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Bills to watch for the 2021 Legislative...

Bills to watch for the 2021 Legislative Session

By: Sarah Ulmer - March 19, 2021

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
About the Author(s)
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Sarah Ulmer

Sarah is a Mississippi native, born and raised in Madison. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she studied Communications, with an emphasis in Broadcasting and Journalism. Sarah’s experience spans multiple mediums, including extensive videography with both at home and overseas, broadcasting daily news, and hosting a live radio show. In 2017, Sarah became a member of the Capitol Press Corp in Mississippi and has faithfully covered the decisions being made by leaders on some of the most important issues facing our state. Email Sarah: sarah@magnoliatribune.com