SB 2450 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

County law library; authorize use of money for technological purposes.

SB 2450 would allow Mississippi counties to use court fee funds for technology at public law libraries and courtrooms. Specifically, it permits spending on computers, software, legal research tools, internet access, and courtroom equipment like audio systems or digital evidence displays. Funding would come from additional court fees: $2.50 per case in chancery/circuit courts and $1.50 per case in justice courts. The bill aims to modernize legal resource access and court operations through technology, expanding existing library funding rules. (Note: This bill died in committee in March 2025 and did not become law.)

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 10, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Current version · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand how funds collected from court costs can be used. Originally, funds could only support the county law library. The amendment now allows unused funds to be used for electronic and technological improvements in chancery and circuit courtrooms, such as audio/video systems, digital communications, recording equipment, and technical infrastructure. This change modernizes court facilities while maintaining support for the law library.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely supporting county law libraries to also funding technological improvements in courtrooms.

FISCAL

Added Section 2 establishing an effective date of July 1, 2025, which was not present in the original version.

Added new subsection (8) allowing funds collected under the section to be used for electronic and technological purposes related to the law library, including computers, hardware, software, internet, and legal research tools.

Added new subsection (9) allowing funds not needed for the law library to be used for electronic and technological purposes in chancery and circuit courtrooms, including audio systems, video systems, digital communications, recording equipment, evidence display, assisted listening, and technical infrastructure.

TECHNICAL

Reformatted the bill header and page numbering information to reflect 'As Passed the Senate' status rather than 'As Introduced'.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 7, 2025

How they voted

50–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 51

Feb 7, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

34 Yea 1

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Referred To County Affairs;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To County Affairs

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor