SB 2053 requires Mississippi's Secretary of State to mail postcards to all registered voters at least 30 days before any election, listing their designated polling place. Local governments must provide the Secretary of State with current polling place locations 90 days before elections and update changes immediately. If a polling place changes less than 30 days before an election, the Secretary of State must send updated information via certified mail as soon as possible. The bill amends existing election laws to ensure voters receive timely, accurate polling place information.
SB 2025 would have required Mississippi Medicaid and health insurers to ensure equal coverage for nonopioid pain medications compared to opioids. Specifically, it mandated that nonopioid drugs approved by the FDA for pain treatment could not be listed as "less covered" than opioids on preferred drug lists, and insurers must develop and submit plans covering at least two nonopioid drug options and three non-drug pain treatment alternatives (like physical therapy). Insurers would also need to publicly share these plans and avoid stricter prior authorization rules for nonopioid treatments than for opioids. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never took effect.
SB 2034, the "Restoration of the Right to Vote Act," automatically restores voting rights for Mississippi residents convicted of vote fraud or specific crimes listed in Section 241 of the 1890 Mississippi Constitution (or later interpreted disenfranchising crimes) once they complete all sentencing requirements. It directly affects individuals who were otherwise qualified voters but had their voting rights suspended due to these convictions. The bill amends election code sections to require automatic restoration of voting rights into the state voter database upon completion of sentencing, eliminating the need for separate applications or court petitions. This policy change applies to all such convictions without requiring additional action from the individual, while maintaining existing voter eligibility requirements like citizenship and residency.
SB 2057 prohibits wind power devices (like turbines) over 150 feet tall within any 100-square-mile area where 11 or more federally reported bird bands were collected in the past decade. It directly affects wind energy developers planning new projects in these designated zones, which are identified using bird banding data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The bill includes an exception for projects under construction or operational before July 1, 2026, and takes effect on that date. The law aims to balance renewable energy development with waterfowl conservation by restricting taller turbines in areas with significant bird activity.
SB 2091 would move Mississippi's primary election date for statewide, legislative, county, and county district offices from its current timing to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June. It amends Mississippi Code sections 23-15-191 (governing primaries) and 21-9-17 (governing municipal elections) to implement this change, requiring primaries to be held no later than 160 days before general elections. The bill was introduced in 2026 but died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not advance to become law.
SB 2029 proposes to amend Mississippi's divorce law by removing the "willful and obstinate" requirement for desertion (the fourth ground for divorce) and adding a new no-fault ground: divorce may be granted when a court finds a marriage is "irretrievably broken" and further reconciliation attempts are impractical or not in the best interests of the parties or family. This change would allow individuals seeking divorce to avoid proving specific fault (like desertion or adultery) and instead focus on the marriage's fundamental breakdown. The bill directly affects anyone in Mississippi pursuing divorce who can demonstrate the marriage cannot be saved, shifting the legal standard toward mutual agreement on irreconcilable differences. The proposal was introduced but died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.
Mississippi's SB 2077 would criminalize the sale of human remains or body parts by amending state law to explicitly prohibit selling a dead body or any part of one. The bill imposes penalties of up to five years in prison, a $500 fine, or both for violations. It directly affects individuals or entities attempting to sell human remains, such as in illicit markets or improper disposal scenarios. The bill, which died in committee on February 3, 2026, would have taken effect July 1, 2026, if passed. (Note: This is a procedural bill addressing criminal penalties, not a substantive policy change.)
SB 2049 would require all candidates for elected offices in Mississippi to be natural-born U.S. citizens. It directly affects over 15 types of positions, including state officials (like Agriculture Commissioner and Transportation Commissioners), local leaders (sheriffs, mayors, school board members), and county officers (coroners, tax assessors). The bill amends existing qualification laws to add this citizenship requirement, replacing previous rules that allowed naturalized citizens in some cases, with the change applying to elections held after January 1, 2020.
SB 2035 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections to collect specific data on inmates, probationers, and correctional facilities. It mandates detailed information including inmate demographics, offense types (with flags for gang involvement, habitual offender status, or sex offender registration), sentencing details, rehabilitation progress, facility population, staffing levels, and daily costs. The department must publish aggregated, confidential datasets online in accessible formats, allowing public access to real-time or monthly reports on facility operations and inmate information. This bill directly affects incarcerated individuals, probationers, and correctional facilities by standardizing data collection for transparency and reporting purposes.
SB 2065 authorizes Mississippi public school districts to hire licensed social workers and psychologists to provide student services, with districts meeting a 1:1,000 student-to-staff ratio eligible for 50% state reimbursement of their salaries. School boards set compensation, and the State Department of Education would reimburse eligible districts after application. The bill, which died in committee in February 2026, would have taken effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting school districts and their students by increasing access to mental health support. It focuses on concrete funding mechanics rather than outcomes.
SB 2030 extends cancer coverage benefits under Mississippi's First Responders Health and Safety Act to include active first responders and certain retired first responders. It adds that retired first responders who retired between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2026, qualify, plus those retiring after July 1, 2026, get coverage for up to five years post-retirement. The bill maintains existing benefit structures: $35,000 lump sums for advanced cancers (with metastasis or terminal diagnosis) and $6,250 for specific early-stage cancers, capped at $50,000 lifetime. Retired responders remain ineligible for disability benefits under the law.
SB 2080 would amend Mississippi law to permit certain employees of the Secretary of State's office - specifically those authorized to conduct investigations or regulatory enforcement - to carry firearms while performing their official duties. This change would add these employees to an existing list of state workers (like wildlife officers and some law enforcement personnel) already allowed to carry weapons under the same conditions. The bill does not alter current requirements, such as completing weapons training or passing background checks, which remain mandatory for all authorized firearm carriers. The bill was referred to committee but died there without further action.
