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In the 11th week of the 2024 Legislative Session, the Senate passed Senate Bill 2628, that creates
the Mississippi Capitol Region Utility Act; which would give a new authority the option to
purchase the assets in the city of Jackson’s water system at the conclusion of the current court ordered receivership.
The authority would be run by a nine-member board of directors composed
of three appointees of the governor, three from the lieutenant governor, two from the Jackson
City Council and one from the Jackson mayor. The board would choose a president to run day to
day operations and maintain efficiency. The purchase would occur once federally appointed
system receiver Ted Henifin has completed his work and steps aside.
Passage of Senate Bill 2631, would make changes to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture
and Commerce, including having the department obtain written approval of the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor and the Secretary of State prior to entering any lease providing for naming
rights of property.
Passing of Senate Bill 2132, would allow the Department of Human Services to establish a
separate Child Support Unit authorized to withhold gaming proceeds of delinquent parents who
are in arrears on payments. Those who earn gaming prizes at casinos of $1,200 or above, would
have the proceeds deducted from wins and transferred to DHS to satisfy the amount they owe.
Senate Bill 2857, the medical cannabis act will allow the Department of Public Safety to access
FBI databases for more vigorous background checks on applicants to the program.
Other bills passed included:
• Senate Bill 2853 would create the Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Corporation to take
over warehousing and distribution operations from the Department of Revenue once a
new facility is operational.
• Senate Bill 2422, specifies judges who will hear election day disputes. “The list of judges
selected to hear election day disputes shall be provided to the Secretary of State, chancery
clerks and circuit clerks by the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court no later
than seven (7) days before the election in which the selected judges are to hear election
day disputes.”
• Senate Bill 2406, would exempt certain private information from public records requests.
Mississippi State Senate – P.O. Box 1018 – Jackson, MS 39215-1018
• Senate Bill 2544 would allow cities and counties to increase from two years to four years,
an agreement with financial institutions handling taxpayer funds.
• Senate Bill 2145, Defending Affordable Prescription Drug Costs Act; would prohibit
discriminating against 340B drug discount program entities. It would allow community
hospitals to receive wholesale prices on top shelf prescription drugs.
• Senate Bill 2733, authorizes the Division of Medicaid to establish a wholesale
prescription drug importation program, where prescription drugs could be acquired
abroad.
• Senate Bill 2703, would require state agencies to report ransomware incidents and
prohibit agencies from paying ransoms.
• Senate Bill 2244, would allow foster care children, their siblings, foster parents and
biological parents free access to museums and state parks and allow free transcripts from
colleges and junior colleges.
• Senate Bill 2268, establishes procedures for investigating missing or unidentified
persons, including “Unclaimed human remains.”
• Senate Bill 2725, creates the “University System Efficiency Task Force” to examine the
efficiency of the state public university system. It will investigate all aspect of
universities effectiveness, including graduation rates, and the physical condition of
campuses.
• Senate Bill 2311, allows county boards of supervisors to raise the salaries of sheriffs if
they so choose.
• Senate Bill 2729 amended Rural Physician Scholarship Program and Rural Dentist
Scholarship Program, to include an additional scholarship for a child psychiatry
physician.
• Senate Bill 2776, allows the state to move forward with a technical point important to
Project Atlas.
• Senate Bill 2651, revises fees and penalties for trespassing to hunt, fish, shoot or trap.
• Senate Bill 2549, increases fees for chancery clerks to record deeds to land sold for taxes
and redemption of such lands.
• Senate Bill 2156, creates a Mississippi Rare Disease Advisory Council at University of
Mississippi Medical Center that would bring together “professionals and persons living
with rare diseases (who), could educate medical professionals, governmental agencies,
legislators and the public about rare diseases as an important public health issue and
encourage and secure funding for research for the development of new treatments for rare
diseases.”
• Senate Bill 2871, ensures retailers and others cannot sell, give, barter, or deliver tobacco
products to anyone under the age of 21.
All bills will be transmitted to the House for consideration.
The Senate met the Thursday, March 14, 2024, deadline for original floor action on general
bills and constitutional amendments originating in the Senate, and the Friday, March 15,
Mississippi State Senate – P.O. Box 1018 – Jackson, MS 39215-1018
2024, deadline for reconsideration and passage of general bills and constitutional
amendments originating in the Senate.
The Senate faces a Monday, March 18, 2024, deadline to dispose of motions to reconsider
general bills and constitutional amendments originating in the Senate.
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