HB 283 would amend Mississippi law to eliminate adverse possession as a method for gaining legal ownership of land. It prohibits any person from acquiring title to property simply by occupying it for a certain period, regardless of how long they've occupied the land. This directly affects landowners (by preventing claims against their property) and individuals who might have sought ownership through long-term occupation. The bill would change Section 15-1-13 of Mississippi's code to state that adverse possession claims "shall never vest any form of title." The bill died in committee in February 2026 and is not currently law.
HB 324 would have designated June 12 as "Women's Veterans' Day" as a legal holiday in Mississippi, adding it to the state's official list of holidays under Section 3-3-7 of the Mississippi Code. This change would have required state government offices and institutions observing legal holidays to close on June 12 each year, directly affecting state employees and public services. The bill's key mechanism was amending the state code to include this date alongside existing holidays like Independence Day and Veterans' Day. The legislation aimed to formally recognize women's military service history, including the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act.
HB 355, the "Donald J. Trump Early Voting Act," would have required Mississippi to implement a standardized 14-day early voting period for all elections (including primaries, general, runoff, special, and municipal elections), beginning 14 days before election day and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before. It would have mandated that early voting occur at county registrar offices during regular business hours, with additional locations required based on population (one per 30,000 county voters), and required public notice of voting hours in three locations eight days prior. The bill would have directly affected Mississippi voters by expanding early voting access and election officials by imposing new operational requirements. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.
HB 337 would increase Mississippi's maximum weekly unemployment benefit from its current level to $275 for benefit years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. It directly affects unemployed workers in Mississippi who qualify for the highest level of unemployment benefits under current law, as it raises the cap on their weekly payments. The bill amends Section 71-5-503 of the Mississippi Code to establish $275 as the new maximum, replacing the previous calculation-based cap. This change would take effect on July 1, 2026, though the bill died in committee before enactment.
HB 330 appropriates $3 million from Mississippi's State General Fund to the Department of Employment Security (as fiscal agent) for the Mississippi Connecting Career and Technical Education Employability (MissCATEE) Program for fiscal year 2027. The funding supports career and technical education initiatives aimed at improving workforce readiness for participants in the program. This procedural bill, which died in committee on February 3, 2026, does not create new policy but allocates existing funds for an established program.
HB 358 would have allowed individuals convicted of felony embezzlement (under Sections 97-23-19 or 97-23-25) to petition for expungement of their conviction 14 years after completing all sentence terms. However, the bill explicitly excluded public officials - such as state, county, city, or town officers - from eligibility for expungement related to convictions tied to their official duties (Section 5). This created a contradiction, as the bill’s title targeted officers but barred them from the relief it proposed. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.
HB 347 revised Mississippi's mental health governance by changing how the State Board of Mental Health is appointed and removing Senate confirmation for the Executive Director. It updated board membership requirements (including district representation and professional qualifications), adjusted term lengths, and eliminated the Senate confirmation step for the Executive Director position. The bill also modified term expiration dates for current members and set limits on consecutive service for board members. This legislation directly affected the State Board of Mental Health, its appointed members, and the Executive Director role. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.
HB 348 establishes the MissHEALTH Pilot Program, providing financial grants to Mississippi law enforcement agencies for transporting individuals experiencing mental health or behavioral crises to hospitals or treatment facilities. The program requires participating agencies to contribute a 25% funding match, mandates coordination with mental health professionals to confirm hospital availability, and requires law enforcement to stay at facilities for up to two hours to ensure evaluation. It also authorizes telehealth assessments where available and specifies protocols for transporting individuals without arrests when crisis teams determine mental health needs. The program is jointly administered by the Departments of Finance, Mental Health, and Medicaid, with grants subject to annual appropriations.
HB 323 requires Mississippi public community colleges and state universities to prioritize class registration for Mississippi residents over nonresident students. Specifically, it mandates that the Mississippi Community College Board and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions develop a registration system giving all Mississippi residents first access to classes before nonresidents can register. This policy directly affects all prospective students applying to these institutions, as nonresidents would only gain registration access after in-state students have secured their course placements. The bill does not alter tuition rates, financial aid, or other enrollment policies, focusing solely on the sequence of class registration.
HB 318 would automatically restore voting rights for Mississippi residents convicted of vote fraud, crimes listed in Section 241 of the state constitution, or other historically disenfranchising offenses once they complete all sentencing requirements (such as probation or fines). It directly affects people who have finished serving their sentences but were previously barred from voting. The bill amends election laws to automatically reinstate their voter registration without requiring them to apply for restoration. This change applies to all qualifying convictions without additional steps.
HB 297 would have authorized mobile sports wagering in Mississippi by defining "digital platform" as entities operating sports betting online via websites or apps. It revised gaming license fees based on platform revenue and removed a ban on fantasy sports contests involving college athletes. The bill directly affected licensed sports betting operators and the Mississippi Gaming Commission, which would have regulated these digital services. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted into law.
HB 317 would require all Mississippi public school districts to adopt and implement age-appropriate policies banning student cell phone use during the entire academic school day (from first bell to last bell), including classrooms, hallways, and lunch periods. The policies must prohibit suspensions or expulsions for violations, allow exceptions for students with health needs or Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and mandate that schools post the rules online. Elementary schools would generally ban phones entirely during school hours, while middle schools would require phones to be stored and turned off. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.
