SB 2471, the "State Treasury Efficiency and Transparency Act," requires the Mississippi State Treasurer to annually review public funds receiving interest from pooled investment vehicles to identify accounts with no activity beyond interest receipts. If such accounts aren't legally mandated to retain interest, the Treasurer may stop their interest allocation and direct their closure or consolidation. The bill also mandates state agencies to review all their funds and report details to the Treasurer, who must then compile and share this data with the Legislative Budget Office and legislative services offices. This directly affects state agencies managing dormant or inactive accounts and aims to improve transparency and reduce administrative costs in state treasury operations.
HB 1345 creates administrative forfeiture procedures for unregistered vaping products (ENDS) and cigarettes seized in Mississippi. It directly affects businesses or individuals selling these products without state registration, as the state can seize and forfeit items valued under $20,000 without criminal charges. Key mechanisms include mandatory notice via mail or newspaper publication, a 30-day window for owners to contest forfeiture in court, and requiring the seller to bear seizure and disposal costs. The bill applies to violations of Mississippi’s product directory laws, taking effect January 1, 2026.
HB 1620 establishes the Bayou Casotte Industrial Zone in unincorporated Jackson County, Mississippi, to protect existing industrial land from municipal annexation. The bill defines precise boundaries for the zone (detailed in the bill text) and prohibits any municipality from annexing this area, preventing additional property taxes without corresponding municipal services. It preserves existing tax exemptions for industrial property within the zone and ensures businesses there avoid double taxation from both county and municipal sources. The law directly affects industrial businesses and taxpayers in this specific zone, aiming to support economic growth by maintaining a stable tax environment.
This bill regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that handle prescription drug coverage for Mississippi state employees' health plans. It requires PBMs to obtain licenses from the Insurance Commissioner, explain claim denials within seven days, and stop practices like "spread pricing" (charging different prices to different pharmacies). The bill transfers oversight from the State Board of Pharmacy to the Insurance Commissioner, creates a special fund for oversight, and updates how the state selects PBMs for its health plan. These changes directly affect state employees receiving prescription drug coverage through the state health insurance plan.
HB 1732 authorizes the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration to sell a state-owned property in Lauderdale County (specifically the Highway Safety Patrol's Troop H headquarters and Driver Service Bureau facility at 910 Highway 11/80 in Meridian) to Compass DataCenters JAN I LLC. The bill requires the sale price to be at least the fair market value, determined by two appraisals - one selected by the Department of Public Safety - ensuring the state receives full market value. Compass DataCenters will pay all closing costs associated with the transaction. This bill directly affects the state government (as the seller) and Compass DataCenters (as the buyer), with no broader public impact.
Mississippi's SB 2638 amends food labeling laws to clarify rules around misbranded meat and dairy products. It adds a specific definition for "cell-cultured dairy products" (products made from animal cells grown outside a live animal) and expands the definition of "identifying meat terms" to prevent consumer confusion with plant-based or lab-grown alternatives. The bill also clarifies the Mississippi Department of Agriculture's authority to inspect food facilities based on complaints and updates penalties for selling misbranded products. These changes directly affect food manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by setting clearer labeling standards for new food products. The bill does not ban any products but ensures they are accurately labeled to avoid misleading terms.
SB 2695 exempts Medicare-certified long-term acute care hospitals in Mississippi from a state hospital assessment used to fund Medicaid, subject to approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This bill directly affects long-term acute care hospitals that meet Medicare certification requirements. The exemption would remove these facilities from paying the annual assessment calculated based on non-Medicare hospital inpatient days. The change requires CMS approval before taking effect, as specified in the bill's language.
SB 2850 expands Mississippi's Advantage Jobs Act by allowing qualified businesses to receive incentive payments for up to 10 years, with potential extensions. To qualify for the initial 10-year period, businesses must meet job creation (minimum 10 full-time jobs) and wage requirements (average salary at least 125% of state/county average wage). For a 5-year extension, businesses must create 3,000 new jobs within 5 years and maintain average wages at 150% of the state/county average. A second 10-year extension requires an additional 4,000 new jobs (net of the first 3,000) while sustaining the same wage threshold, all verified by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. This directly affects businesses meeting these specific job and wage criteria in eligible counties.
HB 417 adds 58 specific synthetic opioids to Mississippi's Schedule I of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, classifying them as having no legitimate medical use and a high potential for harm. The bill directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or using these listed substances, including fentanyl analogs like acetyl-alpha-methylfentanyl, beta-hydroxyfentanyl, and others. Key provisions include listing exact chemical names (e.g., "4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl" and "2'-fluoro ortho-fluorofentanyl") and defining structural modifications that would automatically classify related compounds under Schedule I. This expands Mississippi's legal restrictions to include these newly designated substances, aligning with federal analog laws but applying specifically to state enforcement.
SB 2714 creates a new process for handling unclaimed property in safe deposit boxes in Mississippi. It establishes specific rules to determine when contents are presumed abandoned (e.g., if the owner's last-known address is invalid), requiring banks to report and transfer such property to the State Treasurer after a defined period. The bill removes a previous 5-year waiting period for transferring funds from cancelled warrants to the Abandoned Property Fund and clarifies key terms like "tangible personal property" and "last-known address." This directly affects banks, financial institutions holding safe deposit boxes, and individuals with unclaimed property in those boxes. The law aims to streamline the unclaimed property process for safe deposit contents under Mississippi's Unclaimed Property Act.
SB 2041 directs Mississippi's Department of Corrections (MDOC) to conduct a study on dyslexia prevalence among inmates. The study requires MDOC to screen inmates using approved methods, collect anonymized demographic and educational data, and analyze links between dyslexia, educational background, disciplinary records, and recidivism. All data must comply with privacy laws (HIPAA/FERPA), and inmates can opt out without penalty. MDOC must submit a report to the legislature by December 31, 2026, including findings and recommendations for potential educational or rehabilitation programs. This bill does not create new programs or funding but authorizes a data-gathering study affecting all inmates under MDOC jurisdiction.
SB 2036 clarifies that nonviolent Mississippi inmates eligible for parole may be released without a hearing to parole supervision on their parole eligibility date, at the State Parole Board’s discretion, if they meet specific conditions. These conditions include completing their parole case plan, having no recent violations, securing victim consent (or no victim request for a hearing), agreeing to supervision terms, and having an approved discharge plan. The bill does not change who qualifies for parole eligibility but streamlines the process for compliant nonviolent inmates who meet these criteria. It maintains requirements for hearings if victims request one, if there are public safety concerns raised by law enforcement, or if the inmate hasn’t met case plan requirements. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
