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The 2025 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature convened at noon on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.¹ The focus of this session was the historic Build Up Mississippi Act.² Due to unforeseen technicalities, this bill along with multiple appropriation bills were not addressed during the regular session and a special session was held after Sine Die, April 6, 2025.
During the regular session, 3,302 House and Senate bills³ were introduced. Out of those bills, 259 passed into law.4 From the 259 bills that passed into law, the Center for Mississippi Health Policy identified 36 which will directly impact the state’s public health and healthcare systems.
Extended Repealers
- HB 2695: Mississippi Professional Massage Therapy Act (MPMTA); extend repealer on. (Bryan)
- SB 2690: Health Care Expendable Fund; delete repealer on. (Bryan)
- SB 2049 – Prison Overcrowding Emergency Powers Act; extend repealer on. (Barnett) HB 2699 – Patient’s Right to Informed Health Care Choices Act & prohibitions against deceptive advertising by providers; delete repealers on. (Bryan)
– Establishes the Mississippi Genetic Counselor Practice Act. - SB 2415 – Health insurance and employee benefit plans; extend repealer on mandated coverage for telemedicine services. (Michel)
- SB 2697: COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program; extend expenditure period of. (Bryan)
Vetoed Bills
- SB 2386: Medicaid; make various amendments to the provisions of the program. (Blackwell)
- SB 2867: Medicaid; make various amendments to the provisions of the program. (Blackwell)
Hospitals & Healthcare Systems
HB 1094: Department of Health; exempt certain contracts relating to the Public Health Lab from Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB) approval. (Creekmore)
- Exempts the State Department of Health from the PPRB approval on certain contracts.
- The exemption covers service on special lab equipment or its software used by the public health lab.
SB 2730 : Mississippi Burn Care Fund; provide that State Board of Health shall equitably divide funds among all certified health centers. (Debar)
Deletes the repealer on the Health Care Expendable fund (see details above).
As of 2025, the State of Mississippi has only two burn centers located in central Missisippi.
Lake, R. (2023). Mississippi Baptist Medical Center Designated as Burn Center. WJTV, Channel 12 News. https://www.wjtv.com/living-local/focused-on-health/mississippi-baptist-medical-center-designated-as-burn-center/; Cummins, R. (2023). The Mississippi Burn Center at UMMC: ‘We’re the natural place for this.’ The University of Mississippi Medical Center, News Stories. https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2023/01/Mississippi-Burn-Center.html
HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE
HB 1062 – Dental hygienists; authorize to provide services to patients under the general supervision of dentists under certain conditions. (Felsher)
- Authorizes the board of dental examiners to asses the need for dental hygiene services in nursing facilities and correctional facilities.
- One requirement is that dental hygienists must practice under the supervision of a dentist.
SB 2741: Professional music therapists; provide for licensure by State Department of Health. (Parker)
Defines music therapy will be subject to regulation and placed under the State Department of Health since it impacts public health.
HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
HB 1063 – MS State Employees Paid Parental Leave Act; create. (Felsher)
Updates the Mississippi State Employees Paid Parental Leave Act to provide for six weeks (240 hours) of paid leave.
SB 2396 – Medicaid estate recovery; prohibit application to obtain funds from ABLE accounts. (Blackwell)
This prevents the state of Mississippi or any state agency from collecting Medicaid payments from a Mississippi ABLE account.
SB 2396 – ABLE Accounts
Allows individuals with disabilities to save for qualified disability expenses without losing eligibility for certain assistance programs.
Eligibility
Individuals are eligible if their disability was present before age 26; blind (As defined by the Social Security Act); physically or mentally impaired with marked severed function limitation (that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 continuous months or result in death).
Requirements
Individuals must self-certify annually and have a written disability-related diagnosis signed by a physician.
Qualified Expenses
Education, health and wellness, housing, transportation, legal fees, financial management, employment training and support, personal support services, assistive technology, oversight/monitoring, and funeral/burial expenses.
Source: Mississippi ABLE. (2025). https://savewithable.com/ms/home/plan-benefits.html
SB 2401 – Study Committee on the certification of Health Benefit Plans and Insurers; create. (Michel)
This bill has created a study committee on the matter of certification of health benefit plans and health insurers. The study will make and file a report of its findings with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of State by December 1, 2025.
SB 2412 – Insurance Holding Company Act; include NAIC Group Capital Calculation test requirements. (Michel)
This bill amends the Insurance Holding Company Act to include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Group Capital Calculation test. This would require insurance holding company systems to report their capital calculations to the lead state commissioner, often as part of the Group Capital Calculation (GCC).
SB 2412 – NAIC Group Capital Calculation (GCC)
A tool developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to assess the overall financial health of insurance holding company groups. It provides a standardized method for evaluating the solvency and capital adequacy of these groups at the group level.
Source: Foley & Lardner, LLP. (2025). JDSUPRA. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/states-continue-to-adopt-naic-group-3090498/
Infrastructure
HB 1194 – Water authority; authorize conversion of for-profit entity formed solely to comply with federal or state order to. (Bell)
Allows for-profit entities formed solely for the purpose of complying with a federal or sate order to be involved in the sale, transmission and distribution of potable water.
HB 1196 – Local governments and rural water systems improvements revolving loan and grant program; authorize Pearl River Valley Water Supply District to participate. (Powell)
Authorizes Pearl River Valley Water Supply District to participate in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
HOSPITALITY
SB 2805 – Hotels; revise definition for purposes of local and private sales taxes, and conform for health regulations. (Johnson)
Revised definition of “hotel” to include entities facilitating, arranging or brokering transient guest transactions. Entities that facilitate, arrange or broker transactions are those third-party entities that facilitate rentals of hotel accommodations.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
HB 662 – Medicaid; revise criteria for presumptive eligibility for pregnant women to conform to federal laws and regulations. (McGee)
Revises the criteria for presumptive eligibility for Medicaid for pregnant women to conform to federal law and regulations.
HB 662 – Presumptive Eligibility
While the law passed last session but never went into effect due to discrepancy in the law that conflicted with federal regulations. This session, the following criteria were adjusted.
Women will not have to provide pay stubs or proof of pregnancy to receive presumptive eligibility coverage.
Women will be covered under presumptive eligibility until Medicaid approves her official application, as long as she submits a Medicaid application before the end of her second month of presumptive eligibility coverage.
Source: Paffenroth, S. (2025). Mississippi Today. https://mississippitoday.org/2025/01/22/bill-to-revise-law-for-low-income-pregnant-women-passes-first-legislative-hurdle/
SB 2766 – Adoption petitions; clarify that attached certificate may be executed by any physician. (McCaughn)
Clarifies physicians can execute certificates attached to adoption petitions.
SB 2886 – Mississippi Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team Law; enact. (Wiggins)
Establishes a statewide domestic violence fatality review team within the department of safety. Establishes guidelines for team membership. Purpose of the team is to prevent domestic violence through early intervention.
MENTAL HEALTH
HB 807 – Mental health; establish Division of Autism Services within Department of Mental Health. (Felsher)
Establishes the Division of Autism Services within the Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the State Department of Mental Health to develop and coordinate autism services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
In 2020, The Mississippi Department of Education identified 5,666 children, ages 3 – 21, with the educational disability ruling of autism.
Source: Mississippi Autism Advisory Commitee. (2023). 2023 Annual Report. https://www.dmh.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-MAAC-Annual-Report.pdf
HB 1268 – MS Save Our Service Member Task Force; create to study and make recommendations concerning mental health needs of military members. (Hall)
- Creates the Mississippi Save Our Service Member task force, a Mississippi first responder PTSD and suicide prevention task force.
- Provides for the membership and duties of the task force.
- Requires the task force to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the legislature before January 1, 2026.
- Requires the task force to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the legislature before December 19, 2025.
HB 1401 – Community health workers; provide for certification of by Health Department and for Medicaid reimbursement for services of. (Creekmore)
- Establishes a community health worker certification program in the state department of health.
- Provides that the division of Medicaid shall seek approval from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services for a state plan amendment, waiver, or alternative payment model to provide reimbursement for certain services provided by certified community health workers.
- Provides that the department shall be the sole certifying body for the community health worker profession and practice in Mississippi.
- Provides that the department shall approve competency-based training programs and training providers, and approve organizations to provide continuing education for certified community health workers.
HB 1404 – Mental health; provide exemption from pre-affidavit screening for persons being treated in an acute psych hospital who have already had evaluations. (Creekmore)
- Provides that if someone is in a licensed psychiatric hospital, has had two professional evaluations, and the hospital gives notice to the community mental health center at least 24 hours in advance, then a family member or other interested person can file for their commitment without going through the usual pre-affidavit screening.
- Provides that community mental health centers are required to submit written reports every three months (quarterly) to the boards of supervisors in each county they serve.
- Provides that before someone can file an affidavit to have a person involuntarily committed for alcohol or drug use in an emergency, a pre-affidavit screening must be done first—unless there’s a specific exception in the law.
HB 1442 – Conservatorship; revise required certificates for respondents in the State Hospital at the time of the petition. (Hood)
- Requires that if a person is living in a state hospital when someone files a petition for conservatorship then a medical professional from the state hospital (i.e. Mississippi State Hospital, North Mississippi State Hospital, East Mississippi State Hospital, or any other state-run hospital) must sign the certification stating that the person has been examined.
- Grants access to medical records from a Mississippi State Hospital if the respondent is housed in a state hospital at the time of the petition.
HB 1530 – Mental Health Regional Commissions; authorize boards of supervisors to agree to board compositions. (Ford)
Allows the board of supervisors to determine the membership structure of their mental health regional commissions.
HB 2392 – Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grant program; Dept. of Mental Health and Division of Medicaid apply for. (Hickman)
- Proposes changes to existing Mississippi law to support the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model.
- The aim of this bill is improving access to comprehensive, coordinated mental health care by bringing the state in line with a national model and unlocking federal funding.
HB 2392 – Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)
Established by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA)
CCBHCs Provide
- Comprehensive, coordinated mental health and substance use services appropriate for individuals across their life span
- Increased access to high-quality community mental health and substance use care, including crisis care
- Integrated person- and family-centered services, driven by the needs and preferences of people receiving services and their families
- A range of evidence-based practices, services, and supports to meet the needs of their communities
- Services to anyone seeking help for a mental health or substance use condition, regardless of their diagnosis, place of residence, or ability to pay.
Source: SAMHSA. (2023). Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Certification Criteria. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/ccbhc-criteria-2023.pdf
DRUG POLICY
HB 916 – Cigarettes and vape products; require Commissioner of Revenue to establish separate directories to regulate sale of. (Lamar)
The purpose of this law is to create strict controls over who can sell cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) products in Mississippi, and to ensure that all such products are properly certified, tracked, and compliant with both state and federal law.
Key Provisions of HB 916
- Every cigarette and ENDS manufacturer whose products are sold in Mississippi must submit annual certification to the Department of Revenue and provide specific information about their products and business.
- The Department of Revenue will create and publish an official State Cigarette and ENDS Product Directory online and update it every month.
- Only products listed in the directory can be legally sold in the state.
- Cigarettes and ENDS products not listed in the directory cannot be sold, and will be subject to seizure and destruction after a certain grace period.
- Manufacturers who knowing sell unlisted product can face fines anywhere from $500 to $2,500.
- Manufacturers must appoint an agent in Mississippi to accept legal documents and communications.
- The Department of Revenue and Attorney General’s Office can conduct random inspections of retailers, wholesalers, and distributors to ensure compliance.
- The Department of Revenue must submit an annual report to the Mississippi legislature detailing the status of the directory and compliance/enforcement efforts.
Source: Mississippi Legislature. (2025). House Bill No. 916. https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/pdf/HB/0900-0999/HB0916SG.pdf
HB 1077 – Kratom products; prohibit sale to persons under 21. (Yancey)
Prevents retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers from selling or distributing kratom products to any person under the age of 21. This applies to kratom being used as a food or dietary supplement.
HB 1463 – Pseudoephedrine; require manufacturers to pay fees to National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators to support NPLE. (Bell)
Amends existing Mississippi legislation to require manufactures of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine that is lawfully sold in the state to pay monthly fees to the National Drug Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) to support the Administration of the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx).
SB 2691 – MS Juvenile Tobacco Access Prevention Act; amend to prohibit the sale of tobacco or tobacco products to those under age 21. (Bryan)
Amends law section to prevent the sale of tobacco to those under 21 years of age.
SB 2748 – Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act; revise provisions related to. (Blackwell)
This bill aims to clarify how cannabis dosages are measured, expand telemedicine access for certain disabled patients, change the timeline for when cannabis businesses can request local approvals, and improve regulation and access in Mississippi’s medical cannabis program.
FOOD
HB 913 – Meat labeling; require accurate labeling of meat and nonmeat products by processors, retail and food establishment prior to final sale. (Mangold)
This goal of this law is to promote truth-in-labeling by ensuring that if a product isn’t real meat, it can’t be marketed as meat. Everyone from producers to sellers will have a clear responsibility to label and track the products.
PUBLIC HEALTH
SB 2729 – “Mississippi Public Health Trust Fund”; establish to support public health programs funded from medical cannabis taxes. (Bryan)
Will allow public health programs and services defined in the health statutes to receive financial support from any monies appropriated to the fund by Legislature, donations, gifts and grants from any source, and other monies received from any other source or which may be hereafter provided by law.
SB 2743 – Funds collected for certified copies; allow use for public health programs and completion of other recordkeeping and statistics. (Bryan)
This law allows funds collected for certified copies of birth, death and marriage records to be used for public health programs pertaining to maternal, infant and child health, and for the completion of all other vital records and statistics.
ENVIRONMENT
HB 1447 – Department of Health; authorize to increase fees for water quality analysis as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. (Creekmore)
Authorizes the state department of health to increase the amount of fees for water quality analysis and related activities as required by the federal safe drinking water act. It shall not exceed $3.75 per connection or $50,000 per system. This bill also requires timely reporting to towns, cities and water systems; and states that water operators should be made aware immediately or within 24 hours.
Glossary
ABLE Act: Mississippi ABLE – The Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 (or ABLE Act) provides Eligible Individuals with disabilities a means to save for disability-related expenses in a tax-advantaged way and without jeopardizing eligibility for benefits under federal means-tested programs.
Source: Mississippi Able. (2025).Mississippi Able, Plan Disclosure Booklet. https://cdn.unite529.com/jcdn/files/UABLE/pdfs/ms-programdescription.pdf
Build Mississippi Act: A legislation that eliminates the individual income tax in Mississippi. It cuts the individual income tax rate to 3% by calendar year 2030, with future annual decreases until it ultimately falls to 0%. Additionally, the tax on grocery sales will decrease from 7% to 5%.
Source: Office of Governor, Tate Reeves. (2025). Gov. Reeves Signs Historic Legislation Eliminating Mississippi’s Individual Income Tax. https://governorreeves.ms.gov/gov-reeves-signs-historic-legislation-eliminating-mississippis-individual-income-tax
COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program: Established during 2022, this act allows the Mississippi Department of Health to provide funds to hospitals that increased treatment capacity related to the COVID-19 pandemic through grants to hospitals as a reimbursement for expenses incurred.
Source: Title 15: Mississippi State Department of Health, Part 3: Bureau of Acute Care Systems, Subpart 4: COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/19208.pdf
Health Care Expendable Fund (HCEF): A fund created to receive statutorily authorized transfers from the Health Care Trust Fund. The Health Care Trust Fund receives the court ordered payments due the State of Mississippi as a result of the lawsuit won against tobacco manufacturers. Health Care Expendable Funds are to be appropriated for health-related purposes.
Source: Mississippi Legislative Budget Office. (July 2024). Budget Terminology. https://www.lbo.ms.gov/Home/BudgetTerminology
Mississippi Prison Overcrowding Emergency Powers Act: If the prison system population exceeds ninety-five percent (95%) of operating capacity for thirty (30) consecutive days, the State Parole Board shall meet to determine whether there has been full appropriate exercise of the powers of the State Parole Board which tend to reduce the prison system population. The State Parole Board shall report its findings to the Governor within ten (10) days after the thirtieth day of operating in excess of ninety-five percent (95%) of prison operating capacity.
Source: HB 950. (2025). https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/html/HB/0900-0999/HB0950PS.htm#
Mississippi Professional Massage Therapy Act (MPMTA): This act regulates the practice of massage therapy in Mississippi, ensuring public safety and promoting ethical standards. It requires licensing for individuals who advertise or practice massage therapy for compensation and mandates the display of a valid license. The Act also outlines requirements for massage therapy schools and programs.
Source: Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy. https://sos.ms.gov/ACProposed/00020772b.pdf
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigatos (NADDI): a drug training organization with a large networking platform for professionals involved in the field of illicit drug diversion and the ongoing drug crisis.
Source: NADDI. (2025). https://www.naddi.org/home
National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx): A near real-time electronic logging and compliance system that tracks sales of over-the-counter (OTC) cold and allergy medications containing PSE, precursors to the illegal drug methamphetamine. NPLEx was developed to comply with the federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act enacted in 2006.
Source: NPLEx. (2025). https://totalverify.equifax.com/solutions/nplex
Patient’s Right to Informed Health Care Choices Act: This act ensures patients have the right to make informed decisions about their healthcare. This includes the right to understand their medical condition, proposed treatments, potential risks and benefits, and available alternatives. The Act also prohibits deceptive advertising by healthcare providers, aiming to prevent patients from being misled about treatment outcomes.
Source: Laws, 2012, ch. 409, § 2; reenacted without change, Laws, 2016, ch. 419, § 2, eff from and after July 1, 2016; reenacted without change, Laws, 2020, ch. 393, § 2, eff from and after July 1, 2020.
Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA): Was passed by Congress in March 2014, and signed into law on April 1, 2014. Section 223 of the PAMA provided for the creation and evaluation of a two-year Demonstration program in up to eight states to implement CCBHCs according to certification and program criteria that emphasize high quality and evidence-based practices. Section 223 authorized the Department of Health and Human
Services to:
- Establish criteria that states will use to certify community behavioral health clinics for a two-year Demonstration program;
- Provide guidance on the development of a prospective payment system (PPS) for payment of CCBHC services provided by certified clinics;
- For a state participating in the Demonstration, provide federal matching funds equivalent to the standard Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) rate for CCBHC services to Medicaid beneficiaries (or the rate available to newly eligible beneficiaries);
- Award grants to states for planning purposes to develop proposals to participate in the Demonstration program;
- Select up to eight states to participate in the Demonstration program; and
- Evaluate the project and prepare annual reports to Congress.
Source: Medicaid.gov. (2025). CCBHC Demonstration Background. https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/financial-management/certified-community-behavioral-health-clinic-ccbhc-demonstration/ccbhc-demonstration-background
Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB): The Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB) is part of the Mississippi Department of Finance’s office of Personal Service Contract Review. It’s purpose is to ensure that quality contract, personal and professional, services are procured at reasonable prices, with terms that are favorable to the State.
Source: Mississippi Department of Finance Administration. (2022). Personal Service Contract Review. https://www.dfa.ms.gov/personal-service-contract-review
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA): Amendments of 1996 authorize a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to assist public water systems to finance the costs of infrastructure needed to achieve or maintain compliance with SDWA requirements and to protect public health objectives of the Act.
Source: Mississippi Department of Health. (2024). https://msdh.ms.gov/page/44,0,127.html
SOURCES
- Mississippi Legislation. (2025).TimeTable for Processing Legislation. https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/htms/timetable2025.pdf
- Office of Governor Tate Reeves. (2025). Governor Reeves Signs Historic Legislation Eliminating Mississippi’s Individual Income Tax. https://governorreeves.ms.gov/gov-reeves-signs-historic-legislation-eliminating-mississippis-individual-income-tax/.
- Mississippi Legislature. (2025). Mississippi Regular Session, Report of All Measures. https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/all_measures/allmsrs.xml
- Mississippi Legislature. (2025). Mississippi Legislature 2025 Regular Session, Report of All Measures (Not Dead). https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/all_measures/notdead.xml
- Lake, R. (2023). Mississippi Baptist Medical Center Designated as Burn Center. WJTV, Channel 12 News. https://www.wjtv.com/living-local/focused-on-health/mississippi-baptist-medical-center-designated-as-burn-center/
- Cummins, R. (2023). The Mississippi Burn Center at UMMC: ‘We’re the natural place for this.’ The University of Mississippi Medical Center, News Stories. https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2023/01/Mississippi-Burn-Center.html
