SB 3059 extends the expiration date for Hattiesburg, Mississippi's hotel, motel, and restaurant tax from 2022 to July 1, 2030. The bill allows Hattiesburg to continue collecting up to a 1% tax on hotel/motel room rentals (excluding food charges) and restaurant sales, with proceeds dedicated to tourism, parks, recreation, and 50% allocated to the University of Southern Mississippi for athletic facility improvements. Businesses operating in Hattiesburg (excluding small restaurants under $100k annual sales and small lodging with ≤10 rooms) will pay the tax, which requires voter approval via a 60%+ election before implementation. The tax funds must be tracked separately from general city revenue and audited annually.
SB 2741 establishes a licensing requirement for professional music therapists in Mississippi, effective January 1, 2026. It mandates that only licensed individuals may use titles implying they are professional music therapists, directly affecting practitioners and ensuring the public receives services from qualified providers. The bill creates a Music Therapy Advisory Committee to advise the State Department of Health, sets licensure qualifications, renewal rules, and disciplinary procedures, and requires all fees collected to fund a special state account. It defines "music therapy" as evidence-based clinical practice using music interventions within a therapeutic relationship, excluding diagnosis or screening. The legislation aims to protect public health by regulating the profession and ensuring service quality.
SB 3063 extends the expiration date for a hotel and motel tax in Louisville, Mississippi, from its current date to July 1, 2029. This tax, which allows the city to collect up to 2% of room rental revenue from hotels and motels with six or more rooms, funds tourism and parks programs. The bill does not change the tax rate, collection process, or funding purposes - it only delays when the tax authority ends. It directly affects hotels and motels operating in Louisville that currently pay this tax.
SB 2489 authorizes Mississippi Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges to receive a daily expense allowance when performing judicial duties outside Jackson, Mississippi. The allowance equals the federal government's maximum daily rate for Jackson's high-cost area, capped at 20 days per month total - 12 days for travel outside Jackson and 20 days in Jackson. It ensures no judge receives more days of allowance than previously permitted under state law. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not increase overall expense allowances.
SB 2730 requires the Mississippi State Board of Health to fairly divide funds from the Mississippi Burn Care Fund among all certified health centers providing burn care services. This bill amends existing law to specify that the Board must distribute these funds equitably, rather than using prior discretionary allocation methods. The funding supports burn care services for Mississippi residents, including reimbursement for travel and lodging expenses for patients and caregivers. The bill ensures consistent funding distribution across all qualified health centers participating in the state's burn care system.
SB 3275 increases the maximum bond authorization for Madison County, Mississippi's Economic Development Authority (EDA) from its current limit to $25 million. This change allows the EDA to issue more bonds to fund economic development projects like industrial parks, infrastructure improvements, and site development within the county. The bill directly affects Madison County's ability to finance these projects through bond sales, without altering the EDA's structure or operational rules. It is a procedural adjustment to the existing bond limit, enacted as of April 10, 2025.
SB 3058 extends the expiration date of Petal, Mississippi’s tourism-related taxes from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2029. The bill preserves existing taxes on bars (up to 3% of alcohol/sales), restaurants (up to 3% of food/alcohol sales), and hotels/motels (up to 3% of room rentals) that fund tourism promotion, parks, and recreation. These taxes must be collected separately from general city funds, with audit requirements and a 60% voter approval threshold for implementation. The extension allows Petal to continue using these dedicated revenue streams for local tourism development through 2029.
SB 3061 authorizes Lincoln County, Mississippi, to charge a fee on court convictions to fund courthouse and pretrial detention facility repairs. The county can collect up to $25 per conviction (except for DUI cases, which would be $50) from individuals convicted in Justice, County, or Circuit Courts. These funds must be used exclusively for repairs and renovations of Lincoln County's courthouses and detention facilities, and the fee authority expires on July 1, 2029.
SB 2886 creates a statewide domestic violence fatality review team within Mississippi's Department of Public Safety, along with optional local teams in each circuit court district. These teams review fatal and near-fatal domestic violence incidents, related matters, and suicides within their jurisdiction to identify prevention opportunities and improve responses from agencies and institutions. The law provides limited civil immunity for team members and strictly protects all information gathered during reviews from being used in court or disclosure. It requires diverse team membership and mandates that reviews examine community resources, laws, and responses to develop recommendations for better victim support.
SB 2835 creates the Mississippi Emergency Communications Authority within the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to oversee emergency communications. It requires all emergency communications districts (ECDs) to adopt a next-generation 911 (NG911) system plan by December 31, 2030, and establishes a fund to collect fees from service providers on emergency communications. The authority will manage these fees, set standards for NG911 systems, audit charges, and require annual financial reports from ECDs. The bill also repeals outdated sections of law related to emergency telephone services.
SB 3257 authorizes Marshall County, Mississippi, to annually contribute up to $10,500 from county funds to three specific nonprofit food pantries: Hearts and Hands, Feeding Hearts, and Davis Temple Church of the Living God. The county board of supervisors may choose to make these contributions each year, but is not required to do so. This funding authorization expires on July 1, 2029, after which the provision will no longer be in effect. The bill directly affects Marshall County taxpayers (through county fund allocation) and the designated food pantries that receive the support.
SB 3057 extends the expiration date of Booneville, Mississippi's 2% tax on hotel/motel room rentals and restaurant sales from its original date to July 1, 2029. The tax, collected by businesses and paid to the state, funds tourism promotion and parks/recreation projects in Booneville. Proceeds cannot be used for general city expenses, salaries, legal fees, or private property. This extension ensures the dedicated revenue stream for tourism and recreation initiatives remains active through 2029.
