Mississippi has joined the Social Work Licensure Compact (SB 2727), allowing licensed social workers from member states to practice across state lines without obtaining separate licenses in each state. This directly affects licensed social workers, clients seeking services across state borders, and military families who relocate frequently. The key mechanism is mutual recognition of licenses: a social worker licensed in Mississippi (the "home state") can practice in other compact states ("remote states") under their home state's regulations, while still being accountable to the state where the client is located. The law also streamlines disciplinary information sharing between states and supports telehealth access, becoming effective after Governor approval on March 28, 2025.
SB 3166 requires Mississippi's Department of Revenue to create a separate category for commercial solar and wind facilities in its annual inflation factor table for industrial property assessments. This directly affects owners of commercial solar and wind energy facilities by changing how their property value is calculated for ad valorem taxes. The bill mandates that if Marshall Valuation Service doesn't provide an inflation factor for these facilities in a given year, the Department must set it at 1.000 (meaning no adjustment). This ensures these facilities are assessed using a dedicated multiplier rather than being grouped with other industrial properties, potentially lowering their tax burden compared to the previous system.
HB 1, the "Build Up Mississippi Act," reduces Mississippi's income tax rate for taxable income over $10,000 to 3.75% in 2027, 3.5% in 2028, 3.25% in 2029, and 3% in 2030 and beyond, with potential further reductions after 2031 under specific fiscal conditions. It also imposes a 5% sales tax on grocery purchases starting July 1, 2025, and increases gasoline excise taxes to 27 cents per gallon by 2027. Additionally, the bill creates a new retirement system tier for state employees joining on or after March 1, 2026, combining a defined benefit component with a defined contribution plan requiring 9% employee contributions.
HB 662 updates Mississippi's Medicaid rules to align with federal requirements for pregnant women's prenatal care access. It allows qualified providers (like clinics or health centers) to quickly determine if a pregnant woman's income meets Medicaid limits, granting temporary eligibility for prenatal services while her full application is processed. Women must apply for full Medicaid by the end of the month following the provider's determination, and the state must simplify application forms and processes. This ensures consistent care continuity during the approval period without changing income thresholds.
HB 1063 creates Mississippi's first state-level paid parental leave policy for eligible state employees. It provides six weeks (240 hours) of paid leave at 100% salary for primary caregivers after a child's birth or adoption, requiring at least 12 months of full-time state employment. The leave must be taken within 12 weeks of the event, used only once per year, and runs concurrently with federal FMLA without counting against other leave types. Public school and community college districts may adopt similar policies for their employees. The law became effective after Governor approval on March 25, 2025.
HB 291 requires county and county district officers (such as sheriffs, clerks, and supervisors) to secure a majority vote in the general election to win office. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two vote-getters will face a runoff election four weeks later. The bill amends Mississippi election code to extend the runoff timeline from three to four weeks and clarifies tie-breaking procedures. This change directly affects all local elected officials in Mississippi county and district offices.
HB 1758 appropriates $117,462 from the state treasury to cover the operational expenses of the Mississippi Auctioneers Commission for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The bill requires the commission to maintain detailed accounting records matching its 2025 standards and submit future budget requests with comparable detail. It also mandates that the commission give preference to Mississippi Industries for the Blind when purchasing goods or equipment, both with and without competitive bidding. The funds must be spent in compliance with existing state budget laws governing appropriations and expenditures.
SB 2771 revises Mississippi's youth court process for children adjudicated abused or neglected, requiring permanency hearings within three months of either the abuse/neglect finding or the child's removal from their home, and every three months thereafter. This directly affects children in foster care under Mississippi's Department of Child Protection Services, ensuring courts regularly review their placement (e.g., returning home, adoption, or continued foster care) and confirm reasonable efforts were made toward permanency. The bill also authorizes the State Public Defender to represent youth in delinquency cases and clarifies training requirements for attorneys handling child welfare cases. These changes aim to expedite stable outcomes for vulnerable youth while updating procedural requirements.
SB 2787 prohibits businesses from sending patent infringement claims without a reasonable basis, such as falsely threatening lawsuits or claiming infringement on invalid patents. It allows affected companies to sue for attorney fees, actual damages, and up to three times the damages if they win. The Mississippi Attorney General can enforce these rules to stop unfounded patent threats against businesses. This law targets tactics that harass companies with baseless legal claims, directly protecting commercial entities receiving such communications.
SB 2805 expands the definition of "hotel" for local sales tax purposes to include online booking platforms (like Airbnb or Expedia) that list rooms, collect payments from customers, and transfer funds to property owners. This means these third-party platforms must now pay local sales taxes on the room rental revenue they facilitate, rather than only the hotels themselves. The bill also clarifies that such platforms are excluded from state health regulations under Section 41-49-3. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.
HB 1006 prohibits the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells (referred to as "cultivated food products") within Mississippi. It directly affects food manufacturers, distributors, and retail food establishments selling such products, with violations carrying fines up to $500 or 3 months in jail for individuals. The bill also amends meat inspection laws to explicitly ban labeling these products as meat and requires the Department of Agriculture and Health to adopt implementing rules. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all cultivated food products, including those derived from animal cells grown outside the animal.
HB 17, the "Protecting Patient Access to Physician-Administered Drugs Act," prevents health insurance companies from refusing to cover or charging extra fees for drugs that must be administered by a doctor (like certain IV treatments or injections). It requires insurers to pay doctors and clinics the agreed-upon rate or wholesale cost for these drugs when medically necessary, and prohibits patients from being charged additional fees to get them from their regular provider. The law directly affects patients covered by health insurance, physicians, clinics, and insurance companies in Mississippi. It became law without the governor’s signature in March 2025.
