Mississippi set to implement new laws on July 1, including education, immigration, and healthcare measures
Mississippi lawmakers approved a series of bills this year that will become law on July 1, according to official records. The legislation addresses education, immigration, healthcare, judicial matters, and other issues.
Among the education measures, SB 2103 provides a $2,000 pay raise for public school teachers, teacher assistants, and school psychologists. Special education teachers will receive an additional $2,000. The bill also increases the base student cost to $7,201.77 and defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of school days in a year. School districts are directed to develop strategies to reduce absenteeism.
Other education-related bills include SB 3053 and SB 3063, which grant $2,000 pay raises to university and community college professors. HB 562 establishes an upskill grant program to help students attend Mississippi public colleges. The state also expands math and reading initiatives, introduces a financial literacy act, updates computer science curricula to include AI, and mandates civics education in high schools.
Legislation related to child welfare includes SB 2867, which creates income tax credits for employers offering child care stipends, and HB 1224, known as the Mississippi Keeping Kids Safe Online act, which requires social media safety curricula and regulates online services targeting minors. SB 2110 establishes penalties for child neglect, and SB 2369 authorizes withholding child support from gambling winnings in arrearages.
In the judicial realm, SB 2710 increases penalties for juvenile firearm offenses, while HB 1752 raises judicial salaries by $10,000 to $13,000. HB 525 sets mandatory minimum sentences for sexual battery convictions, and SB 2821 creates capital sexual battery with the possibility of the death penalty. SB 1662 presumes joint custody for divorcing parents, and SB 2263 prohibits enforcement officers from vessel stops without probable cause.
Mississippi’s immigration laws also see significant changes. SB 2114 criminalizes illegal immigration as a misdemeanor, punishable by at least six months in jail. HB 2322 invalidates certain out-of-state driver licenses for individuals unable to prove legal presence. HB 538 updates policies to prohibit local law enforcement from adopting sanctuary policies and restrict interference with federal immigration agencies.
Healthcare measures include HB 314, which authorizes clinical trials for Ibogaine treatment for opioid use disorder, and HB 565, which requires Medicaid to cover biomarker testing. HB 1613 criminalizes the shipping or dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs. Additionally, HB 4073 modifies retirement rules for public employees, allowing retirees to return to work at 80% salary without annual raises after a 30-day break, and establishes a new voluntary IRA contribution program.
Election laws are also affected, with SB 2588 mandating the use of the federal SAVE database to verify U.S. citizenship for voters. HB 859 ends the use of signed and sealed envelopes for absentee ballots, replacing them with secure optical mark reading systems. HB 858 restricts the use of wireless connections on voting machines during elections.
Finally, HB 1466 requires seafood restaurants and markets to clearly label the country of origin for their products, enhancing transparency for consumers.
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