(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis - Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
- Bills to roll back CON laws, provide more school choice, and address new hires in PERS all died Tuesday. See what’s alive and what died on deadline day.
With Sine Die (end of the legislative session) just over a month away, Tuesday’s deadline for committees to report out general bills originating in the other chamber means many measures ended their run for this session, dying in committee, while others saw the light of day and advanced to the floor.
Legislation that died on Tuesday included the Tim Tebow Act to allow homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities, a PERS bill to add a fifth tier for new hires, a measure requiring local candidate campaign finance reports be placed online, and legislation to roll back certain certificate of need (CON) laws, among others.
However, as the saying goes around the Capitol, “Nothing is dead until it’s dead, dead, dead.” The chambers could amend and revive certain legislation if there is overwhelming interest by the body.
Notable measures that remain alive in the process are the House and Senate tax reform proposals, prohibitions against DEI in schools and universities, and the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Here is a rundown of where some of the most discussed legislation stands at this point in the process.
Taxes
- HB 1 – House tax reform package
- Phases out the state income tax, reduced sales tax on groceries, and raises funds for PERS and transportation maintenance
- Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- SB 3095 – Senate tax package
- Reduces the state income tax, reduces the sales tax on groceries, and raises fund for transportation maintenance
- Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
Education
- HB 1435 – Public-to-public school transfers
- Would allow students to transfer between schools without getting the approval of the sending district but would need approval from the receiving district
- Died in Senate Education Committee
- Note: Similar language from this bill was added into SB 2618 by the House
- SB 2618 – School attendance officers
- Transfers responsibility for school attendance officer employment from the Mississippi Department of Education to the local school districts
- Passed House Education and House Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committees
- Note: Now includes similar language from HB 1435
- HB 1617 – Tim Tebow Act
- Allowed homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities after taking state testing and paying same fees as other students
- Died in Senate Education Committee
- HB 1193 – DEI
- Prohibits DEI in K-12 and postsecondary schools
- Passed Senate Universities and Colleges Committee
- Note: Amended to language from SB 2515
- SB 2515 – DEI and creates Mississippi University System Efficiency Task Force
- Prohibits DEI in state universities and creates the Mississippi University System Efficiency Task Force to examine efficiency and effectiveness at public universities
- Passed House Judiciary A
- Note: Amended to language from HB 1193
- HB 1432 – Charter school expansion
- Allowed charter school expansion into C-rated districts
- Died in Senate Education Committee
- SB 2151 – Cell phones in schools
- Mandates that schools adopt policies related to prohibiting or restricting cell phone use by students
- Died in House Education and House Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committees
- SB 2527 – Free community college
- Last-dollar program to provide community college education through a Mississippi Resident Promise Grant Program
- Died in House Appropriations Committee
- HB 1556 – Free community college with technical skill emphasis
- Created the Mississippi Career and Technical Education Employability program to fund students’ education in community college
- Died in Senate Appropriations Committee
Voting
- SB 2654 – Early voting
- Would allow a 15-day early voting period and remove the need for absentee balloting
- Passed House Apportionment and Elections Committee
- Note: Amended to remove early voting and instead expanding excuses for absentee voting while adding language from HB 177
- HB 177 – Absentee voting
- Requires absentee ballots be placed in voting machines when cast
- Passed Senate Elections Committee
- Note: Amended to add early voting language from SB 2654
- HB 293 – Congressional primaries
- Change time for holding congressional primary elections to March in years without presidential elections to align with other election years
- Passed Senate Elections Committee
Campaign finance
- SB 2650 – Campaign finance reporting
- Required municipal and county candidates’ campaign finance reports be posted online for public viewing
- Died in House Appropriations Committee
Redistricting
- SB 2768 – Senate judicial redistricting
- Sets forth new chancery and circuit judicial districts
- Passed House floor and returned for concurrence
- Note: Amended to House language
- HB 1544 – House judicial redistricting
- Sets forth new chancery and circuit judicial districts
- Passed Senate Judiciary A
- Note: Amended to Senate language
- JR 202 – Senate legislative redistricting
- Sets new districts in DeSoto and Forrest counties and requires special elections be held
- Passed House Apportionment and Elections Committee
- JR 1 – House legislative redistricting
- Sets new districts in DeSoto and Forrest counties and requires special elections be held
- Passed Senate Rules Committee
Healthcare
- HB 1123 – PBMs
- Provide regulations for pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacy services administrative organizations
- Passed Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee
- Note: Amended to include language from SB 2677
- SB 2677 – PBMs
- An act to define requirements for pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacy services administrative organizations
- Died in House State Affairs and House Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committees
- Note: Language included in HB 1123
- HB 922 – CON laws
- Rolled back the requirement for a Certificate of Need (CON) for a variety of healthcare services
- Died in Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee
- HB 662 – Medicaid presumptive eligibility
- Revise criteria for presumptive eligibility for pregnant women to conform to federal laws and regulations
- Passed Senate Medicaid Committee
- SB 2355 – Kratom
- Would make kratom a Schedule III substance
- Died in House Judiciary B Committee
- HB 1077 – Kratom
- Prohibits sale of kratom to persons under 21 years of age, regulates its manufacturing, and limits the substance’s potency
- Passed Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee
- HB 1474 – Inmate healthcare
- Requires the Department of Health to conduct a review of quality of medical care provided to inmates of Department of Corrections
- Passed Senate Corrections and Senate Government Structure Committees
- HB 849 – Practice autonomy
- Exempts APRNs and CRNAs from the collaborative agreement requirement after certain hours of experience
- Died in Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee
- HB 1502 – Hemp cultivation
- Revises provisions for hemp cultivation and manufacturing
- Passed Senate Public Health and Welfare and Senate Finance Committees
- Note: Amended with Senate language
PERS
- SB 2439 – Creates new tier in PERS
- Created a fifth tier for the Public Employees Retirement System for new hires after March 1, 2026
- Died in House Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee
Other
- SB 2201 – Hand-held traffic cameras
- Add prohibition of hand-held or manually operated traffic cameras in addition to those installed
- Died in House Judiciary B Committee
- SB 3167 – TV production incentives
- Provide incentives for television productions in Mississippi
- Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- HB 1880 – TV production incentives
- Provide incentives for television productions in Mississippi
- Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- SB 2510 – Online gaming
- Ban certain online gaming platforms, also known as sweepstakes casinos
- Passed House Gaming Committee
- Note: Amended to add House language
- HB 1302 – Mobile sports betting
- HB 1201 – Blighted properties
- Creates incentives for developers to improve tax forfeited, blighted properties
- Passed Senate Finance Committee
- HB 1203 – Homeless encampments
- Prohibits camping on public property
- Passed Senate Judiciary B
- Note: Amended to allow municipalities to have a clean-up fund
About the Author(s)
Frank Corder
Frank Corder is a native of Pascagoula. For nearly two decades, he has reported and offered analysis on government, public policy, business and matters of faith. Frank’s interviews, articles, and columns have been shared throughout Mississippi as well as in national publications. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, providing insight and commentary on the inner workings of the Magnolia State. Frank has served his community in both elected and appointed public office, hosted his own local radio and television programs, and managed private businesses all while being an engaged husband and father. Email Frank: frank@magnoliatribune.com
More Like This
More From This Author
