Sen. Nicole Boyd

Maddy summaryMississippi's SB 2447, the "Mississippi Family Building Act," establishes legal rules for gestational surrogacy where the surrogate is not the biological mother. It requires donors of eggs, sperm, or embryos to relinquish all parental rights with proof of donation intent, permits reasonable compensation for donors, and mandates written agreements between intended parents and surrogates. These agreements must cover medical coverage, parental rights transfer, and require court approval before birth to establish intended parents as legal parents. The bill directly affects intended parents, gestational carriers, and donors involved in assisted reproductive technology arrangements.

Maddy summarySB 2500 would provide a $6,000 annual salary supplement to certified strength and conditioning coaches in Mississippi public schools who meet specific requirements. This supplement applies to coaches certified by recognized organizations and employed in non-administrative roles, directly affecting eligible coaches in school districts. Coaches must submit certification documentation by October 15 for the full supplement or by February 15 for a prorated half-supplement. The bill amends Mississippi’s existing salary schedule to add this category, aligning with similar supplements already available for National Board-certified teachers, school nurses, and counselors.

Maddy summarySB 2497 is a procedural bill that relocates Mississippi Code Section 37-57-107 to a new position in the code for potential future amendment. This section establishes a 7% annual limit on increases to school district property tax revenue (based on the prior three years' average), with exceptions for new construction, bond payments, and mandated programs like early childhood education. It also requires school districts to pay charter schools a pro-rata share of local property taxes (excluding bond payments) within three business days of receiving funds. The bill does not change current tax rules but moves the existing law to a new code location. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was not enacted.

Maddy summarySB 2495, the Students Safe at School Act, requires Mississippi public schools to follow specific protocols for active shooter drills and simulations. It mandates that all drills for K-12 students be age-appropriate, trauma-informed, and include 24-hour parental notice with an opt-out option, prohibiting negative academic consequences for students who opt out. The bill bans all active shooter simulations during regular school hours (except optional for grades 9-12 with written parental permission) and requires schools to provide annual violence prevention training for grades 6-12 using evidence-based methods. Additionally, it prohibits combining drills with other emergency exercises and requires schools to offer alternative safety education for students who opt out.

Maddy summarySB 2496 extends the Mississippi K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force's operation by one additional year. The bill requires the task force to submit its final report and recommendations to the legislature by October 1, 2026, after which the task force will dissolve. The task force was established to analyze student mental health challenges across schools and colleges, assess existing resources and training, and develop policy recommendations. This extension does not change the task force's purpose or membership but provides additional time for its work.

Maddy summarySB 2537 creates Mississippi's Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Panel to examine deaths of fetuses and infants under one year, with the goal of developing strategies to prevent such deaths. The panel, led by the State Department of Health, requires healthcare providers, hospitals, and agencies to share confidential medical records and demographic data, and must submit annual reports to health committees detailing mortality causes, trends, and resource recommendations. All panel data and proceedings are protected from public disclosure under Mississippi's open records and meetings laws. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, without becoming law.

Maddy summarySB 2532 would eliminate Mississippi's certificate of need (CON) requirement for specific healthcare facilities, including psychiatric hospitals, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, and psychiatric residential treatment centers. Starting July 1, 2026, the state health department would no longer need to approve new construction, expansion, or service offerings by these facilities. The bill specifically removes the CON requirement for psychiatric services that weren't regularly provided by the facility in the prior 12 months, and expands this exemption to additional mental health and specialized care settings. This change directly affects healthcare providers operating in these categories by reducing regulatory hurdles for service delivery. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2727 clarifies that placing a newborn (45 days or younger) in a designated baby safety device automatically terminates parental rights, with no requirement for parent identification. It requires youth courts to hold a shelter hearing within 48 hours of child custody transfer to child protection services and mandates an adjudicatory hearing within 90 days. The bill specifies device requirements (climate-controlled, dual alarms, 24/7 staffing) and prohibits adoption agencies from installing such devices. It directly affects parents seeking anonymous newborn surrender and child protection agencies managing the process. The bill died in committee in 2026 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2709, the "Money Transmission Modernization Act for Virtual Currency Kiosks," regulates physical kiosks that allow cash-to-virtual-currency transactions (like Bitcoin ATMs). It requires operators to hold state licenses, ban using "ATM" in signage, and mandate clear disclosures of all material risks (including fraud and volatility) to customers before transactions. The bill limits fees to 15% of transaction value, sets daily transaction caps, requires blockchain fraud-detection software, and offers special protections for elderly adults. It also includes a separate provision allowing civil forfeiture of property used in certain crimes, though this applies broadly beyond kiosks. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.

Maddy summarySB 2751, the Mississippi Deed Fraud Prevention Act, creates tools to prevent fraudulent property transfers. It requires county clerks to establish free property alert systems for owners (notifying them when deeds affecting their property are recorded) and document alert systems for notaries (notifying them when their notarization appears in a recorded document). Clerks may also refuse to record suspicious documents - like those with mismatched notary details or false claims - and must report such documents to law enforcement. The bill also mandates searchable online logs of recorded documents and urges real estate licensees to take fraud/cybersecurity training. The bill was referred to committee but died there on February 3, 2026.