SB 2510 amends Mississippi law to prohibit online, interactive, and computerized gambling games - including internet sweepstakes casinos - by expanding existing gambling definitions. It increases penalties for illegal online wagering operations from a misdemeanor to a felony, with fines up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison per violation. The bill authorizes seizure of assets, rights, and privileges used in violations and allows prosecutions to occur in the county of the offense or Hinds County. It directly affects operators of illegal online gaming platforms and businesses offering unlicensed digital gambling services.
HB 557 prohibits all governmental entities in Mississippi - including state agencies, local governments, and any organizations receiving state funding - from using central bank digital currency (CBDC) for payments, transactions, or other official functions. The bill defines "central bank digital currency" as digital money issued by entities like the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks, and clarifies that "money" under state law excludes such digital currencies. It directly affects state and local government operations by blocking the use of CBDC in services like tax collection or public spending. The bill did not advance beyond committee in 2025.
HB 528 bars Mississippi counties and municipalities from using automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems to enforce traffic laws like speeding or traffic signals on public roads. It requires all existing ALPR systems to be removed by July 1, 2025, except for mobile systems mounted on police vehicles that are wholly owned and operated by law enforcement agencies. These exceptions must follow strict rules: agencies must adopt written policies covering data use, retention, and security; conduct annual audits; and limit ALPR data to official law enforcement purposes like identifying stolen vehicles or persons with warrants. The bill also clarifies that ALPR matches alone cannot justify stopping a vehicle.
SB 2151 requires all Mississippi public school districts, charter schools, agricultural high schools, and specific state schools (like the Mississippi School for the Arts) to adopt and submit by January 1, 2026, policies banning or limiting student cell phone use during class or under staff supervision. Schools failing to comply face daily funding deductions under the state’s funding formula. Exceptions allow phone use during emergencies, for medically necessary reasons (as certified by a healthcare provider), or per a student’s special education plan. The bill also specifies that cell phone policy violations alone cannot justify suspension or expulsion, except as a final disciplinary step.
HB 808 requires Mississippi public school districts and charter schools to adopt internet safety policies that block student access to social media during instructional time (except when teachers direct it for lessons) and prohibit TikTok and similar platforms on school devices. It also mandates that schools provide curriculum for grades 6-12 about social media's impacts on mental health, misinformation, and online safety. The bill updates student conduct codes to explicitly ban wireless device use during class without teacher permission and requires schools to notify parents about available online safety resources. These changes directly affect all K-12 students, teachers, and school administrators in Mississippi public and charter schools.
Mississippi's SB 2834 would have prohibited the state's Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS) from entering contracts with business entities primarily engaged in software development or AI research and development located in mainland China or countries sanctioned by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). The bill amended existing state code to add this restriction to MDITS contracting rules, directly affecting the department and its potential vendors. Key provisions would have blocked contracts with specific foreign entities based on their location and primary business focus. This policy change aimed to limit state IT spending with certain foreign technology providers, though the bill died on calendar in February 2025.
