Mississippi House Bill HB545

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/12/26
• Refer: 1/12/26
• Failed: 2/3/26

Caption

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR A VEHICLE TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THE APPLICANT TO VOLUNTARILY INDICATE THE EXISTENCE OF A CONDITION THAT IMPEDES HIS OR HER ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO REQUEST VERIFICATION OF THE CONDITION THAT CREATES THE IMPEDIMENT IF SUCH IS INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO PROVIDE THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FROM MAKING SUCH INFORMATION ABOUT APPLICANTS WITH COMMUNICATION IMPEDIMENTS ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ACCESSED THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Summary

House Bill 545 would add a voluntary disclosure option to Mississippi vehicle title/registration applications for applicants who have a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication with a law enforcement officer. If an applicant chooses to indicate such a condition, the Department of Revenue may request verification from an appropriate licensed medical or mental health professional, depending on the condition involved. The bill directs the Department of Revenue to share limited registration information with the Department of Public Safety, which must build a system within the Mississippi Criminal Information Center to alert officers during traffic stops that the driver may have a communication-related impairment. The bill limits what information may be shared, prohibits disclosure of the specific condition except for broad categories (speech/language impairment, hearing impairment, or autism spectrum disorder), and bars visible license plate markings unless the person consents. It also makes the information confidential and restricts access by contractors unless nondisclosure terms are included.

Impact

HB545 would amend Mississippi’s vehicle title and registration application process and create a new data-sharing and alert mechanism between the Department of Revenue and the Department of Public Safety. It would affect how vehicle registration information is collected, stored, and transmitted, and would require the Mississippi Criminal Information Center to incorporate the new alert data for law enforcement use. The bill also imposes confidentiality protections and contract restrictions on access to the information, while preserving existing contracts only until renewal unless they are updated to include the new nondisclosure requirement.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and accessibility bill rather than a controversial policy change. Its stated purpose is to help law enforcement communicate more effectively during traffic stops with drivers who may have speech, hearing, or autism-related communication barriers. No formal vote history or transcript comments are available here to show organized support or opposition, but the structure of the bill suggests a generally protective and accommodation-oriented intent.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are privacy, data sharing, and the scope of law-enforcement access. Although the bill limits disclosure and makes the information confidential, it still requires the Department of Revenue to transmit registration information to Public Safety and to place alerts in the Mississippi Criminal Information Center. Another possible concern is verification: applicants who voluntarily self-identify may be asked to provide medical or professional documentation, which could raise questions about administrative burden and privacy. The bill also narrows the categories of conditions that are explicitly reported to Public Safety, which may prompt discussion about whether the list is too limited or whether broader disabilities should be included.