HB 631 creates the Mississippi Work and Save Program, a state-run retirement savings initiative targeting employers in Mississippi that don’t currently offer retirement plans. It allows eligible employees (ages 18+ at participating employers) to contribute to Roth IRAs via payroll deduction, with the State Treasurer managing the program and ensuring confidentiality of participant data. Key provisions include requiring all contributions to use Roth IRAs with target-date funds, protecting employers from liability, and establishing a dedicated administrative fund. The program aims to help moderate- and lower-income workers build retirement savings, reducing future reliance on public assistance programs.
HB 627 requires Mississippi community colleges with workforce development councils to provide mobile training units (including welding) at regional correctional facilities for 90+ days annually. It directly affects nonviolent offenders housed in these facilities by offering job skills training through mobile units staffed by instructors. The bill amends existing law to mandate that workforce development centers coordinate this training, integrating it with existing workforce planning under Section 37-153-11. This policy change focuses on equipping incarcerated individuals with employable skills before release through established community college training programs.
HB 635 would amend Mississippi's workers' compensation law to deny benefits if an employee's injury resulted from intentionally breaking a specific, reasonable safety rule they knew about. Employers would need to prove three things: the rule was written clearly, communicated to the employee before the injury, and directly related to preventing harm. This change would affect employees injured while violating known safety protocols, shifting the burden of proof to employers seeking to deny compensation. The bill, which died in committee in February 2026, does not change existing exceptions for drug use or self-harm.
HB 621 would require Mississippi's Department of Corrections to fully utilize all regional correctional facilities for housing state offenders before contracting with private prisons. Specifically, the bill mandates that the department cannot enter new private incarceration contracts until regional facilities reach 80% capacity. This would directly affect the Department of Corrections and private prison operators by prioritizing state-run facilities. The bill was introduced in 2026 but died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
HB 626 requires foreign third-party litigation funders (entities based outside the U.S. that provide funding for civil cases) to disclose specific details to Mississippi's Attorney General within 30 days of signing funding agreements. This includes the name, address, and country of origin for any foreign entity with a financial stake tied to case outcomes or access to sensitive information. The law targets funders whose sources include "foreign entities of concern" (such as those linked to governments of designated countries or terrorist organizations), aiming to increase transparency around foreign influence in civil litigation. It does not apply to regular law firms, health insurers, or nonprofit legal aid organizations.
HB 625 shifts the administration of Mississippi's Main Street Revitalization Grants from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). It repeals a prior law directing MDA to distribute these funds and instead requires MDAH to manage the grant distribution to designated Main Street communities for eligible projects. The bill adjusts fiscal year 2025 appropriations by reducing MDA's allocation for this program while increasing MDAH's funding. This change ensures MDAH, not MDA, will handle the grant process for qualifying communities seeking revitalization projects.
HB 638 would prohibit anyone 16 or older from intentionally releasing or discarding non-biodegradable or non-photodegradable balloons (or balloons taking over 5 minutes to degrade in air/water) outdoors. Exceptions include scientific/meteorological releases by government agencies or recovered hot air balloons. Violators would face $25 fines per balloon, paid into Mississippi's Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and is not law.
HB 624 would have restricted Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) in Mississippi from transferring enrolled beneficiaries to another MCO or fee-for-service provider more than once every 12 months, unless a significant medical reason exists (as determined by the Medicaid Division). This bill directly affects Medicaid enrollees participating in managed care programs by preventing frequent, potentially disruptive changes in their healthcare providers. The key provision establishes a strict 12-month limit on transfers, with exceptions only for documented medical necessity. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.
This bill would require Mississippi businesses to post visible signs about animal restrictions before customers enter. It protects people with disabilities - such as those who are blind, mobility-impaired, or have PTSD - who use trained support animals. Businesses could not charge fees for support animals or deny access without clearly posted rules, and would need to keep animals leashed while preventing them from occupying seats. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and is not law.
HB 619 would authorize sheriffs and deputies in Mississippi counties with 150,000+ residents (per 2020 census) to use radar speed detection equipment on public county roads outside incorporated cities and excluding interstates. It requires county boards of supervisors to approve such use and mandates that funds from radar fines be dedicated solely to funding school resource officers. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety could intervene if abuse of the equipment is reported. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
HB 629 increases the annual enrollment cap for Mississippi's Rural Dentist Scholarship Program from three to six students. The program recruits and supports undergraduate students committed to practicing dentistry in rural or underserved Mississippi communities after dental school. Key provisions include requiring scholarship applicants to meet competitive academic standards and securing a commission majority vote for admission. The bill aims to expand access to dental care in rural areas by growing the pipeline of dentists willing to serve those communities. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 623 updates Mississippi Medicaid procedures for managed care providers during appeals. It allows a provider's direct on-site supervisor (who has begun credentialing and wasn't previously denied) to approve services and authorize payment during a credentialing appeal. It also prohibits the Medicaid Division from suspending payments to a provider during an appeal of a violation finding, unless the provider had a prior fraud conviction. These changes directly affect managed care providers in Mississippi who are appealing credentialing or violation decisions.
