This bill would require dental and medical practices in Mississippi to offer patients their records after the legally required retention period ends. If patients decline to take their records, practices must obtain written confirmation of their decision. It directly affects healthcare providers (dentists and physicians) and their patients regarding access to medical and dental records.
HB 405 amends Mississippi's statutory rape law to create a rebuttable presumption that the crime was not committed if both parties were in a consensual relationship while enrolled as secondary school students (grades 7-12). This specifically affects cases involving dating teenagers in high school or middle school, shifting the burden to prove the relationship was non-consensual or that the students weren't enrolled together. The key provision adds Section (1)(c) to the statute, requiring proof of a consensual relationship and shared enrollment to rebut the presumption. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
HB 385 increases the civil filing fee by $15 (from prior amounts) for all civil cases filed in chancery and circuit courts. This fee is required to be deposited exclusively into the Civil Legal Assistance Fund, which must then allocate all funds to the Mississippi Center for Legal Services. The bill specifies that these funds must provide legal services to low-income Mississippans only, following guidelines set by the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C. It also prohibits using these funds for matters prohibited by the Legal Services Corporation or for non-eligible individuals.
HB 384 adds a $1 state assessment to criminal fines for specific offenses, including traffic violations exceeding speed limits by 10+ mph, DUI-related offenses under the Implied Consent Law, and game/fish law violations. This fee directly affects individuals convicted of these offenses, with the revenue funding the Civil Legal Assistance Fund to support free legal aid for low-income residents. The bill modifies existing assessment structures to redirect $1 from traffic fines and $1 from DUI fines into this fund, while other assessments (like those for public defenders) remain unchanged. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.
HB 383 requires Mississippi car insurance policies to automatically include uninsured motorist coverage limits equal to the policyholder's bodily injury liability coverage limits (and property damage limits equal to property damage liability limits), effective July 1, 2026. Policyholders can choose in writing to accept lower limits, but not below the state's minimum requirements. This applies to new policies and renewals unless the policyholder specifically requests lower limits in writing. The bill directly affects all Mississippi drivers purchasing auto insurance by changing how uninsured motorist coverage limits are set.
HB 410 would have required Mississippi's State Board of Education to create two new high school curricula: a civics course teaching U.S. citizenship responsibilities (to be implemented by 2027-2028) and a home economics course covering parenting, family skills, child development, nutrition, and health (to begin in 2026-2027). The bill directly affected all Mississippi public high schools and their students by mandating these specific subjects be added to existing curricula. It died in committee on February 3, 2026, meaning it did not become law and these requirements were never implemented. The proposed changes focused on concrete curriculum development, not broader policy shifts.
HB 386 specifies that the Civil Legal Assistance Fund in Mississippi must be funded by a $5 fee from every civil court filing in chancery courts, along with fees from specialized vehicle tags (as outlined in Sections 27-19-56.99 and 27-19-56.135). The bill clarifies that these funds, plus any legislative appropriations, must exclusively support free civil legal services for low-income Mississippi residents. It prohibits using the funds for cases banned by the Legal Services Corporation or for ineligible individuals. Recipients must follow a poverty-based allocation formula and submit annual reports to the Supreme Court. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.
HB 406 creates a hardship driver's license for Mississippi residents whose regular license was suspended due to unpaid child support. To qualify, applicants must prove hardship (like job loss) through court review and provide documentation, including a recommendation from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The license costs $25, is valid for four years, and restricts driving only to work or religious services - no commercial vehicles allowed. It also requires the license to look distinct from a standard license and updates fee structures for hardship licenses in state law.
HB 407 would remove Robert E. Lee's birthday (previously observed as Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of April) from Mississippi's list of legal state holidays. It would also ensure the third Monday of January is exclusively recognized as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, with no other holiday observed on that date. This change would eliminate the state holiday on the last Monday of April, affecting government offices, public schools, and businesses that observe state holidays. The bill does not alter the existing holiday for Jefferson Davis' birthday, which remains part of the last Monday of May.
HB 409 would expand Mississippi's Medicaid program to cover low-income adults under age 65 who are not pregnant, not enrolled in Medicare, and have household income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level (approximately $19,000 annually for an individual). This would directly affect working-age adults who currently do not qualify for Medicaid under Mississippi's existing eligibility rules. The bill amends Section 43-13-115 of Mississippi law to add this new coverage category, aligning with federal Affordable Care Act provisions. It would provide health insurance for approximately 100,000 additional Mississippi residents who previously fell into a coverage gap.
HB 387 creates the Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund, a new state fund administered by the Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation. The bill changes the $152 filing fee for expungement petitions (to clear criminal records) by redirecting $2 of that fee to the new fund instead of other accounts. This $2 per petition will be deposited into the fund, which can also accept private or public donations, with money not lapsing at year-end. The fund will distribute money to legal service centers statewide through legislative appropriations, directly supporting low-income legal aid providers.
HB 382 would have required all auto insurance policies sold in Mississippi to include mandatory uninsured motorist coverage for both bodily injury/death and property damage. This would directly affect drivers purchasing auto insurance, ensuring they have protection if hit by an at-fault driver without insurance. The bill set minimum coverage limits based on state law and allowed policyholders to choose higher limits up to their liability coverage amount, while permitting a $200 deductible for property damage claims. The bill was referred to the Insurance Committee but died there on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
