By A’Davion Bush
In the fifth week of the Mississippi legislative session, the Senate met the February 4 deadline for committees to report general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the Senate and began floor debates and resolutions. Senators passed several measures aimed at improving the lives of Mississippians.
Key legislation included: Senate Bill 2151 – requires school districts to adopt policies limiting or prohibiting student cell phone use in classrooms; Senate Bill 2162 – mandates schools to update their Cardiac Emergency Response Plans to include airway clearance devices; Senate Bill 2043 – allows the state to seize delinquent child support payments from gambling winnings of $1,200 or more, granting the Gaming Commission access to Human Services data for enforcement; Senate Bill 2197 – elevates impersonating a law enforcement officer from a misdemeanor to a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine; Senate Bill 2208 – amends the Mississippi Terroristic Threats Law, imposing a minimum five-year prison sentence for threats against airports; Senate Bill 2308 – increases penalties for illegal dumping; Senate Bill 2833 – grants the Legislative PEER Committee authority to use the judiciary to enforce subpoenas; Senate Bill 2368 – aligns state natural gas pipeline safety standards with federal guidelines; Senate Bill 2434 – authorizes local governments to partner with military branches on infrastructure projects at bases; Senate Bill 2276 – extends hunting seasons ending on Fridays to include the following Sunday; Senate Bill 2518 – permits the Institutions of Higher Learning to enter public-private lease agreements for public colleges and universities; Senate Bill 2266 – requires the Department of Revenue to publish lists of agricultural items eligible for tax exemptions or reduced rates for commercial farming permit holders; Senate Bill 2052 – allows car tags for fully disabled veterans to be specifically labeled; Senate Bill 2874 – mandates health professionals to administer, and insurers to cover, depression screenings for birth mothers; Senate Bill 2210 – revises dates for fireworks sales and reduces fireworks law violations to misdemeanors; and Senate Bill 2582 – establishes a Sales Tax Diversion Study Committee.
The Senate faced these upcoming deadlines: February 13 for floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the Senate; and February 14 for reconsideration and other actions.
The Mississippi House of Representatives convened at 4 p.m. on Monday, where the Mississippi Board of Nursing honored Representatives Rickey Thompson, Donnie Scoggin, and Becky Currie with a plaque for their legislative contributions.
On Tuesday, February 4, committees faced a key deadline to report general bills and constitutional amendments, though no floor action occurred. Wednesday, February 5, marked the beginning of floor action, with several key pieces of legislation passed.
HB 1302 was introduced and passed, legalizing online sports betting and race book wagering in the state; HB 1193 prohibits public schools, state-accredited nonpublic schools, and public colleges from implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs or requiring diversity statements in hiring and admissions; and HB 1435 streamlines Mississippi’s student transfer process by eliminating the requirement for a student’s home district to approve transfers, leaving the decision solely to the receiving district. A joint resolution was passed to amend the House district map following a federal court ruling on Voting Rights Act violations. The revisions affect House Districts 16, 22, 36, 39 and 41 to ensure compliance while minimizing disruption.
HB 1544 adjusts the number of judges and residency requirements for several circuit and chancery court districts, ensuring proper judicial representation and accommodating district needs. Additionally, several important bills were passed out of the Youth and Family Affairs Committee, which were taken up by Rep. Otis Anthony II on the House floor and successfully passed with House members.
These include: HB 1100 – creates the Mississippi Childcare Teachers Shortage Study Committee to address workforce shortages in early childhood education; HB 1387 – revises kinship payments for foster children, expanding eligibility to additional relatives providing care; HB 1424 – requires local boards of supervisors to ensure adequate and habitable office space for Child Protection Services; HB 1492 – establishes the Noncustodial Parents' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, ensuring greater protections and engagement for noncustodial parents; and HB 1513 – authorizes and regulates adoption procedures under the board of trustees of the Mississippi Adoption Licensure Authority, improving oversight and accessibility of adoption services.
The House will reconvene Monday at 2 p.m.
