Archive for February 2024

House Bill 1449, sponsored by Rep. Rob Roberson, would create the Mississippi Student Freedom Act to provide Magnolia Scholarship Accounts (MSA) to students.  An MSA is a taxpayer-funded account that families can use for the educational expenses of their child. This allows families to customize an education based on their specific needs. Under the proposal,…

House Bill 1455, sponsored by Rep. Jansen Owen, would expand the Central Mississippi Pilot Prison Industries program to all state, regional, and private correctional facilities in the state.   The pilot program was started at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF). Located in Rankin County, CMCF houses over 3,800 individuals – the largest population of any…

Senate Bill 2444, sponsored by Sen. Juan Barnett, would expand the Central Mississippi Pilot Prison Industries program to all state, regional, and private correctional facilities in the state.   Under this pilot program, employers near Central MS Correctional Facility (CMCF) employ prisoners who are near the end of their time in prison. The prisoners are paid…

Senate Bill 2291, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell, would create a pilot program for five state agencies to reduce their regulations by 30 percent over the next three years. It begins by requiring each agency to count every rule and regulation under its jurisdiction, then eliminate ones that are outdated or unnecessary for public health…

Senate Bill 2066, authored by Sen. Angela Hill, would allow a person to shampoo other people’s hair without having to obtain a time-consuming and irrelevant cosmetology license, which requires 1,500 hours of training.   Under the proposed legislation, a person could obtain a permit to shampoo hair after 40 hours of training. A permit would not…

House Bill 924, sponsored by Rep. Tracey Rosebud, would authorize licensed barbers to operate mobile barbershops in the state.  Barber regulations in Mississippi, among other things, prevent barbers from operating a mobile barbershop. Mobile barbershops are not a new idea. Over the past decade, entrepreneurial barbers around the country have come up with an idea…

House Bill 872, sponsored by Rep. Tracey Rosebud, expands the provisions of the Fresh Start Act to make it applicable to more Mississippi licensure types. The purpose of this bill is to make it easier for someone with a criminal record to be approved for a professional license when the past crime doesn’t directly relate…

Senate Bill 2079, authored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell, would provide full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Mississippi.  Currently, a nurse practitioner is required to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician. This bill would exempt nurse practitioners from that requirement after 6,240 hours (about three years) of practice.  A majority of states now…

House Bill 821, authored by Rep. Donnie Scoggin, would provide full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Mississippi.  Currently, a nurse practitioner is required to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician. This bill would exempt nurse practitioners from that requirement after 3,600 hours (about 18 months) of practice.  A majority of states now…

Senate Bill 2234, sponsored by Sen. Chris Johnson, would allow students to transfer to public schools outside of their residentially assigned school district.  The bill would make it easier for students to move between public schools to find the setting that works best for them.  State law currently allows any student to apply for a…

House Bill 867, sponsored by Rep. Jansen Owen, would allow students to more easily transfer to schools outside of their school district, further enabling them to access the education setting that works best for them.  State law currently allows any student to apply for a transfer to another district by submitting a request to his…