HB 246 requires Mississippi's State Board of Education to create a uniform policy for student residency rules that all local school boards must follow when enrolling public school students. This policy would standardize existing rules about where students must live to attend a school district, while preserving current exceptions allowing transfers for military families, school employees' children, transportation issues, and siblings. The bill does not change the existing rights of parents to legally transfer children between districts under current law (like Section 37-15-31) but mandates all school boards adhere to the new statewide policy. The bill died in committee in 2026 and never became law.
HB 274 removes outdated reporting requirements for county sheriff, assessor, and tax collector offices. Specifically, it eliminates the need for these officials to file monthly expense reports with the board of supervisors for approval and removes the requirement for the board to appropriate a quarterly lump sum for their office expenses. The bill does not change existing budget procedures for salaries, bonds, or other operational funding. This procedural update would have directly affected county-level law enforcement and tax administration offices across Mississippi. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026.
HB 247 designates June 19 as "Juneteenth Freedom Day" in Mississippi to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, specifically referencing the date enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865. The bill adds this day to Mississippi's official calendar of commemorative observances but explicitly states it will not be a legal holiday and will not cost the state money. It clarifies that June 19 is a day for reflection and celebration of freedom, not a paid day off for state employees or schools. The bill aligns with existing Mississippi code that designates other non-holiday commemorative days, such as Elvis Presley Day and Hernando de Soto Day.
HB 203 updates Mississippi's legal language to use respectful terminology for people with disabilities. It requires all state legislation, rules, and agency documents to replace outdated terms like "disabled," "handicapped," "crippled," and "mentally retarded" with person-centered language such as "persons with disabilities" or "persons with intellectual disabilities." This change applies to all new and existing laws, resolutions, and agency rules drafted by the legislative offices or state agencies. The bill aims to promote dignity and inclusion by ensuring language reflects people as individuals first, not defined by their disability.
HB 237 would create a STEM pilot program for high-performing math students in grades 4-8 within 13 Delta region school districts plus Jasper, Clarke, and Jones Counties. The program requires schools to offer career presentations, employer field trips, college visits, and scholarship information to motivate students toward STEM fields. Participating districts must annually report student participation, academic progress, and program activities to the State Department of Education, which will compile these reports for legislative review by 2029. The bill aims to address Mississippi’s STEM workforce shortages by exposing students early to career opportunities and academic pathways.
HB 232 establishes the Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program to ensure rural hospitals in Mississippi have access to specialty doctors when major hospitals are on diversion (unable to accept more patients). The Mississippi Department of Health would administer grants to eligible rural hospitals (defined as having 50 or fewer acute beds), distributing funds based on factors like hospital size, distance from major hospitals, local health demographics, and specific specialty needs. The program requires the Department to create payment rules and regulations to support this goal, with implementation planned for July 1, 2026. However, the bill died in committee in February 2026 and has not become law.
HB 275 increases the number of days counties and cities in Mississippi can declare as legal holidays to replace certain existing holidays, from one day to two days. Specifically, local governments may now choose two days (like Mardi Gras or other dates) instead of just one to serve as official holidays in lieu of holidays listed in state law, excluding Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Veterans' Day. The bill does not create new holidays but adjusts local flexibility in holiday scheduling. This is a procedural change affecting only county and municipal governing bodies, not individual residents or businesses.
This bill requires Mississippi's Medicaid program to apply for federal waivers to eliminate waiting lists for home and community-based care services. It specifically targets older adults and people with disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. The bill directs Medicaid to use existing funds to provide these services immediately upon waiver approval, removing current delays in access. (Note: This bill died in committee in 2026 and did not become law.)
HB 229 requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a process for selecting subgrantees (organizations receiving state grant funds) that ensures these recipients reflect the demographic makeup of the community eligible for each specific grant program. It directly affects DHS, which must implement this process when awarding grants, and the subgrantees that apply for or receive those funds. The key provision mandates DHS to develop and use this demographic reflection process during subgrantee selection. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.
HB 228, a proposed Mississippi bill, would require unemployed SNAP and TANF recipients aged 18+ to take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education). If they score below 12th-grade level in any subject, they must enroll in a community college remedial program and retake the test until they meet the standard. The bill, which died in committee in February 2026, would have taken effect July 1, 2026, but is not currently law. It directly affects low-income adults receiving food assistance or cash aid who are not working.
HB 224 would expand Mississippi's Medicaid program to cover adults under 65 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and children under 19 with family incomes between 133% and 200% FPL, aligning with federal Affordable Care Act and CHIP standards. The bill repeals existing Mississippi Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) rules (Sections 41-86-1 and 41-86-5 through 41-86-15) and modifies Medicaid eligibility categories to include these new groups. It directly affects low-income Mississippi residents who currently fall outside existing Medicaid coverage due to income thresholds. The policy change would extend health coverage to approximately 100,000 additional Mississippians, per federal guidelines. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
HB 270 would allow municipalities in counties with seven or more cities to form joint police departments through a resolution process. It requires governing authorities to determine it serves their best interests (considering efficiency and cost savings), then establishes a governing board composed of mayors from participating cities and the county sheriff. The board would handle hiring, budgeting, equipment, and operations for the shared department. This bill directly affects municipalities seeking consolidated law enforcement services within qualifying counties.
