Mississippi House Bill HB22

Mississippi 2025 1st Special Session

• Introduced: 5/28/25
• Refer: 5/28/25
• Engrossed: 5/28/25
• Refer: 5/29/25
• Enrolled: 5/30/25
• Passed: 6/17/25

Caption

Appropriation; Insurance, Department of.

Summary

HB22 is the fiscal year 2026 appropriation bill for the Mississippi Department of Insurance. It provides $13,553,624 from the State General Fund and $28,630,000 from special funds to support the department’s operations for the year beginning July 1, 2025, including salaries, administrative costs, and program support. The bill also sets detailed spending limits, headcount authorization, vacancy funding rules, and reporting requirements tied to the state’s performance budgeting system. In addition to core agency operations, the bill earmarks money for several related programs and entities. These include funding for the Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Mississippi Volunteer Firefighter Length-of-Service Awards Program, municipal fire protection payments, county volunteer fire department payments, first responders’ health and safety payments, propane safety and education, and rural fire truck assistance programs. It also includes a paid internship program intended to encourage careers in risk management insurance, and a payment for annual dues to the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

Impact

HB22 continues and funds the statutory operations of the Mississippi Department of Insurance for FY 2026 without changing the underlying insurance code, but it does direct how appropriated funds must be used and tracked. It reinforces existing personnel and budgeting controls under Mississippi’s variable compensation and performance budgeting laws, limits transfers out of personal services, and requires detailed accounting and future budget reporting. The bill also channels special-fund money to fire-related and public safety programs, including LOSAP, municipal and county fire payments, and rural fire truck grants, affecting local fire departments, volunteer firefighters, and related public safety beneficiaries.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad legislative support and passed both chambers with comfortable margins, 88-6 in the House and 36-5 in the Senate. The structure of the bill suggests routine appropriations approval rather than a controversial policy change, with emphasis on maintaining agency operations and funding fire and insurance-related programs. The absence of committee transcript objections also points to generally favorable sentiment around the measure.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are not about the existence of the appropriation itself, but about how the money is allocated and controlled. The bill includes detailed restrictions on personnel spending, vacancy funding, and salary actions, which can limit agency flexibility. It also directs funds to specific programs such as rural fire truck assistance, municipal and county fire payments, and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators dues, which could draw scrutiny over prioritization. Another possible point of debate is the requirement for legislative notification and signage for grant announcements, reflecting legislative interest in visibility and oversight of funded projects.