HB 1178 prohibits Mississippi motor vehicle dealers, manufacturers, and franchisors from sharing customer lists or personal information with third parties, except for specific business needs like completing sales, processing incentives, evaluating dealer performance, warranty claims, or safety recalls. The bill directly affects car dealerships and manufacturers by restricting how they handle customer data. Key exceptions allow sharing only for legitimate operational purposes, such as validating incentives or handling warranty repairs, while maintaining obligations for safety notices. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
HB 1179 would add a $2,000 annual salary supplement to Mississippi special education teachers in self-contained classrooms who are regularly exposed to students' bodily fluids. This provision amends the state's teacher salary schedule to provide this direct supplement on top of base pay for qualifying teachers. The bill specifically targets educators working with students with significant needs in dedicated classroom settings where bodily fluid exposure is a known occupational hazard. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
HB 1217 proposes a statewide mentorship program for school business officials in Mississippi to improve their skills in managing school finances and operations. The program, to be run by the Mississippi Department of Education and the Mississippi Association of School Business Officials, would connect new or transitioning officials (mentees) with experienced mentors (requiring at least five years of experience) for an annual cycle. Mentors would commit 24 hours yearly to activities like in-person meetings or virtual consultations, while the Association would host annual workshops for mentors and the Department would submit yearly reports on program outcomes to the legislature. The bill aimed to enhance professional development but died in committee before becoming law.
HB 1175 prohibits public schools, community colleges, and universities in Mississippi from requiring students to wear face masks, face shields, or other coverings over the mouth/nose. It allows parents to decide if their child wears a mask and lets students choose for themselves, though schools may still require safety gear for specific courses like lab work. The bill would have taken effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee on February 3, 2026, and is not law. It directly affects all public K-12 students and college students in Mississippi, shifting mask requirements from school mandates to individual choice.
HB 1213 requires Mississippi public schools to implement evidence-based literacy instruction for students in grades 4-8, directly affecting schools, teachers, and students with reading challenges. The bill mandates universal reading screenings three times yearly, prohibits teaching methods like "three-cueing systems," and requires structured literacy instruction aligned with the science of reading. It also demands hiring reading specialists, providing dyslexia screenings, creating individual reading plans for struggling students, and notifying parents about progress. Schools must use high-quality instructional materials and track student outcomes through annual reporting. The law aims to improve reading proficiency by focusing on proven methods rather than outdated approaches.
HB 1209 proposes creating a grant program through Mississippi's Department of Mental Health to help local governments cover costs for crisis stabilization units (CSUs), which provide urgent mental health care during emergencies. It would allow counties, municipalities, and regional commissions to apply for grants up to $500,000 per project to pay for CSU services, facility operations, or facility repairs/renovations. The bill establishes a dedicated "Crisis Stabilization Unit Facilities Fund" in the state treasury, with unspent funds rolling over annually instead of returning to the general budget. This program, set to begin July 1, 2026, requires applicants to detail costs and other funding sources before receiving support.
HB 1182 would have allowed Mississippi pharmacists to provide ivermectin to adults aged 18+ under specific conditions, including a collaborative agreement with healthcare providers and standardized protocols. Key requirements included screening patients with a risk assessment tool, providing a standardized factsheet on ivermectin use, and either dispensing the medication or referring patients to a pharmacy that can dispense it. The bill also permitted pharmacists to charge an administrative fee and provided legal immunity from disciplinary actions or civil liability for pharmacists acting in good faith. This bill, which died in committee in February 2026, did not become law and would have directly affected pharmacists, adult patients seeking ivermectin, and collaborating healthcare providers.
HB 1192 would allow Mississippi students to transfer from their home school district to another district without needing approval from the district they are leaving (the transferor district). Instead, students or parents would submit a written request to the new district (transferee), which must act within a specified timeframe or the request would be considered denied. The bill directly affects students seeking to change districts for reasons like proximity to school or family circumstances, removing a previous barrier requiring consent from the original district. Key provisions include setting deadlines for the new district’s response and clarifying transportation responsibilities if districts cannot agree. This change aims to streamline transfers while maintaining existing requirements for employee-dependent transfers and transportation agreements.
HB 1180 requires health officials to notify a deceased person's family if a medical examiner or healthcare provider believes their death "may have been caused by or related to" a COVID-19 vaccine. It also allows family members (spouse, parent, adult child, or next of kin) to request an autopsy without a court order in such cases. The bill directly affects families of individuals who died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and whose death is suspected to be vaccine-related. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.
HB 1189, which died in committee in 2026, would have updated Mississippi's school discipline and attendance rules for students with disabilities. The bill required school attendance officers to complete annual training on special education law (IDEA) and Section 504, and revised definitions to prevent schools from labeling students with IEPs or 504 plans as "habitually disruptive" without first developing evidence-based behavior plans. It also mandated that absences related to a student's disability (under IDEA) be excused and directed the state board to adopt evidence-based strategies for students at risk of chronic absenteeism. These changes aimed to ensure students with disabilities receive appropriate support instead of punitive disciplinary actions.
HB 1183 would have provided annual salary supplements to Mississippi special education teachers based on their teaching setting. Teachers working in itinerant settings (traveling between schools) would have received $4,000, while those in self-contained classrooms (dedicated special needs classrooms) would have received $8,000. The bill amended Mississippi's teacher salary schedule to add these specific supplements for qualifying educators. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
HB 1198 prohibits Mississippi state or local governments from relocating, removing, or altering historical monuments, memorials, or named public items (like streets or parks) dedicated to military conflicts (e.g., Civil War, World Wars, Vietnam, Afghanistan), the Civil Rights struggle, or military figures/events. It grants any person who believes a violation occurred the right to sue the responsible party in the county court where the violation happened. The law applies to all such protected items on public property owned by state or local governments, with an exception for projects by the Mississippi Transportation Commission affecting transportation infrastructure. The bill, which died in committee in 2026, aims to prevent changes to historical commemorations without legal recourse for affected individuals.
