Regional correctional facilities; require Department of Corrections to utilize for housing of state offenders before utilizing private facilities.

HB 621 would require Mississippi's Department of Corrections to fully utilize all regional correctional facilities for housing state offenders before contracting with private prisons. Specifically, the bill mandates that the department cannot enter new private incarceration contracts until regional facilities reach 80% capacity. This would directly affect the Department of Corrections and private prison operators by prioritizing state-run facilities. The bill was introduced in 2026 but died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.