) waived to cover tuition for a bachelor's degree, helping them become licensed teachers. To qualify, applicants must be enrolled full-time at a Mississippi college with two years left to graduate, maintain a 2.5 GPA, pass the Praxis Core exam, and commit to teaching in the state for the duration of the grant. The State Board of Education will administer the program, report annually on teacher vacancies and provisional license hires, and require repayment of grants plus a 5% penalty if recipients fail to teach as agreed. This directly affects eligible assistant teachers and school districts participating in the salary waiver agreements.
HB 97 requires health insurers operating in Mississippi to follow Medicare's "Two-Midnight Rule" when deciding if a hospital stay is necessary. This means insurers must approve inpatient admissions only if a patient is expected to stay overnight twice (e.g., admitted one evening and staying through the next midnight), aligning their standards with Medicare. The bill applies to all health insurers licensed by Mississippi’s Insurance Department. It aims to create consistency for hospitals, insurers, and patients in coverage decisions, with implementation scheduled for July 1, 2026.
HB 96 creates an exception to Mississippi's moratorium on new home health agency certificates of need. It allows the State Department of Health to issue up to five certificates of need specifically for hospice providers who received new licenses under Section 41-85-7(3). This directly affects those five hospice licensees, enabling them to operate home health services without waiting for the general moratorium to end. The bill modifies existing law to prioritize these new hospice licensees for home health certification. The exception applies only to the five hospice providers receiving new licenses under the referenced section.
HB 18 requires towing companies in Mississippi to record the name, phone number, email, and relationship (owner, officer, or property owner) of anyone requesting vehicle towing services. Failure to record this information would waive all towing and storage fees unless the company can prove the request came from the vehicle owner. Towing companies must also report towed vehicles to local law enforcement within 24 hours (unless requested by the owner) and follow specific procedures for notifying owners and selling abandoned vehicles. The bill directly affects towing companies and vehicle requesters by creating clear documentation requirements and financial consequences for non-compliance. It aims to increase transparency in towing operations and protect consumers from unauthorized charges.
HB 27 would have required most health insurance plans in Mississippi to cover obesity treatments - including surgeries like gastric bypass and prescriptions - when a physician certifies medical necessity for patients with a body mass index (BMI) 30% above their ideal weight. It prohibited insurers from imposing extra deductibles or coinsurance for these treatments beyond standard levels and mandated reimbursement rates equal to Medicare’s for healthcare providers. The bill applied to all individual and group health plans sold in Mississippi, directly affecting residents with qualifying obesity and insurers offering coverage. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.
HB 93 establishes a framework for creating specialized domestic abuse courts in Mississippi. It allows county and chancery courts to set up these courts (with municipal courts able to participate), requiring standardized operations focused on victim safety and offender accountability through coordinated services. The bill creates a dedicated Domestic Abuse Court Fund to finance these programs, funded by court assessments and state appropriations, and mandates uniform operational standards for case management and service referrals. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
HB 150 would create a program allowing each Mississippi legislator to award $25,000 annually for public projects within their district, with funds distributed to the county where the project is located. Projects could combine grants from multiple legislators, and the Mississippi Development Authority's Community Services Division would set application criteria and oversee disbursement. The program would expire on July 1, 2029, and was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.
