03/14/2026
Week of March 9-13, 2026
The tenth week of the 2026 Regular Session has concluded. The Mississippi House of Representatives continued to work on Senate legislation ahead of key deadlines. The House consideredmeasures including public safety, healthcare, economic development, family law, and state finances. The House also passed several Senate appropriation bills to fund state agencies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.
During the week, the House passed many notable bills, including:�Senate Bill 2062 — Expands the Consumer Freedom of Choice Act to include motor vehicles, tools, and farm equipment, allowing owners and independent repair providers greater access to parts and service information.�Senate Bill 2114 — Criminalizes illegal entry under state law and requires cooperation with federal immigration authorities.�Senate Bill 2474 — Establishes a Rural Hospital Pilot Program to support healthcare access in underserved communities.�Senate Bill 2477 — Requires certain recipients of Rural Health Transformation Fund monies to participate in a competitive bidding process.�Senate Bill 2821 — Creates the crime of capital sexual battery.�Senate Bill 2863 — Enacts the Bayou Casotte Industrial Zone Establishment Act to support economic development on the Gulf Coast.�Senate Bill 2895 — Directs the transfer of certain available and unexpended federal ARPA funds.�Senate Bill 2917 — Revises certain disbursements from previous fiscal years and authorizes additional fund transfers.
The House also considered measures addressing solar facility decommissioning requirements, child support enforcement, driver’s license provisions, and zoning procedures for local governments.
Key legislative deadlines were reached during the week. Wednesday, March 11, marked the deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the Senate. Thursday, March 12, served as the deadline for reconsideration and passage of those measures, and Friday, March 13, was the deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider.
To meet the upcoming deadline on Tuesday, March 17, for original floor action on Senate appropriation and revenue billsthe House passed their position on the budget on Thursday, March 12. Friday, March 20, is the deadline for the House to concur or not concur with Senate amendments to original House bills on appropriation and revenue bills.
The Capitol welcomed a wide range of visitors this week, including Pleasant Hills Mennonite School, St. Alphonsus Catholic School, the Mississippi Early Childhood Development Coalition, nutrition and dietetic students from the University of Southern Mississippi, the McComb Youth Council NAACP, the Hattiesburg High School Choir, Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year participants, the Kay’ce Everett Homeschool Group, and alumni from Mississippi University for Women.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me any time. You can contact me at the Capitol at P. O. Box 1018, Jackson, Mississippi 39215 or call (601) 359-3339
