Smart meters; provide utility customers with option to decline installation of.

HB 1038 would have allowed Mississippi electric utility customers to decline smart meter installation without fees, directly affecting residential and commercial electricity users. The bill required utilities to provide analog meters upon customer opt-out (with no fee), ensure access to hourly usage data, and support time-of-use pricing programs. Key provisions included giving new construction customers a meter choice at installation and enabling ongoing opt-outs via a documented procedure. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.