HB 736 requires Mississippi voter registrars to verify U.S. citizenship for new applicants by submitting their information to the federal SAVE system (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements). If SAVE flags an applicant as potentially non-citizen, the registrar must send a 30-day notice requesting proof of citizenship (e.g., birth certificate or passport); failure to provide proof may result in the applicant being marked "pending" (allowing an affidavit ballot) or "rejected" after the next federal election. Registrars must annually report flagged applicants to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary must conduct two annual checks of voter records against SAVE, reporting results to the legislature.
HB 757 automatically removes eligible criminal convictions from public records for first-time offenders once they complete all sentence terms, including probation or fines. It directly affects Mississippi residents convicted of qualifying offenses who have no prior criminal history. The bill eliminates the need for a court petition by requiring courts to issue expungement orders automatically upon sentence completion, waiving associated fees, and retaining only a nonpublic record for future offender status determination. This restores individuals to their pre-arrest legal status, removing barriers like employment or housing discrimination tied to sealed records.
HB 741 establishes Mississippi's minimum wage at $10.00 per hour for most workers, directly affecting hourly employees across the state. It exempts tipped employees (like waitstaff) from the $10 rate, requiring employers to pay $3.62 per hour base wage while allowing tips to make up the difference. The bill mandates overtime pay at 1.5x the regular rate for workers earning $455 or less weekly, specifically protecting manual laborers, public safety workers (police, firefighters, etc.), and non-managerial staff from being denied overtime. It also aligns Mississippi's wage laws with federal standards for uncovered employees.
HB 755, the "Good Faith in Employment Act," abolishes Mississippi's employment-at-will doctrine, requiring employers with 20+ employees to terminate staff only for legitimate business reasons - not arbitrary, discriminatory, or retaliatory ones. It defines "good faith" termination as avoiding reasons like race, gender, reporting illegal conduct, workers' compensation claims, or personal dislike, and explicitly prohibits termination during an employee’s first 90-day probation. Employees wrongfully terminated can sue for lost wages, mental distress, and capped punitive damages (up to $300,000 based on employer size), with claims must be filed within one year of termination. The law aims to balance employee protections with business viability by limiting damages and emphasizing business-related justifications for termination.
HB 744 amends Mississippi's capital murder statute to include deaths resulting from domestic violence as a capital offense. Specifically, it adds "domestic violence as provided in Section 97-3-7" to the list of crimes (alongside rape, burglary, and robbery) that trigger capital murder charges if a death occurs during the commission of the crime. This change means individuals who cause a death while committing domestic violence (as legally defined) would face capital murder charges instead of lesser murder charges. The bill does not alter Mississippi's definition of domestic violence but explicitly expands the circumstances under which a killing qualifies as capital murder. It will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Mississippi's HB 753 prohibits dumping dead wildlife, wildlife parts, or waste in streets, waterways, private property (without permission), or other specified areas. Anyone convicted of this violation will have their hunting license revoked for one year by the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and cannot obtain a new license during that period. The bill also adds requirements for offenders to remove dumped wildlife, restore damaged property, perform community service related to cleanup, and cover investigation costs. This directly affects hunters who improperly dispose of wildlife remains, with the Commission enforcing the license revocation as a core penalty.
HB 742 allows farm and agricultural operations with valid harvest permits to pay their annual highway privilege tax in person at their county tax collector instead of electronically. County tax collectors must accept the payment, provide written proof, and forward funds to the Mississippi Department of Revenue within 30 days, while retaining up to 1% of the tax for administrative costs. This change directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses transporting goods under harvest permits. The bill streamlines payment options for these operations without altering tax rates or eligibility criteria.
HB 743 allows Mississippi's Department of Public Safety (DPS) to enter contracts with towns to provide security using Capitol Improvement District (CCID) officers during specific periods. It directly affects municipalities that choose to contract with DPS for security services on their properties. The bill amends existing law to authorize these contracts, enabling DPS to deploy CCID officers (state security personnel) for patrols and responding to alarms rather than stationing officers permanently. This expands DPS's existing security contracting authority beyond state buildings to include town properties. The bill does not create new officers or mandate contracts - towns must voluntarily enter agreements.
HB 746 removes a limit preventing counties from receiving additional fire truck funding after obtaining assistance for eight rounds (sets of trucks) under Mississippi's Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program. This change directly affects counties that had previously received funding for eight rounds and wished to apply for more assistance. The bill modifies Section 17-23-1 of the Mississippi Code to eliminate the "eight rounds requirement," allowing counties to continue applying for matching funds regardless of prior participation. The program itself continues to fund fire truck purchases meeting NFPA standards, with county-specific funding caps based on previous acquisitions.
HB 756 requires nursing home operators in Mississippi to maintain $1 million in liability insurance per resident for negligence, covering facilities like nursing homes, assisted living centers, hospice care, and long-term care providers. It mandates written disclosure of insurance coverage to patients before care contracts are signed and requires facilities to display this information prominently. The law also requires proof of insurance for licensing and allows the State Department of Health to suspend licenses for noncompliance. The bill amends existing licensing laws to include this insurance requirement as a condition for operating or renewing a facility license.
HB 754 modifies Mississippi's license suspension process for drivers who refuse chemical tests. It changes the rule so that the 30-day period during which a driver can legally operate a vehicle using a temporary receipt (issued after refusal) pauses ("tolls") while the driver appeals the suspension. This means the suspension period does not continue to run during the appeal process, allowing drivers to retain their temporary driving privileges until the appeal concludes. The bill directly affects drivers who refuse chemical tests and are appealing their license suspension under Section 63-11-23.
HB 740 authorizes Mississippi's Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) to monitor all economic development contracts funded with tax dollars. It requires the committee to evaluate whether minority contractor participation is "fair and equitable" by reviewing bid processes, contract awards, bid requirements, and bonding rules. The bill directly affects state agencies, contractors, and minority businesses involved in tax-funded economic development projects. The committee must assess these contracts to ensure compliance with fair participation standards, without creating new requirements for contractors.
