HB 4 appropriates $62,755 from state funds to cover the operating expenses of Mississippi's State Board of Registration for Foresters for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The bill specifically allocates $18,626 for upgrading the board's licensing system database. It also requires the board to give preference to Mississippi Industries for the Blind when purchasing goods or equipment, following standard competitive bidding procedures. The funds must be spent within the approved budget, with strict record-keeping requirements.
SB 2035 appropriates $5.67 million from the General Fund and $3.63 million from special funds to cover the State Veterans Affairs Board's salaries and operations for fiscal year 2026. It also allocates $6.36 million from the General Fund and $54.54 million from special funds to support Mississippi State Veterans Homes operations and staff salaries during the same period. The bill specifies exact funding amounts for "Personal Services" (covering salaries and benefits) and sets authorized headcounts (40 permanent and 25 time-limited positions for the Board; 265 permanent and 317 time-limited for Veterans Homes), with strict rules preventing fund transfers or salary increases beyond approved amounts.
HB 1544 revises residency requirements and judge numbers for multiple Mississippi circuit court districts, directly affecting judges running for office in specific counties. For example, it changes where judges must reside in the First Circuit Court District: after January 1, 2027, the judge for "Place Four" must live in Itawamba, Monroe, or Pontotoc County (previously any county in the district). The bill updates similar rules for other districts (like the Third, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits) based on population, case load, and geographic needs. These changes aim to align judicial representation with current district demographics and court demands.
HB 811 revises Mississippi's candidate qualification process for state and federal offices. It requires candidates to submit a written statement and prescribed form with their fees by 6:00 p.m. on the qualifying deadline date, with executive committees forwarding these documents to the Secretary of State by that time. The bill establishes clear timelines for determining qualifications, including a 10-day appeal window if the Secretary of State disagrees with an executive committee's decision. It also prohibits candidates who voted outside their intended jurisdiction during required residency periods from appearing on ballots, except when redistricting changes their district. Additionally, it changes the presidential primary qualification deadline from January to November/December.
HB 856 updates Mississippi's Pharmacy Practice Act by extending its effective date until 2029 and making several key changes to regulations. The bill clarifies definitions, expands the Board of Pharmacy's authority to regulate pharmacy services organizations, and requires registration for entities in the drug supply chain. It increases a surcharge on license renewal fees to fund an impaired pharmacists program, adds interns and technicians to disciplinary processes, and allows immediate license suspension without a hearing in public safety emergencies. The bill also modifies prescription monitoring reporting requirements to provide annual data upon legislative request.
This bill lacks sufficient detail in the provided context to generate a substantive summary. The title indicates it concerns designating highway segments as memorials, but the bill text is incomplete (only showing "Adopted" and procedural amendments), and no specific roads, memorial conditions, or affected parties are described. Without the actual provisions, key mechanisms or who would be directly affected cannot be identified. Procedural memorial bills typically name roads after individuals or events, but this bill's specific content is unavailable here.
SB 2768 redistricts Mississippi's chancery court districts, revising county boundaries for multiple districts effective July 1, 2025. It requires chancellors to reside in their district by the time they qualify as candidates and updates criteria for determining the number of judges per district based on population, caseload, and geographic needs. The bill specifically adds Covington, Jefferson Davis, and Smith counties to the Second Chancery Court District while adjusting boundaries for others, and mandates new residency rules for judicial candidates. These changes directly affect county residents, chancery court judges, and the judicial structure across Mississippi.
HB 1131 clarifies and corrects the names and descriptions of specific capital improvement projects funded by Mississippi's 2024 Local Improvements Projects Fund. The bill directly affects state universities and institutions like Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, which received allocated funds for projects such as facility repairs and new construction. It updates the project details in the fund's allocation table without changing funding amounts, ensuring descriptions accurately reflect intended work. The bill also requires institutions to account for unused funds after four years and limits administrative cost reimbursements to 2% of project funds.
SB 2211 requires Mississippi hospitals with emergency departments to maintain trained staff (physicians, nurses, or physician assistants) available 24/7 to conduct forensic exams and prepare sexual assault evidence kits for victims. It mandates written notification to victims about kit policies, DNA testing status, and any planned destruction of evidence (with a 60-day notice period), extending preservation until 20 years after evidence collection or until the victim turns 40 if under 18 at the time of assault. Hospitals must also stock sufficient kits and may contract with forensic nurses for these services. The bill directly affects sexual assault victims by strengthening their access to information and care, and hospitals by imposing new operational requirements.
HB 1341 extends the expiration dates for Mississippi's Health Care Industry Zone Act and related tax incentives, keeping existing programs active beyond 2026. The bill directly affects health care businesses that create 25+ new jobs or $10 million+ in capital investment (or $20 million for academic-affiliated facilities), allowing them to continue qualifying for tax benefits like accelerated depreciation, sales tax exemptions on construction materials, and ad valorem or fee-in-lieu tax exemptions. Key provisions include extending the repealer date for the main act (Section 57-117-11) and delaying the end of tax exemption periods for counties/municipalities (Sections 27-31-101, 27-31-104, and 27-65-101). The bill does not create new incentives but prolongs existing ones for qualifying health care industry facilities.
This bill redirects a portion of a 3% fee collected on nonadmitted insurance policies (not fireworks, as the title incorrectly states) to fund fire protection programs. The fee, paid by insurance producers on policies not covered by standard state programs, will be redirected before reaching the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association. Starting July 2025, funds will be allocated annually to three specific fire department funds: $500,000 to the First Responders Health Fund, $12 million to the association, and remaining funds split between the Rural Fire Truck Fund (40%), Municipal Fire Protection Fund (30%), and County Volunteer Fire Department Fund (30%). This law, signed by the governor on April 7, 2025, directly affects fire departments in rural, municipal, and volunteer settings by providing dedicated funding streams.
SB 2517 allows Mississippi colleges to share athletics-related revenue with student-athletes or pay them for using their name, image, or likeness (publicity rights). It defines key terms like "student-athlete" and "athletics-related revenue" (including ticket sales, media rights, and NCAA distributions). The bill requires student-athletes to disclose third-party publicity deals to their school, permits schools to set reasonable limits on such activities, and lets athletes terminate agreements if they transfer. It directly affects student-athletes, colleges, and third-party agents, while protecting schools' branding rights. The law is now effective after Governor approval on April 23, 2025.
