Legislative Weekly Summary
Note: The following information is provided by the Press Offices of the respective Houses of the Mississippi State Legislature
Mississippi State Senate
In the tenth week of the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session, the Senate passed a number of appropriation bills, along with a Rules calendar saluting exemplary citizens. Senate Resolution 96 honors Senator Hillman T. Frazier who was named recipient of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) Thomas Murphy Legacy Award.
The Senate also passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 535, and House Concurrent Resolution 59, honoring the life and distinguished public service career of former House Speaker Pro Tempore Robert George Clark, Jr., upon his passing.
Passage of House Bill 662 revises criteria for presumptive eligibility for pregnant women to conform to federal laws and regulations to receive pre-natal care through Medicaid by having regular access to medical care before delivery. Passage of House Bill 1268 creates the Mississippi Save Our Service Member Task Force to study and make recommendations concerning mental health needs of military members.
Other bills passed included:
• House Bill 1203 prohibits camping on public property.
• House Bill 1459 authorizes Supreme Court Justice to appoint full-time and part-time judges for the Capitol Complex Improvement District.
• Senate Bill 2280 establishes the Mississippi Wild Turkey Stamp for hunters. • House Bill 1077 prohibits sale of Kratom products to persons under 21 and sets forth guidelines to ensure public safety.
• Senate Bill 2899 increases salaries for court reporters.
• Senate Bill 2469 creates a committee to study solutions to unmerchantable and uninsurable titles resulting from tax sales.
• House Bill 1201 creates tax incentives for developers to improve tax forfeited, blighted properties in Mississippi.
• House Bill 1491 establishes the Cloud Center of Excellence for phased-in cloud computing and storage by state agencies and governing authorities.
Mississippi State Senate – P.O. Box 1018 – Jackson, MS 39215-1018
• Senate Bill 2239 adds Forrest and Wayne counties to the list of places where state offenders can by housed.
• House Bill 1308 makes grooming of children for sexual exploitation a criminal offense. • House Bill 1063 creates the Mississippi State Employees Paid Parental Leave Act. • House Bill 1193 prohibits DEI statements and practices in public K-12 and postsecondary schools.
Senator Rod Hickman on Tuesday, March 11, led presentation of Senate Resolution 63, honoring the memory and military service of Black Hawk pilot U.S. Army Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves of Brooksville, who lost his life in action in an in-air collision in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, along with two other service members when they collided with a commercial American Airlines flight during a training mission.
Senator Angela Hill and Representative Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes on Thursday, March 13, led the presentation of Senate Resolution 90, to the Pearl River Central High School Blue Devil Cheerleading Team, Head Coach Liz Smith and Assistant Coach Tasha Morris, for winning consecutive 2024-2025 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships.
The Senate met a Wednesday, March 12 deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the House, a Thursday, March 13 deadline for reconsideration and passage of general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the House, and a Friday, March 14 deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider general bills and constitutional amendments originating from the House.
The Senate faces a Tuesday, March 18 deadline for original floor action on appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House, a Wednesday, March 19 deadline for reconsideration and passage of appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House, a Thursday, March 20 deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House, and a Friday, March 21 deadline to concur or not concur in amendments from the House to appropriation and revenue bills, and deadline for introduction of local and private bills that are revenue bills.
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House reconvened at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 10, marking the start of the tenth week of the 2025 legislative session. Several key bills were passed, addressing a range of policy areas.
The House observed a moment of silence in honor of the three victims who lost their lives in the UMMC Air Care helicopter crash in Madison County earlier this week: Med-Trans Pilot Cal Wesolowski, Critical Care Paramedic Jakob Kindt, and Flight Nurse Dustin Pope.
Several bills were passed this week, some of which have been sent to conference. During conference week, Speaker White and Lieutenant Governor Hosemann will each appoint three members from their respective chambers to negotiate and reach an agreement on the final version of the legislation.
HB 913 establishes clear labeling requirements for meat and meat substitute products to prevent consumer confusion. The bill mandates that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture inspect food processing plants, retail stores, and food establishments based on credible complaints regarding misbranded meat products. It enforces penalties for violations and requires clear labeling and disclosure at the final point of sale to distinguish between meat and meat alternatives.
SB 2835 creates the Mississippi Emergency Communications Authority within MEMA to oversee and modernize emergency communication systems. The bill sets a goal of implementing Next Generation 911 (NG911) statewide by 2030. It establishes a statewide advisory board, introduces an Emergency Communications Service Charge to fund upgrades, and mandates financial audits for transparency. Counties will have the ability to coordinate emergency communication districts under new technical and operational standards.
SB 2426 establishes the Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AIR) Task Force to evaluate the risks, benefits, and policy implications of AI in Mississippi. The task force will examine AI applications, privacy concerns, ethical standards, and potential government uses. It will report findings to the Legislature annually until its dissolution in 2027. The task force is authorized to seek funding, appoint advisory members, and propose policy recommendations to balance innovation with public safety and regulatory oversight.
SB 2573 creates the Mississippi Department of Tourism, transferring tourism-related responsibilities from the Mississippi Development Authority. The bill establishes an executive director, appointed by the governor, to oversee the department. It also introduces a grant program for tourism entities and a marketing advisory board to guide promotional efforts. A portion of sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels will be diverted to fund tourism advertising, streamlining the state’s tourism governance structure.
SB 2555 amends Mississippi Code Section 67-5-11 to allow native wineries to sell directly to consumers or the Department of Revenue at one satellite location within the same county as their original site. It also permits onsite pickup for wines and distilled spirits sold by the Department of Revenue to retailers, eliminating the requirement for shipment to the department’s warehouse. This bill aims to expand market access for local wineries while simplifying distribution processes.
The House faces a deadline for Tuesday, March 18, for original floor action on appropriation and revenue bills originating in other house.
The House is set to reconvene 4 p.m. on Monday, March 17.
