Mississippi Legislative Events

Mississippi HB1648 establishes Gulf Coast Restoration Loan Program

Mississippi HB1648 establishes Gulf Coast Restoration Loan Program

Creates presumption for joint custody equal parenting

Mississippi Governor signed HB1662 into law on April 6, 2026, creating a rebuttable presumption in favor of joint custody with equal parenting time in all custody matters under Section 93-5-24 of the Mississippi Code. The bill passed unanimously in the House (118-0) and with strong Senate support (52-0, conference report 39-10), establishing that courts must document reasons for deviating from the equal parenting presumption unless both parents petition otherwise.

Mississippi Judges Salary Increase and Compensation Structure Revision

Mississippi Governor signed HB1752 into law on April 2, 2026, increasing annual salaries for Supreme Court Justices, Court of Appeals judges, Chancery and Circuit Court judges, effective January 1, 2027. The bill also removes provisions linking judicial salaries to State Personnel Board recommendations and establishes salary supplement funding for County Court judges through the Judicial System Operation Fund.

Education compensation and attendance law reforms

Mississippi Governor signed SB2103 into law, implementing comprehensive education reforms including mandatory teacher salary increases to the minimum scale, annual supplements for special education teachers, occupational therapists, and school psychologists, and new attendance officer funding requirements. The bill also modifies counselor ethical requirements, assistant teacher pay protections, and school payroll processing timelines.

Capital Fund Disbursements from Special State Funds

Mississippi Governor signed SB2189 into law, directing the State Fiscal Officer to make disbursements from multiple capital improvement funds including the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund, 2022 Community and Junior Colleges Capital Improvements Fund, and the 2022 State Agencies Capital Improvements Fund. The bill also authorizes state agencies to escalate budgets upon receiving these funds.

Mississippi Math Act and Financial Literacy Act - K-12 Education Initiatives

Mississippi Governor signed SB2294 enacting the Mississippi Math Act (M3 Program) within the State Department of Education, establishing K-12 mathematics coaching, K-5 screening, and Algebra-readiness indicators. The bill also enacts the J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act requiring financial literacy curriculum in grades 6-8 starting 2027-2028, and the Mississippi Future Innovators Act requiring computer science credit for the 2029-2030 ninth-grade class.

Mississippi SB2474 establishes Rare Disease Task Force

Mississippi enacted SB2474 establishing a Rare Disease Task Force within the Mississippi Rare Disease Advisory Council. The task force will identify gaps in care, evaluate funding and insurance coverage practices, advise policymakers on evidence-based solutions, and ensure equitable access to rare disease therapies. The bill passed unanimously (Senate 52-0, House 118-0) and also amends HB 1622 to replace 'license' with 'exemption' terminology.

MDCPS Central Registry Provisions Amended

Mississippi Governor signed SB2805, amending MDCPS state central registry provisions. The bill requires courts to send judgment copies to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services upon criminal conviction related to child abuse or neglect, and authorizes courts to place parents or guardians on the state central registry as substantiated perpetrators under specified conditions.

Mississippi Authorizes Electric Utility Storm Damage Revenue Bonds

Mississippi Governor signed SB3229 into law on April 6, 2026, establishing the Mississippi 2026 Severe Winter Storm Electric Utility Customer Relief and Electric Utility System Restoration Act. The law authorizes the Mississippi Public Service Commission to issue financing orders allowing electric utilities to issue revenue bonds to cover costs of repairing damage caused by the 2026 winter storm, with utilities recovering costs through system restoration charges collected from retail customers.

Yasmine Ware, Madison, commended as 2025 Truman Scholar

Yasmine Ware, Madison, commended as 2025 Truman Scholar