What Happened During The 2025 Session?

Mississippi lawmakers recently completed the 2025 legislative session. And while lawmakers will return soon for a special session to finish the task of adopting a state budget, we wanted to update you on what happened at the Capitol this year.

Ending DEI

Lawmakers adopted a new law that will restrict DEI teaching and training in Mississippi’s schools. Thank you to Sen. Nicole Boyd, Rep. Joey Hood, Speaker Jason White, and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann for your support of this important legislation. The bill now awaits Gov. Reeves’ signature.

Specifically, House Bill 1193 includes:

• Ban on DEI Programs and Offices: The bill prohibits public K–12 schools and public universities in Mississippi from establishing or maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices, conducting DEI training, or requiring diversity statements from employees or applicants.
• Restrictions on Divisive Concepts: It bans the promotion or endorsement of “divisive concepts” related to race, sex, and gender identity, including the idea that one group is inherently superior or that individuals should feel guilt based on their race or sex.
• Enforcement and Complaint Process: A formal complaint system is established, allowing students, employees, or parents to report violations. Institutions have specific timelines to investigate and address complaints or face potential legal and financial consequences.
• Penalties for Noncompliance: Repeated violations may result in the withholding of state funding for the offending school, college, or university until compliance is achieved and certified by appropriate authorities.
• Protection of Mississippi Values: Mississippi is a state grounded in faith, family, and freedom—not radical ideology. Outside organizations will not direct our schools or universities.

Passing a new law was one thing. We will now monitor the actions of schools in MIssissippi for compliance.

Protecting women

👉 House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Gene Newman, known as the Dignity and Safety for Incarcerated Women Act, has already been signed into law.

The new law aims to protect the privacy, safety, and dignity of individuals in correctional facilities by mandating that restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters in correctional facilities must be designated exclusively for males or females and Incarcerated individuals can only access facilities designated for their biological sex.

Protecting children

👉 House Bill 599, sponsored by Rep. Price Wallace, will add civil liabilities for child sexual exploitation, distribution of child pornography and other obscene matters by commercial entities. This now awaits Gov. Reeves’ signature.

👉 House Bill 1308, sponsored by Rep. Jansen Owen, will create a crime for the sexual grooming of children. This also awaits Gov. Reeves’ signature.

Protecting parental rights?

One of the disappointments this session was a failure, once again, to adopt a new law protecting parental rights.

Senate Bill 2897, sponsored by Tyler McCaugh, would have affirmed and protected parents’ fundamental rights to direct the upbringing, education, care, and custody of their children. It died without receiving a vote in the Senate. House Bill 1081, sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Remak, also died in the Senate after passing the House with just five dissenting votes.

And House Bill 120, sponsored by Rep. Lee Yancey, which would prohibit health care providers and institutions from providing health care to children without parental consent, died in the House without receiving a vote.

Why is this so controversial in Mississippi?

Rest assured, this will be back next year, because these needed protections are too important.

An income tax free state

Finally, I want to commend Speaker White, Lt. Gov. Hosemann, Rep. Trey Lamar, and Sen. Josh Harkins for having the vision and will to lead on legislation that will eventually make Mississippi an income tax free state. This will be great for the economy and it will be great for Mississippi’s future. We know this because we can look at the other income tax free states. They lead in economic growth, business growth, and just as importantly, population growth. That isn’t an accident.

We do need to plan ahead regarding how this will impact organizations like Mississippi’s pregnancy centers. They do so much good in their communities helping moms and families in need. Mississippi has the strongest income tax credit in the nation for donations to these organizations. When we’re a state without an income tax, we will still need you to still support these organizations!

Thank you for your support this year.