HB 965 removes a prohibition on commercial hazardous waste facilities and underground injection wells in Mississippi's hazardous waste management law. The bill directly affects commercial waste facilities, operators, and regulators by eliminating specific restrictions on where such sites can be located. Key provisions include deleting outdated references to the Mississippi Capacity Assurance Plan and federal requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The law maintains alignment with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards while updating administrative language. This is a procedural revision to state statutes, not a new regulatory requirement.
HB 1075 allows Mississippi housing authorities to partner with private developers on affordable housing projects by creating a new "mixed-finance project" category. This combines public funds (state or federal) with private resources like low-income housing tax credits. Housing authorities can now own, operate, or co-manage these projects through partnerships, limited liability companies, or shared liability agreements, while also enabling multiple authorities to collaborate. The bill directly affects housing authorities and private developers, making it easier to develop affordable housing by streamlining public-private financial arrangements.
SB 2472 reconstitutes Mississippi's Tax Sales Study Committee, which examines issues with the state's tax sale process - including unmerchantable property titles, blight from current sales, and procedural inconsistencies. The committee, composed of seven members (three Senate appointees, three House appointees, a chancery clerk, a tax assessor, and the Secretary of State as nonvoting member), is extended to dissolve by January 1, 2027, instead of 2026. The bill ensures all prior appointments and procedures remain valid for the reconstituted committee and requires state agencies to provide data and support upon request. This procedural bill affects state agencies, local officials involved in tax sales, and the committee’s ongoing work to evaluate reforms.
Mississippi Senate Bill 2403 increases specific fees collected by county sheriffs. It raises the processing fee for serving legal documents from $45 to $55 (Section 25-7-19), the bond approval fee from $25 to $40, and the tax notice services fee from $45 to $55 (Section 27-43-3). These fees directly affect sheriffs and the individuals or entities requiring sheriff services for court processes, bonds, or tax notices. The bill makes no changes to service procedures, only adjusting the fee amounts for existing services.
HB 1477 establishes a process for handling safe deposit boxes with unpaid rent in Mississippi. Banks must notify owners after one year of delinquency (including a 60-day window to pay) and can open boxes with two employees (one a notary) if rent remains unpaid. After three years of abandonment, banks must turn over box contents to the State Treasurer, who will sell the items at public auction. This affects bank customers with unpaid boxes, banks as property holders, and the State Treasurer as the receiver of unclaimed property.
HB 1582 modifies Mississippi law to exclude certain energy efficiency performance contracts from a 20-year repayment requirement for community and junior colleges. Specifically, it removes the 20-year payback period limit for specific energy efficiency projects involving equipment or services that reduce operating costs. This change allows community colleges to enter into these contracts without being bound by the previous 20-year repayment timeline. The bill directly affects community and junior colleges by providing more flexibility for energy efficiency investments that generate cost savings. It does not alter the definition of energy efficiency projects but adjusts the financial constraints around their implementation.
HB 1642 allows Mississippi's Secretary of State to deliver dissolution and revocation notices for corporations and LLCs exclusively via email to their registered agents' designated addresses. This bill amends multiple sections of Mississippi's business laws to replace traditional written notice with electronic mail as the sole method for serving these administrative notices. It directly affects all corporations and LLCs registered in Mississippi that have provided a valid email address for their registered agent. The key change streamlines official communication by eliminating physical mail requirements for these specific administrative actions, while maintaining all existing legal procedures and consequences for dissolved entities.
HB 1739 establishes the Corrections Overview Task Force to replace Mississippi's existing Corrections and Criminal Justice Task Force. The 13-member task force includes legislative committee chairs, department commissioners, public defender representatives, judges, parole board members, sheriffs, and advocates. It will analyze inmate death/suicide data, track past reform recommendations, study parole effectiveness and rehabilitation programs, assess sentencing standards, and prepare annual reports with findings and recommendations to the Legislature, Governor, and courts. The bill repeals the old task force's structure (Section 47-5-6) and redirects its duties to the new body.
SB 2801 increases fines for drivers using handheld phones to text or check social media while operating a vehicle in Mississippi. It sets a $250 base fine (doubled to $500 if involved in a crash) for violations in school or work zones, and a $100 base fine (doubled to $200 in crashes) elsewhere. Law enforcement must document phone use in crash reports, and no additional state assessments apply. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting drivers who text or access social media while driving.
This bill allows Mississippi Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau officers to retain their issued sidearm upon retirement, instead of returning it to the agency. It amends Section 45-9-133 of Mississippi law to explicitly permit these officers to keep one firearm as personal property when retiring under the Public Employees' Retirement System. The policy change directly affects current and future retirement of officers employed by the Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2437 defines "artificial intelligence" for Mississippi law as a machine-based system that makes predictions, recommendations, or decisions based on human-defined objectives, using inputs to analyze environments and formulate options. This bill directly affects future state laws, regulations, or policies involving AI by establishing a clear, standardized definition. It does not create new regulations or restrictions but provides a foundational term for consistent use in legislation. The definition will take effect July 1, 2026, and be codified in Mississippi Code.
HB 1647 establishes the "Mississippi Grain Indemnity Act" to create a state-administered fund compensating grain producers when licensed grain buyers fail to pay for sold grain. It requires producers to pay an annual assessment on marketed grain (collected by licensed buyers from the purchase price), with producers able to opt out by June 1 each year - but opting out disqualifies them from receiving compensation for buyer failures. The Mississippi Grain Indemnity Board administers the fund, processes claims for "contract losses" (unpaid grain sales) or "storage losses," and makes payments proportionally if funds are insufficient. Producers who remain in the program must pay assessments to maintain eligibility for compensation.
