SB 3105 is a funding bill that allocates additional state capital expense funds for specific agencies during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It provides $0.00 for the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, $0.00 for the Governor's Office-Division of Medicaid (under the Department of Finance and Administration), $0.00 for the Department of Public Safety, and $1.00 for the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure. The funds are drawn from existing state capital expense reserves and are intended to cover operational costs for these agencies during the specified fiscal periods. As a procedural appropriations measure, it does not create new policies but adjusts budget allocations for existing state operations.
SB 2409 creates the "Strengthen Mississippi Homes Program" within the Mississippi Department of Insurance to provide financial grants for homeowners and commercial property owners to retrofit structures against hurricane, tornado, and other windstorm damage. The bill increases grant amounts to $15,000 per home, replaces the previous "Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program," and establishes a dedicated "Strengthen Mississippi Homes Fund" funded partly by increased insurance agent fees. Property owners must be insurable, and insurance companies must notify clients about the program within 30 days of filing discount schedules. The program requires the Department of Insurance to set eligibility rules, prioritize grants based on reducing state risk, and report annually on grants awarded and homes retrofitted.
HB 1752 removes a provision requiring Mississippi's state court judges' salaries to automatically adjust every four years based on recommendations from the State Personnel Board. This change affects all state court judges, including Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, and chancery/circuit court judges. The bill deletes the mechanism that tied future salary increases to the Personnel Board's four-year review process, shifting how salary adjustments would be determined. Current salary levels (e.g., $181,491 for Supreme Court Chief Justice as of 2023) remain unchanged, but future increases would no longer follow this automatic review cycle. The legislation does not alter current salary amounts or funding sources.
HB 1142 amends Mississippi Code § 99-5-25 to allow court clerks to notify bail bond sureties (companies that post bail) about bench warrant forfeitures via U.S. mail or email, in addition to personal service. The bill requires clerks to retain proof of electronic transmission (like email receipts showing date, time, and attachments) and include this with a certificate of service. This change directly affects bail bond companies, streamlining how they receive critical notices about forfeited bonds while maintaining the legal requirement for proper notice. The policy change does not alter forfeiture rules but updates the delivery method for court notices.
This bill reorganizes existing legal sections related to Mississippi's opioid settlement fund without changing fund allocation rules. It details the composition of the Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council (12 voting members including the Attorney General, State Health Officer, and appointed officials, plus 19 nonvoting advisory members from health and legal organizations). The council's role is to review grant applications funded by opioid settlements and recommend recipients to the Legislature, ensuring transparency and accountability in fund use. The bill specifically references Sections 41-153-1, 27-103-305, and 27-103-305.1 of the Mississippi Code for potential future amendments.
This bill restores voting rights to Charles Kenneth Landrum, a resident of Jones County, Mississippi, who was previously disqualified from voting due to a conviction for uttering forgery. The legislation states that Landrum completed his prison sentence in 2010 and has since lived as a law-abiding citizen. Once enacted, the act immediately reinstates his eligibility to vote in Mississippi elections. This measure applies only to this specific individual and does not change broader voting laws or affect other citizens.
This bill restores voting rights to Mary Wayne Prater of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, who had previously lost her suffrage due to a criminal conviction and subsequent probation violations. The legislation formally recognizes that she has since maintained a law-abiding lifestyle and is eligible to vote again. By passing this act, the Mississippi Legislature removes the legal barrier preventing her from participating in elections. The measure takes effect immediately upon passage and applies only to this specific individual.
This bill restores the right to vote to Jose Williams of Hinds County, Mississippi, who had been disenfranchised due to a 1991 grand larceny conviction. The legislation declares that Williams has since lived as a law-abiding citizen and removes the voting restriction that resulted from his criminal sentence. Upon passage, the act immediately reinstates his eligibility to participate in elections without requiring additional court proceedings.
This bill restores the right to vote to Debra Denise Thomas of Hinds County, Mississippi, who had previously lost her voting rights due to a 1998 shoplifting conviction and subsequent probation violation. The legislation formally recognizes that she has since lived as a law-abiding citizen and removes the legal barrier preventing her from participating in elections. Once passed, the act takes effect immediately, allowing her to register and vote in future Mississippi elections. The measure directly impacts only Thomas, with no broader changes to voting laws or eligibility requirements for other citizens.
This bill restores the right to vote to Jerlean Cummings of Clay County, Mississippi, who had previously lost her voting rights due to a 1997 conviction for false pretenses. The legislation is based on the Mississippi Department of Corrections' confirmation that Cummings completed her sentence in 2000 and that no further restrictions apply to her criminal record. By removing the legal barrier from her past conviction, the bill allows her to participate in elections as a registered voter. The act takes effect immediately upon passage and applies only to this specific individual.
This bill restores the right to vote to Melvin Jackson of Monroe County, Mississippi, who was previously disqualified from voting in 2001 due to a conviction for false pretenses. The legislation formally recognizes that Jackson has completed all terms of his three-year probation sentence and has maintained good conduct as a law-abiding citizen. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies specifically to this individual without establishing broader voting restoration procedures.
This bill restores the right to vote to Dennis Hopkins of Marshall County, Mississippi, who was previously disqualified in 1998 after being convicted of grand larceny and burglary. The legislation formally recognizes that Hopkins completed his prison sentence and all conditions of his probation by April 2001 and has since lived as a law-abiding citizen. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026, allowing Hopkins to register and vote in upcoming elections.
