Blackwell: Senate Passes Key Legislation, Including a Ban on DEI 

By state Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R-Southaven)

In the fifth week of the Mississippi Legislative Session, the Senate met the February 4, 2025, deadline for committees to report general bills and constitutional amendments that originated in the Senate. We then began our floor work, debating bills and presenting resolutions aimed at improving the lives of Mississippians.

We passed several important measures. Senate Bill 2151, for example, would require school districts to adopt policies that prohibit or restrict cell phone use in the classroom. Senate Bill 2162 calls for the revision of Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in schools to include airway clearance devices.

Senate Bill 2515, known as the “Requiring Efficiency For Our Colleges and Universities System (REFOCUS) Act,” seeks to establish the “Mississippi University System Efficiency Task Force.” This task force will assess the performance and effectiveness of Mississippi’s public universities, with a focus on increasing enrollment and graduation rates for in-state students, addressing demographic changes, and preparing for potential enrollment declines. The bill also mandates that public universities and community colleges cease the creation or maintenance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices. These institutions must ensure fair treatment for all students, faculty, and staff, and provide reports to their governing boards, which will then report to the Legislature.

Senate Bill 2192 amends Section 63-1-35 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 to require that any new, renewed, or duplicate driver’s license, temporary driving permit, or commercial driver’s license issued in Mississippi must display the individual’s sex as determined at birth. This ensures that the sex recorded on these documents reflects the individual’s assigned sex at birth, regardless of any changes in gender identity.

Senate Bill 2272 proposes the creation of the “Mississippi Health and Welfare Efficiency Task Force.” This task force will review the efficiency of specific state agencies and provide recommendations to streamline government operations, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of health and welfare services across the state.

Another significant piece of legislation, Senate Bill 2043, would allow the state to seize delinquent child support payments from gaming winnings of $1,200 or more. It would give the Gaming Commission access to Department of Human Services data to identify individuals who owe child support.

We also passed Senate Bill 2197, which makes impersonating a law enforcement officer a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine—currently, it’s only a misdemeanor. Senate Bill 2208 amends the Mississippi Terroristic Threats Law to impose a minimum penalty of five years in prison for threats made against airports.

Other bills that passed this week include:

• Senate Concurrent Resolution 525, commemorating the 40-year anniversary of Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.
• Senate Bill 2308, which increases fines for illegal dumping.
• Senate Bill 2833, which allows the Legislative PEER Committee to use the judiciary to enforce compliance with subpoenas.
• Senate Bill 2368, which aligns our Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Standards with federal regulations.
• Senate Bill 2434, which gives local governments the authority to collaborate with military branches on infrastructure projects.
• Senate Bill 2276, which extends hunting seasons that end on a Friday by two days to the following Sunday.
• Senate Bill 2518, which allows the Institutions of Higher Learning to enter into public-private partnerships to lease property for public colleges and universities.
• Senate Bill 2266, which requires the Department of Revenue to publish a list of agricultural items eligible for tax exemptions or reduced sales tax rates.
• Senate Bill 2052, which allows car tags for 100 percent disabled veterans to be specially labeled.
• Senate Bill 2874, which mandates that health care professionals administer and health insurers cover depression screenings for birth mothers in need.
• Senate Bill 2210, which revises the dates for fireworks sales and reduces violations of fireworks laws to a misdemeanor.
• Senate Bill 2582, which establishes a Sales Tax Diversion Study Committee.
• On February 6, 2025, Senator John Horhn led the chamber in presenting resolutions to Mississippians who earned Governor’s Arts Awards for their outstanding contributions:
• Senate Resolution 13 honored broadcaster Walt Grayson for his Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.
• Senate Resolution 14 honored Sharde` Thomas Mallory and Chris Mallory of Coldwater’s The Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band for Excellence in Traditional Arts.
• Senate Resolution 15 honored Jackson blues artist Eddie Cotton Jr. for Excellence in Music.
• Senate Resolution 16 honored Robert Poore of Flora for Excellence in Visual Arts and Landscape Architecture.
• Senate Resolution 17 honored Jane Crater Hiatt for being named “Stephen C. Edds” Patron of the Arts.
• Senate Resolution 18 honored Tate Taylor for Excellence in Motion Picture.

Looking ahead, the Senate faces a Thursday, February 13, 2025, deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating from the Senate, and a Friday, February 14, 2025, deadline for reconsideration and passage of those bills and amendments.