HB 1914 appropriates $213,717 from state funds for the Mississippi State Board of Nursing Home Administrators to cover its expenses during fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill specifically allocates $144,610 for "Personal Services," meaning staff salaries and benefits for the board’s two authorized positions, with strict rules preventing use for promotions, salary increases, or filling vacancies beyond 2026. It requires the board to maintain detailed financial records matching 2026 standards and prohibits using these funds to replace federal money or violate IRS reporting rules. This is a funding bill, not a policy change, directly affecting the board’s operational budget.
HB 1923 appropriates $175,312 from state funds to cover the Mississippi Athletic Commission’s expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027), with $58,867 specifically designated for employee salaries, wages, and benefits. The bill strictly limits "Personal Services" spending to prevent exceeding this salary budget, prohibits using these funds for promotions or salary increases, and requires the Commission to maintain detailed financial records matching its FY2026 reporting standards. It also mandates that any future budget requests for FY2028 must follow the same detailed format as the current year’s submission.
HB 1918 appropriates $165,187 for the Mississippi State Board of Psychology to cover its operating expenses during fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It specifically allocates $93,714 for "Personal Services," including salaries and benefits for one permanent employee position, with strict rules prohibiting fund transfers to other categories. The bill requires compliance with Mississippi’s Variable Compensation Plan, mandates no salary reductions below state minimums, and restricts vacancy funding to filling unfilled positions - not salary increases for current staff. It also mandates detailed accounting and budget reporting for these funds.
HB 1892 appropriates $62,100 from state funds to cover the operational costs of Mississippi's State Board of Registration for Foresters for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill specifically allocates $18,626 for upgrading the board’s licensing system database. It requires the board to maintain detailed financial records matching 2026 standards and mandates that purchases prioritize Mississippi Industries for the Blind when bids are equal. The funding must comply with existing state budget laws prohibiting overspending.
HB 1907 appropriates $1,704,723 from the State Treasury to fund the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill specifically allocates $795,564 for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and benefits) with strict rules: funds cannot be transferred to other categories, vacancy funding ($154,556) must fill existing unfilled positions (not raise current salaries), and all spending must comply with the Variable Compensation Plan. Additionally, the board must adopt two policies before using funds: (1) no wigology licensing, and (2) continued practice for existing wig specialists under pre-2014 rules. This is a procedural budget bill with no new regulations, solely governing the board’s spending of existing funds.
HB 1915 appropriates $4,825,690 from state special funds to cover the Mississippi Board of Nursing's expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It specifically allocates $1,560,000 for the Office of Nursing Workforce (ONW) to administer nursing education programs under state law. The bill restricts $2,437,192 of the total to "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits), requiring strict adherence to budget limits and prohibiting use for promotions or salary increases beyond authorized headcounts. This is a funding authorization bill with no policy changes, solely ensuring operational budgeting for the Board of Nursing.
HB 1937 appropriates $11,456,706 from general funds and $4,888,390 from special funds to support the Mississippi Library Commission for fiscal year 2027. The bill specifically allocates $3,475,228 for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits) to cover 49 authorized positions (48 permanent and 1 time-limited), with strict limits preventing salary increases or headcount expansions without new funding. It requires the Library Commission to use these funds solely for employee compensation, prohibits using general funds to replace withdrawn federal or special funds, and mandates quarterly payments of Personnel Incentive Grants to public library systems. This funding directly affects the Library Commission's operations and public libraries receiving incentive grants.
HB 1910 allocates $7,847,403 from the State General Fund and $525,500 from a special fire academy fund to cover the State Fire Academy's expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill specifies that $6,080,871 of the general funds must be used exclusively for employee salaries, wages, and benefits for 62 permanent staff positions, with strict rules to prevent overspending and ensure vacancy funding is only used to fill open positions (not for raises or promotions). It requires all staffing changes to stay within budget limits and mandates Department of Finance and Administration approval for any increases, along with proof of additional funding if needed.
HB 1916 provides $256,272 in state funding from special funds to cover the State Board of Optometry's operating expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill requires the Board to maintain detailed financial records matching 2026 standards and directs that Mississippi Industries for the Blind receive procurement preference for goods/services when bids are equal. It also mandates compliance with existing budget laws limiting agency spending to approved amounts. This is a procedural funding measure with no policy changes to optometry practice or regulations.
HB 898 creates a 15-member Sales Tax Diversion Study Committee to examine how Mississippi allocates sales tax revenue between the state Department of Revenue and local municipalities. The committee must review current practices, assess financial impacts on communities, analyze technology for accurate distribution, and evaluate oversight mechanisms. It will develop recommendations for legislative or administrative changes to be submitted to the 2027 Legislature by December 1, 2026. This directly affects municipalities (both large and small) and the state revenue agency, focusing on improving revenue allocation fairness. The committee will dissolve by January 1, 2027, unless extended.
SB 2527 requires solar energy companies (grantees) to plan for and cover the costs of removing solar panels and restoring land after a solar facility agreement ends. It mandates that agreements with landowners include specific financial guarantees - starting at 5% of removal costs when operations begin, increasing to 50% after 10 years, and 100% after 15 years - to ensure land restoration. The bill applies to all solar facilities 5MW or larger (excluding smaller projects unless specified in agreements) and prohibits contracts that waive a company’s liability for removal or restoration. It also prevents local governments from imposing stricter removal requirements than those set by the bill.
HB 1385 removes a requirement that Mississippi counties submit paper original applications for homestead exemptions to the Department of Revenue (DOR) and retain paper copies. This bill amends sections of Mississippi law to eliminate the physical paper submission and retention process for homestead exemption applications, affecting county tax assessors and the DOR. The bill does not change eligibility rules, application content, or the requirement for applicants to submit forms (including triplicate copies). It streamlines administrative procedures by removing paper-based handling, focusing solely on the procedural change for county and state offices.
