AN ACT TO EXEMPT CERTAIN REGISTERED PROVIDERS OF SERVICES FOR HOMELESS PERSONS FROM CERTAIN FILING FEES AND LICENSURE APPLICATION FEES; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-7-9 AND 63-1-43, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Summary
SB 2563 would create a fee exemption for certain registered providers of services for homeless persons that are registered with a Continuum of Care Program. The exemption applies when those providers are handling matters for homeless persons involving the alteration of birth or marriage certificates in chancery court and when they are applying for driver’s licenses, identification cards, or learner’s permits on behalf of homeless persons. The bill also amends the underlying fee statutes to conform to these new exemptions.
In practical terms, the measure would waive chancery court civil filing fees associated with birth or marriage certificate changes for homeless persons and waive driver services application fees for the covered applicants. It also updates Sections 25-7-9 and 63-1-43 of the Mississippi Code to add homeless-person-related exemptions alongside existing exemptions for children in the custody of the Department of Child Protection Services. The act would take effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill would narrow the fee obligations in Mississippi chancery courts and at driver services offices by carving out a new class of fee waivers for homeless persons served by registered providers. It would directly affect chancery clerk filing fee collections under Section 25-7-9 and driver’s license, identification card, and learner’s permit fee collections under Section 63-1-43. The bill also preserves the broader fee structure in those statutes while adding a specific exemption for these transactions, which would reduce costs for service providers and homeless individuals seeking identity documents.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded debate, so there is no documented opposition or support in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s caption and text, the measure appears to be a targeted assistance bill aimed at reducing administrative barriers for homeless persons. The absence of recorded votes or discussion suggests the public sentiment in the provided materials is not available rather than clearly favorable or unfavorable.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the supplied materials. Potential areas of concern, based on the bill’s structure, could include the loss of fee revenue for chancery clerks and driver services and the need to define which providers qualify as registered Continuum of Care participants. The bill’s supporters would likely be homeless services providers and advocates for document access, while any critics would most likely focus on administrative costs, implementation, or eligibility verification.