Bills to watch for the 2021 Legislative Session

Lawmakers returned to the Mississippi State Capitol for the 2021 Legislative Session on January 5th.

Below is a list of bills to watch as business continues for the 90 day session.

**This article will update frequently as more bills are added and bill statuses changes.**

HOUSE BILLS 

Flag 

HB 1 – Ratification of the new state flag of Mississippi

• Referred to Rules committee
• Passed in House Rules Committee
• Passed in House,
• Transmitted to Senate
• Passed in Senate Rules Committee
• Passed in Senate,
• Signed by the Governor

Education 

HB 135 – MS Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998; extend repealer on.

• Referred to Education
• Passed in Education
• Passed in the House
• Transmitted to Senate
• Referred to Education
• Passed in Education
• Passed in the Senate unanimously
• Returned for enrolling
• Signed by the Governor

HB 852 – Teachers’ and teacher’s assistants’ salaries; provide increase to minimum salary.

• Referred to Education and Appropriations
• Passed in Education
• Passed in Appropriations
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 118 – 3
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Education and Appropriations
• Passed in Education
• Passed in Appropriations, as amended
• Passed in the Senate unanimously
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurred as amended from Senate
• Signed by the Governor 

HB 1123 – Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013; revise funding and specify teaching standards.

• Referred to Education and Appropriations
• Passed in Education
• Transmitted to Appropriations
• Passed in Appropriations
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 113 – 7
• Transmitted to Senate
• Referred to Education and Appropriations
• Passed as amended in Education and Appropriations
• Amended
• Passed as amended
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurred as amended from the Senate
• Signed by the Governor 

Corrections

HB 525 – Corrections omnibus bill; enact

• Referred to Corrections
• Passed in Corrections
• Passed in the House by a vote of 111 – 1
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Corrections
• Passed as amended
• Amended
• Passed as amended in the Senate
• Returned for concurrence
• Conference invited
• DEAD 

Medicaid

HB 1008 – Medicaid; bring forward sections for purposes of amendment.

• Referred to Medicaid
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 110 – 5
• Held on a motion to reconsider
• Motion tabled
• Transfered to Senate
• Referred to Medicaid
• Passed as amended
• Motion to reconsider entered
• Died on the Calendar
• Suspended from deadlines by SCR 535
• Recalled from House
• Motion to Reconsider tabled
• Immediate Release
• Returned for concurrence
• Decline to concur
• Conference invited
• DEAD

Miscellaneous 

HB 997 – Alcoholic beverages; remove DOR from being wholesale distributor, authorize issuance of wholesaler’s permits.

• Referred to Ways and Means Committee
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 104 – 3
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Finance
• Passed as amended
• Amended
• Passed as amended in the Senate
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurrence denied
• Invited Conference
• DEAD

HR 1 – Emmett Till murder; issue apology for state’s role in killers’ acquittals that were based on a lie.

• Referred to Rules
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the House, 120-0
• Transmitted to Senate
• Referred to Rules
• DEAD 

SENATE BILLS 

Education 

SB 2149 – MAEP; Department of Education required to hold harmless school district from calculating 2020-2021 average daily attendance.

• Referred to Education
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the Senate by a vote of 52 – 0
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred to Education
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the House unanimously
• Returned for enrolling
• Signed by the Governor 

SB 2267 – Teacher license; allow reciprocity if teacher possesses standard license from other state and passes background check.

• Referred to Education
• Passed in Committee
• Passed on the floor unanimously
• Transmitted to House
• Referred to Education
• Passed as amended
• Amended
• Passed as amended in the House unanimously
• Returned for concerrence
• Concur declined
• Conference invited
• Conferees named: DeBar,Hill,Norwood
• Signed by the Governor 

Corrections

SB 2279 – Parole and probation; criminalize absconding.

• Referred to Judiciary B
• Passed in committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 47 – 2
• Transmitted to House
• Referred to Judiciary B and Corrections
• Passed in Judiciary B
• Passed in Corrections, as amended
• Amended
• Passed in the House by a vote of 101 to 14
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurrence declined
• Conference invited
• Conferees named: Fillingane, Wiggins, McCaughn
• DEAD

SB 2795 – “Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act”; enact.

• Referred to Corrections
• Passed in committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 44 – 4
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred to Corrections
• Passed in committee, as amended
• Amended
• Passed in the House by a vote of 105 to 9
• Held on a motion to reconsider
• Motion to reconsider tabled
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurrence declined
• Conference invited
• Conferees named: Barnett, Sparks, Wiggins
• Signed by the Governor

Medicaid

SB 2799 – Mississippi Medicaid Program; make technical amendments to reimbursements and administration.

• Referred to Medicaid
• Passed in committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 47 – 4
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred to Medicaid
• Passed in committee as amended
• Amended
• Passed in the House as amended
• Motion to reconsider entered
• Died on calendar
• Suspended from deadlines by SCR to 353
• Recalled from Senate
• Motion to reconsider tabled
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurrence declined
• Conference invited
• Law without Governor’s signature 

Miscellaneous

SB 2536 – Athletics; enact the “Mississippi Fairness Act.”

• Referred To Universities and Colleges; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in Universities and Colleges
• Referred to Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in the Senate by a vote of 34 – 9
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 81 to 28
• Returned for enrolling
• Sent to the Governor
• Signed by the Governor

SB 2759 – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; increase the monthly amount.

• Referred to Public Health and Welfare
• Passed in Committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 40 – 9
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred To Public Health and Human Services
• Passed in committee, as amended
• Amended
• Passed in the House by a vote of 110 to 11
• Returned for concurrence
• Concurred as amended by the House
• Sent to the Governor
• Signed by the Governor 

DEAD BILLS

HB 10- Driver’s licenses; allow online renewal any time after expiration regardless of time transpired.

• Referred to transportation
• DEAD

HB 16 – Mississippi Highway Patrol and MBN officers; increase salaries of.

• Referred to Judiciary B; Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 18 – Medical marijuana; authorize Alcorn State University to enter into MOU for local farmers to grow for out-of-state vendors.

• Referred to Universities and Colleges
• DEAD

HB 1439 – Mississippi Tax Freedom Act of 2021; create.

• Referred to Ways and Means
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 85 – 34
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Finance
• DEAD

HB 207- Medicaid; expand eligibility under federal health care reform law.

• Referred to Medicaid; Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 1231 – Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund; create.

•  Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and Ways and Means
• Passed in Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
• Referred to Ways and Means
• Passed in Ways and Means
• Passed in the House by a vote of 117 – 2
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency; Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; Appropriations
• Passed as amended
• Returned for concurrence
• DEAD

HB 316 – Kindergarten-age children; require mandatory attendance under compulsory school attendance laws.

• Referred to Education
• DEAD

HB 68 – Money to DFA for flags

• Referred to Appropriations
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House, 117 – 3
• Transmitted to Senate
• Referred to Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 108 – Wireless Communication Commission; remove ITS control over.

• Referred to Public Utilities; Appropriations
• Passed in Public Utilities
• Referred to Appropriations
• Passed in Appropriations
• Passed in the House by a vote of 118 – 1
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Technology
• Passed as amended
• Amended
• Passed as amended in the Senate unanimously
• Immediate release
• Returned for concurrence
• DEAD

HB 581 – The Sexual Assault Response For College Students Act; create.

• Referred to Judiciary B
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 115 – 4
• Transmitted to Senate
• Referred to Universities and Colleges;Judiciary, Division B
• DEAD

HB 1019 – Gubernatorial inaugurations funds; require contributions and expenditures to be reported to Secretary of State.

• Referred to Apportionment and Elections
• Passed in committee
• Passed in the House by a vote of 116 – 1
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

HB 342 – MAEP; determine cost of using average daily membership (ADM) in lieu of ADA.

• Referred to Education; Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 355 – Department of Health; give authority to levy and collect fee on sales of medical marijuana.

• Referred to Ways and Means
• DEAD

HB 363 – Marijuana possession; revise as civil penalty.

• Referred to Judiciary B
• DEAD

HB 505 – Mississippi Broadband Accessibility Act; create.

• Referred to Public Utilities
• Passed in Committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 114 – 4
• Transmitted to the Senate
• Referred to Energy and Appropriations
• Passed in Energy
• Referred to Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 369  – Mississippi Emergency Communications Act; create.

• Referred to Public Utilities
• DEAD

HB 465- Compassionate Parole Eligibility Act of 2021; create.

• Referred to Corrections
• DEAD

HB 515 – Council on the Prevention of School Shootings; create to develop center in A.G.’s office to monitor online activity.

• Referred to Education; Appropriations
• DEAD

HB 1013 – Medicaid; create Medicaid Commission to administer program and abolish Division of Medicaid.

• Referred to Medicaid/Appropriations
• Passed in Medicaid
• Referred to Appropriations
• Passed in Appropriations
• Passed by a vote of 103 – 13
• Transferred to the Senate
• Referred to Medicaid and Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

SB 2389 –Domestic violence shelters; revise eligibility for funds.

• Referred to Housing; Judiciary A
• Passed in Housing
• Referred to Judiciary A
• Passed in Judiciary A
• Passed unanimously in the Senate
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred To Judiciary B;Public Health and Human Services
• DEAD 

SB 2001 – Teachers’ salaries; provide for increase.

• Referred to Education; Appropriations
• Passed in Education
• Transmitted to Appropriations
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the Senate, unanimously
• Transmitted to House
• Referred to Education and Appropriations
• DEAD

SB 2008 – Nurse practitioners; authorize to dispense legend drugs to patients

• Referred to Public Health and Welfare
• DEAD

SB 2588 – Statewide Elections Management System; remove electors who fail to respond to notice.

• Referred to Elections
• Passed in Committee
• Passed in the Senate by a vote of 36 – 16
• Held on a motion to reconsider
• Motin tabled
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred To Apportionment and Elections
• DEAD

SB 2486 – State parks; restructure ownership and management arrangements.

• Referred to Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
• Passed in Committee
• Passed on the floor by a vote of 32 – 11
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
• DEAD 

SB 2765 – Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act; create.

• Referred to Finance
• Passed in Committee
• Failed in the Senate by a vote of 30 – 21 (this vote requires 3/5)
• Held on a motion to reconsider
• Reconsidered
• Passed in the Senate by a vote of 30 – 19
• Transmitted to the House
• Referred to Ways and Means
• Passed as amended
• Point of order raised
• Point of order not well taken
• Point of order raised
• Bill laid on the table
• DEAD 

SB 2019 – Ban the box

• Referred to Labor
• Passed in Committee
• Failed in the Senate by a vote of 20 – 31
• Held on a motion to reconsider
• DEAD

SB 2034 – Alteration or renaming of historical monuments, memorials and streets; prohibit and provide sanctions.

• Referred to Public Property
• DEAD

SB 2037 – Medicaid Access and Opportunity Act of 2021; enact.

• Referred to Medicaid; Housing
• DEAD

SB 2079 – Mississippi Minimum Wage Act; establish.

• Referred to Labor; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

SB 2140 – Absentee voting; establish electronic application procedure for college students.

• Referred to Elections; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

SB 2187 – Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act; enact.

• Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in Committee
• DEAD

SB 2196 – Appointment of officers; require Governor and Lt. Governor to make appointments to fill vacant offices within a certain period of time.

• Referred to Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• Passed in Committee
• DEAD

SB 2262 – Mississippi Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2021″; enact.

• Referred to Judiciary A
• DEAD

S. B. No. 2266 – Retail sales; prohibit seller from refusing to accept cash as a form of payment for goods and services. Double Referred to: 

• Referred to Business and Financial Institutions; Judiciary, Division A
• Passed in Finance
• DEAD

SB 2281 – The Mississippi First Responder Protection Act; enact. 

• Referred to Judiciary B; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

SB 2182 – Tobacco tax; define tobacco products to include electronic smoking devices for purposes of 15% excise tax.

• Referred to Finance
• DEAD

SB 2346 – Medicaid coverage; coverage for eligible women up to 12 months postpartum.

• Referred to Medicaid
• DEAD

SB 2364 – Fresh Start Act; remove limitations on the applicability of.

• Referred to Judiciary A
• DEAD

SB 2421 – Mississippi Emergency Communications Act; create.

• Referred to Technology; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
• DEAD

SB 2433 – Alcoholic beverages; authorize the sale of wine at grocery stores.

• Referred to Finance
• DEAD

SB 2577 – Mississippi Election Reform Act of 2021; enact.

• Referred to Elections
• DEAD

SB 2675 – Third-grade reading assessment for 2020-2021 school year; allow students who fail to be promoted to fourth grade with remediation.

• Referred to Education
• DEAD