HB 352 designates the Union County Heritage Museum as Mississippi's official state barbecue museum. This symbolic bill, with no substantive policy changes, takes effect July 1, 2026, formally recognizing the museum's role in preserving barbecue heritage. It directly affects the museum's official status but does not alter funding, operations, or public policy.
SB 2038 establishes a pilot program called "Our House Residential Multi-Service Center" within Mississippi's Department of Corrections at a facility in Pike County. It provides comprehensive services - including employment assistance, housing support, healthcare, and counseling - to returning citizens under community supervision who meet specific eligibility criteria (e.g., unemployed but willing to work, homeless or in at-risk housing, no violent/sex crime convictions). Participants must contribute 25-50% of program costs and complete five structured phases focused on stabilization, skill-building, workforce development, and community reintegration over 2-3 months. The bill requires annual reports on outcomes and biennial independent evaluations to measure recidivism reduction and cost savings.
SB 2032 amends Mississippi's child support guidelines to require courts to factor in the cost of health insurance coverage obtained by the noncustodial parent when calculating child support payments. If a court orders the noncustodial parent to provide health insurance for a child, the cost of that coverage must be subtracted from the parent's adjusted gross income before determining the support amount. This change directly affects noncustodial parents and Mississippi courts handling child support cases, ensuring health insurance costs are considered in the calculation. The bill does not alter existing child support percentage guidelines but adds a specific adjustment for health insurance expenses when applicable.
SB 2044 allows Mississippi public colleges and universities to share athletics-related revenue with student-athletes or compensate them for using their publicity rights (e.g., social media, endorsements). It requires all agreements between schools, student-athletes, and third parties to remain confidential - exempt from public records requests - and prohibits unauthorized disclosure, with violations subject to lawsuits for damages, injunctions, or attorney fees. The bill also amends rules for athlete agents, adding penalties for breaching confidentiality. It directly affects student-athletes at Mississippi public universities, their institutions, and third-party entities seeking to partner with athletes.
SB 2046, the "Mississippians' Right to Name, Likeness and Voice Act," grants every individual in Mississippi a legal right to control how their name, likeness, and voice are used, including by digital tools like AI-generated images or voice replicas. It requires written agreements with legal counsel for commercial use of these elements by individuals 18 or older, or court approval for minors, and allows rights to be inherited by family members for up to 10 years after death (with termination if unused for two years). The law explicitly states these rights are transferable and protects free speech in related lawsuits through a First Amendment defense. It directly affects all Mississippi residents and businesses using personal identifiers commercially, especially in digital contexts.
SB 2108 amends Mississippi bail laws to directly affect bail agents, defendants seeking release, and charitable bail funds. It requires suspending a bail agent’s license if a court rules they owe money to an insurer due to employment issues (license may be reinstated after payment), clarifies that credit card fees aren’t part of bail premiums, and allows defendants to post 10% of bail as cash with eligibility requirements (including a sworn affidavit). The bill prohibits unsecured release for defendants charged with "bail-restricted offenses" (requiring secured bonds instead), mandates charitable bail funds follow the same rules as surety companies, and requires courts to provide statutory notice before accepting cash bail. These changes aim to increase accountability for bail agents and standardize cash bail procedures.
SB 2004, the Mississippi PERS Stability Act, transfers $500 million from Mississippi's Capital Expense Fund to the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) on July 1, 2026, followed by annual $50 million transfers through 2036. If insufficient funds exist in the Capital Expense Fund, the state will use General Funds to ensure the full $50 million is transferred each year. This directly stabilizes funding for Mississippi's public employees' retirement system, which serves state and local government workers. The bill requires these specific, scheduled transfers to address long-term retirement system funding needs.
SB 2003 shortens the waiting period for retired Mississippi educators to return to teaching from 90 to 45 days. It removes requirements that retirees must have a minimum service history, teach only in districts with critical shortages, or work only in specific subject areas. The bill also sets a 65% cap on salary for returning retirees, adjusts pension liability payments, and allows school districts to cover health insurance premiums for these educators using local funds. These changes directly affect retired teachers seeking to return to classroom roles in Mississippi public schools.
This bill increases the minimum salary for Mississippi public school teachers and assistant teachers starting in the 2026-2027 school year, establishing specific pay scales based on experience and license type (e.g., $43,500 for entry-level teachers with certain licenses). It requires school districts to maintain or increase local supplements and not pay assistant teachers below the state minimum salary, with potential funding reductions for violations. Additionally, the bill mandates a $2,000 annual salary increase for all full-time faculty at Mississippi's state colleges and universities.
SB 2118 requires Mississippi county sheriffs to include specific details about people awaiting trial in their jail dockets, such as full name, age, race, sex, arresting agency, charges, bond amount, and indictment date. Sheriffs must submit this updated monthly docket to county boards of supervisors via the chancery clerk before each board meeting. The bill directly affects county sheriffs (who must collect and submit the data) and county boards (who must review the dockets). It aims to standardize and increase transparency in pretrial detention records.
HB 476 sets maximum fees that Mississippi healthcare providers can charge for sharing medical records electronically. It limits charges to $30 flat for sending records electronically when they're already digital, or $0.25 per page (capped at $25 total) for converting paper records to electronic format, plus actual costs for media and postage. The bill directly affects patients requesting their own records and third parties authorized by patients to receive records. It amends existing law to establish these electronic fee caps while maintaining separate limits for photocopying. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2002 changes Mississippi's student transfer rules by removing the requirement for a student's current school district to approve transfers to another district. Instead, the new district (transferee) must approve or deny a transfer request at its next regular meeting after receiving a parent's written petition, with approvals required by March 15 each year unless "good cause" exists to deny. The bill allows the new district to charge a reasonable fee for accepting a student but clarifies it doesn't affect existing desegregation orders or extracurricular eligibility rules set by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. This directly impacts parents/guardians seeking to move students between districts and school boards handling transfer requests.
