Corrections

HB 1444 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide protective gear - including face masks, gloves, and eye protection - to state inmates assigned to work involving strong cleaning chemicals, such as acids or alkalies. This applies specifically to inmates serving sentences longer than one year who use raw cleaning chemicals in their work assignments. The bill mandates this safety measure by amending existing correctional codes to ensure DOC complies when inmates handle such chemicals. It does not change inmate pay or program eligibility but directly affects inmate safety during specific cleaning tasks.

Notified of Approval

HB 1739 establishes the Corrections Overview Task Force to replace Mississippi's existing Corrections and Criminal Justice Task Force. The 13-member task force includes legislative committee chairs, department commissioners, public defender representatives, judges, parole board members, sheriffs, and advocates. It will analyze inmate death/suicide data, track past reform recommendations, study parole effectiveness and rehabilitation programs, assess sentencing standards, and prepare annual reports with findings and recommendations to the Legislature, Governor, and courts. The bill repeals the old task force's structure (Section 47-5-6) and redirects its duties to the new body.

HB 1736 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to study how common dyslexia is among inmates under its care. The MDOC must screen inmates using approved methods, collect anonymized demographic and educational data, and analyze links between dyslexia and factors like disciplinary history or recidivism. The study must comply with privacy laws (HIPAA/FERPA), allow inmates to opt out without penalty, and result in a 2026 report to the legislature with findings and recommendations for supporting inmates with dyslexia. This affects all inmates in Mississippi state prisons during the study period.

HB 1630 extends the expiration date of a law requiring Mississippi offenders on probation, parole, or field supervision to pay $55 monthly fees. The current law would end on June 30, 2029, but this bill delays that date, keeping the fee collection authority in effect longer. The collected fees fund the Community Service Revolving Fund, which supports restitution centers, drug identification programs, and supervision services. This change directly affects offenders under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.