Technology

SB 2443 proposed establishing Mississippi's Technology Innovation Fund to support government technology projects. The fund would provide grants and other support to state agencies, schools, nonprofits, and private companies partnering with government to develop digital solutions for improving public services, cybersecurity, and efficiency. Recipients would need to report progress to the state's Chief Information Officer, who would also submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. However, the bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

SB 2059, the "Artificial Intelligence in Education Task Force Act," proposes establishing a 12-member task force to study AI's potential in Mississippi K-12 education and develop policy recommendations. The task force, appointed by state leaders and including education, tech, ethics, and industry experts, would evaluate AI applications, assess privacy/ethics concerns, and recommend guidelines for student/teacher use, curriculum integration, and data privacy. It would submit interim reports by November 2025 and a final report by December 2025 to state leaders. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and never became law.

SB 2535, the "MS Future Innovators Act," would require all Mississippi public high school students to earn one credit in a computer science course or a career and technical education (CTE) course with embedded computer science before graduation, starting with the 2027-2028 ninth-grade class. The bill mandates that these courses include instruction on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), covering what AI is, how it works, and its societal impact. It allows these courses to fulfill specific graduation requirements without increasing the total required credits. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and is not currently law.

SB 2471 limits liability for government entities (like counties and municipalities) and commercial businesses if they adopt cybersecurity programs aligned with nationally recognized standards, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. It creates a "rebuttable presumption" against liability for compliant entities, meaning plaintiffs must prove non-compliance with these standards to override the protection. The law requires documentation of compliance and shifts the burden of proof to the plaintiff in lawsuits, though it does not create new private lawsuits for non-compliance. This bill applies to entities handling personal information and takes effect July 1, 2025.