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Mississippi Senate Weekly Report, Friday, March 13, 2026
In the 10th week of the 2026 Legislative Session, the Senate amended House Bill 1395 to include a $6,000 teacher pay raise, a $9,000 pay raise for special education teachers, and a $2,000 pay raise for assistant teachers, community college instructors, and university professors. If enacted into law, the raises would be phased in over three years. Teachers would receive $2,000 annually for three years, for a total increase of $6,000. Special education teachers would receive $3,000 annually for three years, for a total increase of $9,000. The legislation returns to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The Senate adopted a conference report for Senate Bill 2632 creating the Local Governments Disaster Recovery Emergency Loan Program as an emergency loan program for counties and municipalities impacted by the severe winter storm that occurred January 23–27, 2026. Funding for the program will come later in the appropriations process.
The Senate adopted House Bill 1637, which creates the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Panel under the State Department of Health to study and learn from cases of babies who die at birth or shortly afterward, as Mississippi seeks ways to lower infant mortality rates.
The Senate adopted Senate position appropriation bills and a Rules calendar honoring exemplary Mississippians.
Other bills passed included:
House Bill 314 authorizes the State Department of Health to select a consortium to conduct a drug development clinical trial with ibogaine to secure approval from the FDA for medical use.
House Bill 1231 shortens the notice requirement for counties holding special meetings from five days to three days.
House Bill 420 provides an ad valorem tax exemption for the homestead property of an honorably discharged military veteran age 85 or older. The unremarried surviving spouse would retain the exemption after the veteran’s death.
House Bill 525 amends current law to create a minimum sentence of five years for convictions of sexual battery.
House Bill 1404 creates the crime of fraudulent utility conversion when a landlord fails to pay utilities and tenants’ utility services are interrupted.
House Bill 858 prohibits OMR voting equipment from being capable of establishing wireless connections during an election.
House Bill 683 includes Jackson County in the area where purse seines cannot be used to capture fish within one mile of the shoreline. Jackson County joins Hancock and Harrison counties where the practice is prohibited.
House Bill 1153 bans the sale and manufacture of meat and cell-cultivated dairy products and gives the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce regulatory authority.
The Sumrall High School Bobcats soccer team and Head Coach Jared Lee were honored by the Mississippi Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2026, with Senate Resolution 56 for winning their first-ever 5A State Championship in boys’ soccer with a 4-0 win at the 2026 Class 5A Soccer Championship on February 21, 2026. Senator Joey Fillingane and Senator Chris Johnson led the presentation.
Senator Brice Wiggins on Thursday, March 12, 2026, led presentation of Senate Concurrent Resolution 506 to Natalie Rivard, Chief Representative for the Southeastern United States for the Québec Government Office in Atlanta, honoring the long and historic connection between the province of Québec and the state of Mississippi.
The Senate met the Wednesday, March 11, 2026, deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the House of Representatives; the Thursday, March 12, 2026, deadline for reconsideration and passage of general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the House; and the Friday, March 13, 2026, deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the House.
The Senate faces a Tuesday, March 17, 2026, deadline for original floor action on appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House of Representatives; a Wednesday, March 18, 2026, deadline for reconsideration and passage of appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House; a Thursday, March 19, 2026, deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider appropriation and revenue bills originating in the House; and a Friday, March 20, 2026, deadline to concur or not concur in House amendments to appropriation and revenue bills, as well as the deadline for introduction of local and private bills that are revenue bills
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