HB 11 establishes the MissCATEE Program, providing free tuition at Mississippi community colleges for career and technical education (CTE) programs leading to associate degrees or industry certifications in high-demand fields like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and IT. It directly affects eligible Mississippi residents aged 18+ with a high school diploma or GED who enroll in approved CTE programs aligned with state workforce needs. Key provisions require participants to commit to working in Mississippi within their field for a period determined by the Office of Workforce Development (Accelerate MS) and to maintain academic progress while completing a FAFSA. The program aims to address documented workforce shortages, prioritize rural communities, and track outcomes through data collection.
HB 1574 prohibits car dealers, manufacturers, and franchisors from sharing customers' contact details or personal information with other companies, except for specific business needs like completing a sale, processing warranties, or handling recalls. It directly affects car dealerships and manufacturers by restricting how they can use or share customer data they collect. The law allows sharing only for legitimate purposes such as validating incentives, evaluating dealer performance, or fulfilling safety obligations, but bans general marketing or data sales to third parties. This is a privacy-focused policy change targeting data practices in the automotive industry.
HB 731 requires businesses handling Mississippi residents' sensitive personal data (such as names combined with Social Security numbers or financial information) to report significant security breaches to the Attorney General when notifying over 100 affected individuals. Businesses must also notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay and provide the Attorney General with details like the breach scope, available support services, and contact information. Failure to comply would be treated as an unfair trade practice enforceable by the Attorney General. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and was never enacted.
SB 2046 requires businesses handling Mississippi residents' personal data to report major security breaches to the Attorney General's office if over 100 people are affected. It defines a "breach" as unauthorized access to unencrypted personal information (like names combined with Social Security numbers, driver's license details, or credit card numbers). Businesses must notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay and provide written details to the Attorney General, including breach specifics and support services offered. The bill would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee before becoming law.
SB 2500, the Mississippi Consumer Data Protection Act, would have established state-level privacy rights for Mississippi residents by requiring businesses collecting personal data to provide clear privacy notices, allow consumers to access or delete their data, and implement security measures. It directly affects businesses operating in Mississippi that handle personal information, excluding healthcare data covered under HIPAA and de-identified information. Key provisions include mandating consumer requests be addressed promptly, requiring businesses to establish appeal processes for denied requests, and granting the Attorney General exclusive enforcement authority with civil penalties for violations. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
HB 1380 protects Mississippi state/local governments and commercial entities (like businesses handling personal data) from lawsuits related to cybersecurity incidents if they follow specific, nationally recognized security standards. The bill requires these entities to adopt cybersecurity programs aligned with frameworks such as NIST, HIPAA, or ISO 27000, creating a strong legal defense against liability claims. It establishes that compliance with these standards is presumed valid unless a plaintiff proves otherwise with clear evidence. This law directly affects organizations managing sensitive data by reducing legal risks tied to data breaches while mandating adherence to established security practices. The protection applies to covered entities starting January 1, 2026.
SB 2779, the Mississippi Consumer Data Privacy Act, would give Mississippi consumers new rights regarding their personal data collected by businesses. It would allow consumers to request that businesses disclose what data they collect, delete that data, and opt out of having their data sold. Businesses meeting specific thresholds (like annual revenue over $10 million or handling data for 50,000+ consumers) would be required to comply with these requests and provide clear privacy notices. However, this bill died in committee on February 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 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.
