Mississippi

An Act To Establish The Alcorn State University Agriculture, Science, Commerce, Engineering, Nursing, And Technical Skills (ascent) To Excellence Early College High School; To Provide That The Mississippi Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning Shall Oversee The Development And Implementation Of An On Campus Early College High School At Alcorn State University; To Provide That Eligible Students In Grades 9 Through 12 May Be Selected From Across Various School Districts Throughout The State Of Mississippi To Attend The Ascent To Excellence Early College High School; To Require Alcorn State University To Provide The Space, Curriculum, Instructors, Minimum Standards And Other Requirements For The High School; To Provide A Maximum Amount Of Annual Funds That May Be Appropriated To The Program; To Bring Forward Sections 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87, 37-13-89, 37-13-91, 37-13-107, 37-101-1, 37-121-1, 37-15-31, 37-15-38, 37-16-3, 37-16-4, 37-16-5, 37-17-7, 37-17-6, 37-57-107, 37-151-93 And 37-151-103, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For The Purpose Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 25-15-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The State And School Employees Life And Health Insurance Plan To Require The State To Provide Fifty Percent Of The Cost Of The Health Insurance Plan For The Eligible Dependents Of Full-time Employees; To Extend The Repealer On Section 25-15-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 25-34-41, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize Commissions For Persons Who Are Residents Of Another State Who Reside Within Fifteen Miles Of The Border Of Mississippi; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Provide That Any Person Who Was Majoring In Education At A Public Or Private Institution Of Higher Learning During Any Part Of The Calendar Years 2024, 2025 Or 2026, Who Is Employed As A Teacher By A Public School District Beginning On Or After March 1, 2026, And Within Six Months After Graduation, Shall Be Considered As If He Or She Became A Member Of The Public Employees' Retirement System On Or After July 1, 2011, But Before March 1, 2026, (tier 4 Membership) For All Purposes Under The Retirement System Law; To Amend Sections 25-11-103, 25-11-109, 25-11-111, 25-11-112, 25-11-114, 25-11-115, 25-11-117, 25-11-123 And 25-11-147, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform To The Preceding Provision; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Authorize The Mississippi Dyslexia Institute To Establish A Structured Literacy Pilot Program; To Provide Regulatory Flexibility; To Establish An Evidence-based Alternative To Grade Retention Aligned With Mississippi's Third Grade Reading Gate Statutes; To Improve Identification And Remediation Of Dyslexia; To Establish Public-private Partnerships; To Require Accountability And Reporting; To Develop An Orton-gillingham Structured Literacy Program With A Teacher Training Component; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Require Pharmacies To Maintain Not More Than A Certain Pharmacy Technician-to-pharmacist Ratio; To Authorize The State Board Of Pharmacy To Adopt Rules And Regulations Necessary To Enforce Compliance With The Ratio Requirements; To Prohibit The Board From Adopting A Ratio Requirement That Is More Restrictive Than The Requirements Of This Act; To Bring Forward Sections 73-21-83 And 73-21-111, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For The Purpose Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Create The Fetal And Infant Mortality Review Panel To Review Fetal Deaths And Deaths Of Infants Up To One Year Of Age And Establish Strategies To Prevent Infant Deaths; To Provide That The Review Panel Shall Be Multidisciplinary And Composed Of Such Members As Deemed Appropriate By The State Department Of Health; To Require The Review Panel To Submit A Report Annually To The House And Senate Public Health Committees That Include The Numbers, Causes And Relevant Demographic Information On Infant Mortality Deaths In Mississippi, And Appropriate Recommendations To The Legislature On How To Most Effectively Direct State Resources To Decrease Infant Mortality In The State; To Require That Data Shall Be Provided To The Review Panel By The State Medical Examiner's Office, State Department Of Health, Department Of Human Services, Medical Examiners, Coroners, Health Care Providers, Law Enforcement Agencies, And Any Other Agencies Or Officials Having Information That Is Necessary For The Review Panel To Carry Out Its Duties; To Require Physicians, Hospitals And Pharmacies To Provide Reasonable Access To The Review Panel To All Relevant Medical Records Associated With A Case Under Review By The Review Panel; To Provide That Information, Records And Proceedings Of The Review Panel Are Confidential And Not Subject To The Open Meetings Act, The Public Records Act Or Subpoena, Discovery Or Introduction Into Evidence; To Authorize The Review Panel To Initiate Enforcement Actions Against Agencies Or Officials That Do Not Provide Information To The Panel In A Complete And Timely Manner; To Amend Section 25-41-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform To The Preceding Provisions; To Create A New Section Within Chapter 61, Title 25, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Exempt Certain Quality Assurance, Quality Improvement, Performance Improvement, And Review Records Of The State Department Of Health From The Public Records Act; To Provide That Such Records Shall Be Confidential And Not Subject To Disclosure, Subpoena, Or Discovery; To Exempt Certain Radiological Health And Radioactive Material Licensing Information From The Public Records Act When Disclosure Would Pose A Risk To Public Health Or Security; To Amend Section 25-41-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The State Department Of Health And Certain Panels, Committees, Systems, Or Programs Established, Designated, Administered, Or Supported By The Department For Purposes Of Quality Assurance, Quality Improvement, Performance Improvement, Peer Review, Patient Safety, Morbidity Or Mortality Review, Or System Evaluation To Conduct Closed Meetings Or Executive Sessions For The Discussion Of Confidential Quality Assurance And Performance Improvement Matters; To Amend Section 41-111-1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Make Technical, Nonsubstantive Amendments; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Enact The Mississippi Keeping Kids Safe Online Act; To Define Terms; To Prohibit Interactive Computer Service Providers From Attempting To Enter Into Any Contractual Agreement With A User Who Is A Minor Without The Prior Express Consent Of The Minor's Parent Or Legal Guardian; To Provide That If An Interactive Computer Service Provider Knowingly And Intentionally Commits Certain Acts, It Shall Be Liable For The Civil Penalties And Other Remedies Provided In This Act; To Provide Certain Exceptions; To Authorize The Attorney General To Bring An Action To Enjoin Violation Of This Chapter And Recover Civil Penalties; To Authorize The Attorney General To Recover Reasonable Attorney's Fees, Costs, And Reasonable Expenses Of Litigation Incurred In An Action Under This Chapter; To Direct Codification; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Create The "in-person Early Voting Act"; To Provide Definitions; To Provide That The In-person Early Voting Period Shall Begin 15 Days Before The Election And Continue Until 12:00 P.m. On The Saturday Immediately Preceding The Election; To Provide That In-person Early Voting Shall Be For Each Primary, General, Runoff, Special And Municipal Election For Public Office; To Provide The Hours For In-person Early Voting In The Registrar's Office During Regular Business Hours; To Provide Extended Hours To Vote During The Last Full Week Preceding An Election; To Provide That Notice Of In-person Early Voting Shall Be Provided In Three Public Places Eight Days Before The Voting Begins; To Provide The Procedures To Follow When Casting A Ballot During The In-person Early Voting Period; To Provide The Manner For Challenging The Qualifications Of A Voter During The In-person Early Voting Period; To Prohibit Voting Via Ballot Harvesting, Ballot Drop Boxes Or With Mail-in Or Absentee Ballots For Reasons Or Instances Other Than What Is Allowed By The Mississippi Election Code; To Amend Sections 23-15-625, 23-15-627, 23-15-631, 23-15-637, 23-15-713, 23-15-715 And 23-15-719, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 63-33-1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit Texting While Driving; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 37-161-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Creation Of Virtual Public Schools To Be Operated By Local School Districts, Regional Education Service Agencies Or Locally Sponsored Virtual Public Schools; To Define The Term "locally Sponsored Virtual Public School"; To Limit The Number Of Virtual Public Schools Established In The State To Three; To Require Enrollment In A Virtual Public School To Be Free Of Charge And Open To Students From Any School District In The State; To Require The State Department Of Education To Transfer, For Each Student Enrolled In A Virtual Public School Operated By A District Other Than That In Which The Student Resides, An Amount Equal To The Student's Home School District's Local Operational Tax Levy To The School District Operating The Virtual Public School; To Require The Department To Withhold Such Amount From The Transferring School District's January Payment Of Adequate Education Program Funds; To Require Locally Sponsored Virtual Public Schools To Adopt Certain Enrollment Policies; To Amend Sections 37-179-1 And 37-179-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Are Provisions Relating To Districts Of Innovation, In Conformity To The Preceding Provisions; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 89-10-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Delete A Provision Of The Real Property Owners Protection Act Related To Squatters; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 27-33-51, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That For Ad Valorem Taxes Collected On Property For Which Homestead Exemption Is Disapproved Or Disallowed Because A Taxpayer Or The Taxpayer's Spouse Has Failed To Comply With The Income Tax Laws Of This State, The Tax Collector Shall Remit To The Department Of Revenue An Amount Equal To The Additional Ad Valorem Taxes Paid On The Property Due To Homestead Exemption Being Disapproved Or Disallowed For The Property, Not To Exceed The Amount Of The Obligation For Which The Taxpayer Or Taxpayer's Spouse Is Not In Compliance With The Income Tax Laws Of This State; To Provide That The Department Of Revenue Shall Apply Such Amount Against The Taxpayer's Income Tax Obligation; To Bring Forward Section 27-41-77, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Relates To The Disposition Of Excess Proceeds Resulting From The Sale Of Land For Nonpayment Of Ad Valorem Taxes, For The Purposes Of Possible Amendment; To Bring Forward Sections 27-45-1 And 27-45-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Relate To The Redemption Of Land Sold For Nonpayment Of Ad Valorem Taxes, For The Purposes Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Be Known As The Creating Logic For Efficiency And Accountability Reform (clear) Act; To Create New Section 5-3-77, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Peer Committee To Establish A Program Of Reviewing Selected Newly Adopted State Agency Administrative Rules; To Provide That Such Reviews Shall Produce A Report To The Legislature On Newly Adopted State Agency Administrative Rules And Their Conformity To The Intent Of The Law Authorizing Them, As Well As Any Other Matter The Committee Considers Appropriate; To Amend Section 43-13-117, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Peer Committee Shall Conduct A Performance Evaluation Of The Medicaid Nonemergency Transportation Program Once Every Three Years To Evaluate The Administration Of The Program And The Providers Of Transportation Services To Determine The Most Cost-effective Ways Of Providing Nonemergency Transportation Services To The Patients Served Under The Program; To Create The State Board Of Health Professions; To Provide That The Members Of The Board Shall Be One Member From The Boards Of Medical Licensure, Pharmacy, Nursing, Chiropractic Examiners, Dental Examiners And Optometry, And Five Additional Members; To Provide That The Board Shall Evaluate The Need For Coordination Among The Health Regulatory Boards And Their Staffs, Evaluate All Health Care Professions And Occupations In The State And Consider Whether Each Such Profession Or Occupation Should Be Regulated And The Degree Of Regulation To Be Imposed, Serve As A Forum For Resolving Conflicts Among The Health Regulatory Boards, Advise The Governor And The Legislature On Matters Relating To The Regulation Or Deregulation Of Health Care Professions And Occupations, And Examine Scope Of Practice Conflicts Involving Regulated And Unregulated Health Care Professions And Occupations And Advise The Health Regulatory Boards And The Legislature Of The Nature And Degree Of Such Conflicts; To Provide That The State Department Of Health Shall Annually Request A Budget For The State Board Of Health Professions And Shall Provide A Meeting Space And Administrative Support For The Board's Operations; To Amend Section 47-5-579, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Clarify That All Program Withholdings From Participants Of The Prison Industries Corporation's Work Initiative Program Shall Be Calculated Based Upon Participant Wages After Mandatory Deductions; To Require Accounting Of Any Dependent Support Payments, Fines, Restitutions, Fees Or Costs, As Ordered By The Court, Be Reported For Each Work Initiative Participant; To Require That The Remaining Sentence Length Of Such Participant Be Collected, Maintained And Reported; To Require That A Financial Account Creation Date Be Collected, Maintained And Reported For Each Participant; To Amend Section 5-3-59, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide For Criminal Penalties For Persons Who Fail To Comply With Subpoenas From The Peer Committee; To Create New Section 5-3-60, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide For Civil Enforcement Of Peer Committee Subpoenas; To Amend Sections 5-1-23 And 5-1-25, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That These Provisions Relating To Witnesses Before Legislative Committees Are Not Applicable To Subpoenas Issued By The Peer Committee; To Amend Section 5-1-35, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Sergeant-at-arms Of The Senate Shall Serve Peer Committee Subpoenas Upon Request; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Provide That Contracts That Establish Or Modify The Terms Of A Partnership, Employment Or Any Other Form Of Professional Relationship With A Health Care Provider Who Is Licensed In Mississippi, Which Include Any Restriction Of The Right Of The Health Care Provider To Practice His Or Her Profession Or Occupation In Any Geographic Area For Any Period Of Time After The Termination Of Such Partnership, Employment Or Professional Relationship, Shall Be Void And Unenforceable With Respect To That Restriction; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 27-104-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Public Procurement Review Board To Adopt Regulations To Set Aside At Least Five Percent Of Anticipated Annual Expenditures For The Purchase Of Commodities From Minority Businesses; To Provide That Businesses Owned By Veterans And Businesses Owned By People With Disabilities Shall Also Be Eligible For The Set-asides; To Amend Section 31-7-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Amend The Public Purchasing Law To Require Any Agency Or Governing Authority To Set Aside Not More Than Twenty Percent Of Its Anticipated Annual Expenditures For The Purchase Of Commodities From Minority Businesses; To Provide That Businesses Owned By Veterans And Businesses Owned By People With Disabilities Shall Also Be Eligible For The Set-asides; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 23-15-715, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require County Sheriffs And Municipal Police Chiefs To Have Applications Readily Available For Absentee Ballots For Persons Who Are Incarcerated In Prisons Or Jails And Who Have Not Been Convicted Of A Disenfranchising Crime; To Bring Forward Section 23-15-627, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Require The State Department Of Education And The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning To Establish And Implement A Program Known As The "health Careers Academy" For Public School Students In Grades 9 Through 12; To Provide That The Purpose Of The Academy Will Be To Stimulate Interest In Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, Critical Thinking And Health Care Professions; To Require The Academy To Be Conducted As A Six-week Nonresidential Summer Program At The University Of Mississippi Medical Center; To Require The State Department Of Education And The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning To Jointly Develop The Criteria And Process To Be Used In A Random Selection Of Candidates; To Require That The Criteria And Process Used Be Nondiscriminatory In Nature; To Prescribe The Eligibility Requirements For Participation In The Academy; To Prescribe The Components To Be Included In The Academy; To Require The Academy To Provide Full-day Instruction During The Course Of The Program; To Require Participating Students To Complete Certain Tasks And Research Projects; To Limit Participation In The Academy To Mississippi Residents In Grades 9 Through 12 Who Attend A Public School; To Require Eligible Persons To Submit An Application For Participation To The State Department Of Education; To Require The Department To Make The Applications Available To All School Districts By A Certain Date And To Establish The Deadline For Acceptance Of Applications; To Require The Department To Forward The Completed Applications To The Vice Chancellor For Health Affairs At The University Of Mississippi Medical Center At The Closing Date For Acceptance Of Applications; To Provide An Incentive In The Form Of A Stipend For Students Participating In The Academy; To Establish The Health Careers Academy Trust Fund In The State Treasury To Provide Support To Local School Districts And The University Of Mississippi Medical Center For Start-up Costs And Costs Associated With Implementing And Operating The Academy; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 13-5-1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Expand The Definition Of A Juror To Those Citizens Who Have A Current And Valid Mississippi Driver's License And Who Have Filed State Income Taxes; To Amend Section 13-5-8, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Sections 45-33-25, 45-33-27, 45-33-29, 45-33-32 And 45-33-35, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require A Sex Offender Registrant To Provide All Required Information For Registration And Re-registration To The Sheriff Of The County In Which He Or She Resides Within A Certain Time Frame; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Create New Section 25-3-96, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That State Employees Who Have Used Earned Personal Leave Or Major Medical Leave In Order To Be Paid Their Regular Compensation While Taking Leave Under The Federal Family And Medical Leave Act (fmla) May Buy Back All Or Any Portion Of The Personal Or Major Medical Leave Used While Taking Fmla Leave, By Paying To Their Employer The Amount Of The Net Compensation Received During The Use Of The Personal Or Major Medical Leave; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Codify Section 43-13-115.2, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Direct The Division Of Medicaid To Enter Into Negotiations With The Federal Government To Obtain A Waiver Of Applicable Provisions Of The Medicaid Laws And Regulations To Provide Medicaid Benefits To Children Who Are In Need Of Mental Health Services Or Substance Use Disorder Services During A Presumptive Eligibility Period; To Provide That During The Presumptive Eligibility Period, The Medicaid Benefits Available For Those Individuals Will Be Limited To Mental Health Services Or Substance Use Disorder Services, As Applicable; To Provide For The Presumptive Eligibility Period, Qualified Entities, Notification Requirements, And A Requirement To Apply For Medicaid Benefits; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 49-17-29, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Allow For Hearings Regarding Permits For Commercial Hazardous Waste Management Facilities And Solid Waste Management Permits For Commercial Municipal Solid Waste Landfills Or Incinerators To Be Held At The Discretion Of The Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board; To Amend Section 49-35-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Allow The Mississippi Commission On Environmental Quality To Authorize The Executive Director Of The Mississippi Department Of Environmental Quality To Issue All Orders Required Under The Mississippi Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup And Redevelopment Act; To Amend Section 51-3-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Reduce The Costs Associated With Notifying Permit Holders Of Permit Expiration By Giving The Permit Board Discretion Over The Method Of Written Notice; To Amend Section 51-3-31, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Eliminate The Permit Application Fee; To Bring Forward Section 49-35-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Relates To Mississippi Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup And Redevelopment, For Purpose Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 97-35-47, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prescribe Penalties For False Reporting Of A Crime Involving Threats Or Emergency Situations At Public Or Private Elementary Or Secondary Schools And Postsecondary Educational Institutions; And For Related Purposes.

An Act To Amend Section 75-29-951, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Increase The Cap On The Annual Gross Sales Of Cottage Foods To $200,000.00; And For Related Purposes.