HB 1268 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

MS Save Our Service Member Task Force; create to study and make recommendations concerning mental health needs of military members.

HB 1268 creates the Mississippi Save Our Service Member Task Force to study mental health needs and suicide prevention for Mississippi National Guard members and veterans. The 15-member task force - including military leaders, mental health experts, and legislative representatives - will assess current services, identify gaps in support, and develop recommendations for improved mental health resources. It must submit a final report with proposed legislation and funding needs to the legislature by January 1, 2026. The bill also establishes a separate task force for first responders, but its primary focus is on military service members' mental health.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Signed Mar 28, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed the lower → Current version · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add a new task force for first responders while retaining the original task force for military service members, and the deadline for the new task force's report was moved from January 1, 2026 to December 1, 2025. This expansion broadens the bill's scope to include first responders alongside military personnel, addressing mental health needs for a wider range of state workers.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from only military service members to include both military service members and first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, dispatchers, EMS, and National Guard members).

SCOPE

A new Mississippi First Responder PTSD and Suicide Prevention Task Force was created to address mental health needs of first responders in addition to the existing military task force.

The original report deadline for the military task force was removed from the title section, though the substantive deadline for that task force remains unchanged in Section 2.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the new first responder task force to submit its report was changed from January 1, 2026 to December 1, 2025.

REQUIREMENT

The first responder task force requires 21 members with specific representation from law enforcement, fire services, EMS, and mental health organizations, plus legislative committee members.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 7, 2025 · House Feb 12, 2025

How they voted

48–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 51

Mar 7, 2025

D Democratic16

15 Yea 1

93% Yea

R Republican35

33 Yea 2

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 28, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Concurred in Amend From Senate

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed As Amended

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Veterans and Military Affairs

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

lower

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Military Affairs

lower

1 primary · 14 co-sponsors