Mississippi Bills

HB 264 appropriates $250,000 from Mississippi’s state general fund to the Holmes County Heritage and Cultural Foundation for the construction of Hazel Brannon Smith Memorial Park in Lexington. The park, designed as an outdoor museum space, honors Hazel Brannon Smith, a Holmes County journalist and the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing in 1964. The funds will cover construction costs for the fiscal year 2026-2027, paid through standard state treasury procedures. This bill directly supports the foundation’s project to create a public memorial site. It does not change existing laws but allocates specific state funds for a designated community project.

HB 213 appropriates $10 million from Mississippi's State General Fund to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security for summer youth employment programs during fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027). The bill directly funds job opportunities for eligible Mississippi youth through state-administered summer programs. Key provisions include the specific funding amount, the administering agency (Employment Security), and the fiscal year coverage. This is a straightforward funding measure with no additional program requirements or eligibility details specified in the bill text.

HB 215 allocates $10 million from Mississippi's general fund for mental health services during the 2026-2027 budget year. It directs $3 million to state mental health facilities to increase alcohol and drug rehabilitation beds and $7 million to community mental health centers to expand beds and establish additional crisis intervention teams. This funding directly supports state and community programs providing addiction treatment and emergency mental health response. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2026.

HB 260 appropriates $150,000 from the Mississippi State General Fund to the Town of Goodman for street, water, and sewer infrastructure repairs during fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027). The funds will directly assist Goodman's local government in covering costs for repairing public infrastructure systems. The appropriation is paid through the State Treasurer upon proper state fiscal procedures and takes effect July 1, 2026. This is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond providing state financial support for municipal infrastructure maintenance.

HB 263 appropriates $150,000 from the State General Fund to the Town of Pickens for repairs and renovations to its City Hall during fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The funds are intended to cover costs directly associated with these physical improvements to the town’s municipal building. This procedural bill provides specific state funding assistance for a local government project, with no new policy requirements or broad-reaching effects.

HB 212 appropriates $25 million from Mississippi's State General Fund to the Department of Health for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027), specifically to fund federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across the state. These community health centers, which provide primary care in underserved areas, will directly benefit from this funding. The bill establishes a clear mechanism: the State Treasurer will disburse funds via warrants upon requisitions from the Department of Health. This is a procedural funding allocation with no new policy requirements, solely directing existing state resources to support FQHC operations.

HB 265 appropriates $75,000 from the State General Fund to Friends of Lexington Preservation, Inc., to cover costs for repairs and renovations to the historic Lundy House located on Mississippi Highway 12 in Lexington. The funding is designated for the 2026-2027 fiscal year and will be disbursed through standard state fiscal procedures. This bill directly affects the preservation organization and the Lundy House property, providing specific financial support for maintenance work.

HB 206 authorizes Mississippi to issue state general obligation bonds to fund capital improvements for public school districts across the state. The bill directs that bond proceeds must be used solely for physical school infrastructure projects like building repairs, renovations, or new facilities - not for daily operations. The state pledges its full credit to repay the bonds, with any shortfall covered by state treasury funds if needed. School districts will receive these funds directly to address their capital needs through the State Bond Commission's bond issuance process.

HB 248 establishes a state-funded program to provide home repair grants to low-income Mississippi homeowners aged 62 or older, or those certified as disabled by the Social Security Administration. Eligible applicants must own at least 50% of their primary residence needing significant repairs, have an annual income under $12,000 (single person) or $16,000 (household of two+), and apply through the Department of Finance and Administration. The program authorizes $50 million in state bonds to create a permanent "Mississippi Housing Repair Grant Fund," with grants capped at $25,000 per household or repair costs, whichever is lower. Funds will be allocated across congressional districts based on the proportion of residents below the federal poverty level, and unspent funds will carry over annually without lapsing.

HB 202 creates a Mississippi state income tax credit of $1,200 per child for taxpayers who claim the federal child tax credit on their federal return. It directly affects Mississippi families with children who qualify for the federal credit but may not have received a state-level benefit. The credit can be carried forward for up to five years if not fully used in a single tax year. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, and requires taxpayers to provide proof of their federal credit claim to the Mississippi Department of Revenue.

HB 271 provides $300,000 in state funding to Holmes County Consolidated School District to cover costs associated with merging two existing school districts into a single countywide district, as required by Mississippi law. The funds, allocated from the State General Fund, are specifically for expenses related to the consolidation process during the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This bill does not create new policies or rules but provides the necessary financial support for an existing legal mandate. The funding is intended to help Holmes County schools complete the consolidation transition efficiently.

HB 216 appropriates $10 million from the state treasury to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security for summer youth employment programs during fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill directly funds job opportunities for Mississippi youth through state-run programs, with funds distributed by the State Treasurer upon proper requisitions. Key provisions include the specific funding amount, the designated recipient (Mississippi Department of Employment Security), and the fiscal year coverage. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and focuses solely on allocating existing funds without creating new programs or requirements.