Session concludes with digital safety, other measures being addressed

By District 56 Representative Clay Mansell

The 13th and final week of the session has concluded, bringing the 2026 Regular Session to a close. The Mississippi House of Representatives adjourned on Friday, April 3. Lawmakers finalized conference reports, adopted the state budget, and completed action on key legislation before adjournment.

During these final weeks, the House took action on several significant measures, including House Bill 343, which authorizes an income tax credit for employers providing health reimbursement arrangements to employees; House Bill 525, which creates mandatory minimum penalties for sexual battery; House Bill 538, which prohibits sanctuary policies and strengthens cooperation with federal immigration enforcement; House Bill 562, which establishes a tuition-free community college program; House Bill 377, which creates the Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; House Bill 1716, which revises provisions of the Mississippi Main Street Revitalization Grant Program to support community development projects; House Bill 1662, which creates a rebuttable presumption in favor of joint custody in child custody cases; House Bill 1677, which establishes the Metro Jackson Water Authority; House Bill 1793, which exempts firearm safes from sales tax during the annual Second Amendment Weekend holiday; House Bill 1989, which provides a sales tax exemption on utilities for certain nonprofit organizations; House Bill 4060, which reduces taxes on agricultural inputs, including lime and fencing materials for livestock; and House Bill 4073, which establishes the Mississippi Work and Save Program and includes provisions related to mobile sports wagering and support for PERS.

The House also adopted multiple appropriation bills to fund state agencies and services for the upcoming fiscal year, including education, healthcare, public safety and infrastructure.
In addition to those notable bills, during this session, the Mississippi Legislature took an important step to protect our children in today’s digital world. With the final passage of House Bill 1224, the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act, we are making it clear that social media companies must be held accountable when their platforms cause harm to minors.

For years, parents across our state have raised concerns about what their children are exposed to online. From inappropriate content to dangerous interactions, the risks are real and growing. At the same time, many of these platforms are designed to keep users, especially young users, engaged for as long as possible. That combination has created a situation where families are often left trying to manage risks without the tools or support they need.

This legislation changes that.

The Keeping Kids Safe Online Act gives the State of Mississippi the authority to take action when social media companies misrepresent the safety of their platforms or fail to properly warn users about the risks. It allows the Attorney General to pursue civil penalties, up to $10,000 per violation, against companies that do not meet those responsibilities.

Just as important, the law gives parents a path to seek damages in cases where their children have been repeatedly exposed to harmful content, including pornography, through these platforms. That is a significant shift, and it reflects a growing understanding that accountability should not stop at the front door of Big Tech.

Across the country, we are seeing courts begin to recognize the impact these platforms can have on young users. Mississippi is now aligning its laws with that reality, ensuring that families here have similar protections.

This bill also focuses on prevention. It requires public schools to offer internet safety education for students in grades six through twelve. That means equipping young people with the knowledge they need to navigate the online world safely, understand risks and make better decisions.

At the end of the day, this is about balance. Technology is not going anywhere, and it offers real benefits. But those benefits should not come at the expense of our children’s safety.
Parents should not have to fight this battle alone. This legislation is about standing with them, giving them support, providing accountability and putting common-sense protections in place.

As lawmakers, our responsibility is to respond to real challenges facing our communities. This is one of them. And with the passage of the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act, Mississippi is taking a clear step forward in protecting the next generation.

Thank you for all of the input and support you have offered me during this session. I value our dialogue, discussions and correspondence, and I look forward to continuing to serve you even now that the regular legislative session is complete. Please follow me at “Clay Mansell – MS State Representative, District 56” on Facebook or at ClayMansell.com. You can reach me at 601-990-9511 or by email at ClayMansell@MansellMedia.net.