SB 2110 creates a new criminal offense for parents, guardians, or responsible adults who fail to provide age-appropriate supervision to a child, resulting in substantial physical, mental, or emotional harm. This specifically targets situations where a child is left unsupervised in a way that causes harm (e.g., leaving a young child unattended in a dangerous environment), distinct from general neglect like lack of food. Violators face up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine, or both. The law applies to children under 18 (excluding those in the military or married). It does not affect reasonable discipline but explicitly covers cases where inadequate supervision directly causes harm.
Mississippi's SB 2114 creates new state felony offenses for undocumented immigrants who enter the state directly from a foreign nation without using a legal port of entry, or who are arrested for certain crimes while unlawfully present in the U.S. The bill requires state law enforcement to coordinate with federal immigration authorities through a formal agreement (modeled on the federal 287(g) program) and mandates the Department of Public Safety to track the identities and backgrounds of undocumented residents. It also directs courts to order convicted individuals to be deported and transferred to state corrections for repatriation, while banning eligibility for expungement or early release programs. This law directly affects undocumented immigrants in Mississippi and shifts enforcement responsibilities to state agencies under state criminal law.
HB 538 prohibits Mississippi state and local governments, including public schools and universities, from adopting policies that interfere with federal immigration enforcement. It requires all government entities to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, share information about immigration status when requested, and comply with immigration detainer requests. Violations could lead to legal action against the government entity, as the law waives sovereign immunity for such cases. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 525 creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for sexual battery convictions in Mississippi, directly affecting individuals convicted of this crime and their victims. The bill sets specific minimum terms: 5 years for first offenses involving victims under 16, 10 years for repeat offenses, and life imprisonment for certain cases under Section 97-3-95(1)(d). It also requires courts to issue criminal sexual assault protection orders prohibiting offender-victim contact, mandating registry entry within 24 hours and a minimum 2-year duration post-sentence. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all sexual battery convictions under the amended statute.
HB 611 requires Mississippi's Board on Law Enforcement Standards and Training to allow law enforcement officers and part-time officers to access relevant evidence and documents (known as "discovery") during disciplinary hearings. This applies specifically when the Board considers reprimands, suspensions, cancellations, or recalls of an officer's certification. The bill mandates that officers receive this right as part of the hearing process, aligning with standard civil procedure rules for evidence access. It directly affects officers facing certification disciplinary actions under Mississippi's law enforcement standards.
SB 2262 would allow Meadville, Mississippi to impose a 3% tax on short-term hotel, motel, and bed-and-breakfast rentals (less than 30 days) to fund tourism promotion and parks/recreation projects. Before implementing the tax, the town must hold a voter election requiring 60% approval from those who vote. Revenue collected must be spent exclusively on tourism and parks initiatives, tracked separately from general town funds, and audited annually. The tax would expire on July 1, 2030.
SB 2322 requires Mississippi driver's licenses, renewals, temporary permits, and commercial licenses to display the sex assigned at birth, not the individual's current gender identity. This applies to all license holders, including transgender residents who have legally changed their gender, and overrides any court order requiring a different gender marker. The law mandates that the Department of Public Safety issue licenses with this birth-assigned sex, effective July 1, 2026. It does not allow for updated gender markers on licenses regardless of legal documentation.
SB 2474 creates a pilot program allowing up to three rural hospitals in Mississippi to operate outpatient dialysis units, ambulatory surgical facilities, or geriatric psychiatric units without requiring standard certificate of need approvals. To qualify, hospitals must be located in counties without municipalities exceeding 15,000 residents (or in Washington County), and new units must be within five miles of the hospital’s main location as of January 1, 2026. The bill modifies existing licensing rules to permit these exceptions, with the state health officer’s approval decisions being final - only allowing limited reconsideration requests within seven days. This directly affects qualifying rural hospitals seeking to expand specific services without lengthy regulatory hurdles.
HB 1330 revises the legal definition of "qualified resort area" under Mississippi's Local Option Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. This change directly affects resorts and hospitality businesses in designated areas by altering how alcohol sales regulations apply to them. The bill amends Section 67-1-5 of Mississippi Code to update the criteria for areas qualifying as "resort areas," which determines the alcohol control rules they follow. This is a technical definition update, not a new policy, and impacts how local governments regulate alcohol service in resort communities. The bill passed the title sufficiency vote on February 3, 2026.
HB 1076, the "Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment (SAVE) Act," regulates private individuals or companies that assist veterans with benefits claims. It directly affects veterans seeking help with VA benefits and the advisors who charge for such services. Key provisions include banning upfront or nonrefundable fees, requiring written agreements that cap fees at five times any monthly benefit increase, prohibiting guarantees of specific outcomes, and mandating clear disclosures that free VA or state services are available. The bill also restricts advisors from using veterans' personal login credentials and requires background checks for anyone accessing veterans' medical or financial information.
HB 1466 modifies Mississippi's seafood labeling rules to allow businesses to label crawfish and seafood by country of origin instead of only "domestic" or "imported." It permits restaurants to use a single visible menu legend for all seafood items rather than listing each one individually. Products already compliant with federal Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements are exempt from state labeling, but grocery stores and seafood markets must still label fresh or unfrozen products sold directly to consumers. This bill directly affects seafood wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, and consumers seeking transparency about seafood sources.
HB 1612 reorganizes Mississippi's Department of Public Safety by consolidating its offices (like Highway Patrol, Forensic Labs, and Homeland Security units) under a single Commissioner. It removes a fee requirement for emergency communications training funding and increases fees for medical examiner autopsies ($185 base + up to $100 for SIDS cases) and vehicle safety inspections for salvage titles. These changes directly affect the state agency (through structural shifts), counties (paying higher medical examiner fees), and vehicle owners (paying increased inspection costs). The bill makes operational adjustments to existing fee structures and departmental organization without introducing new programs or funding.
