HB 612 creates a streamlined pathway for military health technicians to become licensed practical nurses in Mississippi. It allows individuals who completed U.S. Coast Guard Health Services Technician training plus two years of direct patient care clinical experience to qualify for licensure without completing a standard nursing program. The bill amends Mississippi’s nursing licensure law to specifically recognize military medical training and experience as meeting the required qualifications. This directly affects active and veteran military health technicians seeking to practice nursing in Mississippi after their service.
HB 1386 amends Mississippi law to explicitly allow municipalities to use state use tax funds for repairing, maintaining, or reconstructing sidewalks. This directly affects all Mississippi municipalities receiving infrastructure assistance funds, expanding the eligible uses beyond roads, bridges, and water systems to include sidewalks. The bill modifies Section 27-67-35 to add sidewalks to the list of permitted infrastructure projects under the existing special fund, which is funded by use tax distributions. It does not change the fund's allocation method (equal shares plus population/sales tax-based distribution) or the restrictions on prohibited uses like salaries or administrative costs.
HB 223 designates a one-mile segment of Mississippi Highway 537 in Jones County (from Lake Como Road to Doris Tanner's Flowers) as the "Sgt. John Howard Tanner Memorial Highway" to commemorate Sergeant John Howard Tanner. The bill requires the Mississippi Department of Transportation to install and maintain appropriate signage along this highway segment. This is a commemorative measure with no policy changes or direct impact on regulations, taxes, or services. It solely honors an individual through a highway naming designation.
HB 1615 adds Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) social services employees to the list of protected individuals under enhanced sentencing laws. Specifically, it amends Mississippi Code Section 99-19-301 to include MDCPS workers in the Social Services Occupational Group as defined by the agency’s compensation plan. This means crimes like assault or threats committed against these employees would trigger higher penalties under existing law. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.
This bill requires the Mississippi Secretary of State to provide sample ballots to county election commissioners at least 60 days before an election, increasing the current requirement of 55 days. The change applies to all elections unless a primary runoff certification deadline makes the 60-day timeline impossible to meet, in which case the Secretary must publish the sample ballot as soon as practicable. The bill directly affects the Mississippi Secretary of State and county election commissioners by adjusting the timeline for distributing sample ballots to voters. This adjustment aims to give election officials more time to prepare and distribute accurate ballot samples before voting occurs.
HB 630 amends Mississippi law to allow qualified county residents (not required to live within a municipality's limits) to serve as poll managers for municipal elections in small municipalities with fewer than 2,000 residents. Currently, poll managers for municipal elections must be residents of the municipality itself, but this bill changes that requirement for towns under 2,000 people. The key provision removes the residency restriction for small municipalities, enabling election officials to appoint qualified county voters as poll managers. This affects municipal election administration in Mississippi's smallest incorporated areas, streamlining staffing for local elections. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1558 amends Mississippi law to set a specific daily compensation rate of $84 for commissioners of the Tishomingo County Water District, aligning them with existing rates for commissioners of several Hancock County water and sewer districts. The bill establishes that these commissioners will be paid $84 per meeting attended (regular or special) and reimbursed for necessary expenses under existing rules. It does not change the annual limit of 24 meetings for compensation or alter other reimbursement procedures. This is a procedural adjustment to standardize compensation rates for water district commissioners in Tishomingo County.
HB 1719 creates a 11-member study committee to examine prevention strategies for financial fraud and scams, while also focusing on improving investor education. The committee includes key state officials like the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Banking Commissioner, and other department heads, appointed by legislative leaders and agency heads. It will operate until January 1, 2027, gathering data and making recommendations to the legislature. This bill does not enact new laws but directs the committee to study issues affecting consumers and financial systems across Mississippi state agencies.
SB 2840 allows businesses that pay property taxes on inventory (like manufacturers, distributors, and retailers) to either sell unused tax credits on the market or opt for a 75% rebate of the credit amount instead of carrying it forward. It repeals multiple local business taxes, including those on motor vehicle rentals, flea markets, pawnbrokers, and retail stores, eliminating these fees for affected businesses. The bill directly affects businesses paying local property taxes on inventory or operations, reducing compliance burdens and providing cash flow options through credit sales or rebates. These changes simplify tax treatment for eligible businesses while removing specific local tax requirements.
HB 1117, the "Creating Transparency and Accountability in Dental Services Act," requires dental insurance companies (dental carriers) to calculate and annually report their dental loss ratio (DLR) - the percentage of premium dollars spent directly on patient dental care versus administrative costs. Dental carriers must file these reports by June 30 each year, detailing how much was spent on clinical services, unpaid claims, and recovered payments, while excluding overhead like staff salaries or network development. The Commissioner of Insurance will make these reports publicly accessible on the department's website by December 1 each year and submit aggregated data to the Insurance Committees. This applies to all dental health plans sold in Mississippi but excludes Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, and other state-sponsored plans.
HB 547 allows Mississippi check cashing businesses and credit availability licensees to pass third-party processing fees for debit/credit card transactions directly to customers. The bill amends existing laws to permit these businesses to charge customers the exact fee they pay to payment processors, provided they give clear pre-transaction notice of the fee amount, its purpose (for card use), and applicable payment methods. This change affects customers using cards at these businesses, as they may now face additional fees for card transactions that were previously absorbed by the businesses. The law does not alter existing fee limits for check cashing services themselves.
SB 2865 creates an income tax credit for Mississippi casinos that invest at least $2 million in non-gaming projects (like hotels, restaurants, or RV parks) at existing properties. The credit equals 50% of the increased gaming taxes generated by the new facilities, calculated as the difference between post-project tax payments and the three-year average before the project started. Casinos can use the credit against annual income tax liability, but the total credit per project cannot exceed the project cost, and unused credits can carry forward for up to five years. The Mississippi Gaming Commission must approve qualifying projects, and no new credits can be claimed after December 31, 2030.
