Week of January 26, 2026

The fourth week of the 2026 Regular Session has concluded. Committee work and floor action on a range of health care and insurance-related legislation were a major focus this week, with more than 15 House committees meeting to consider bills. February 3 is the deadline for committees to report general bills and constitutional amendments. The State of the State Address has been postponed until February 4, due to a severe ice storm that impacted large areas of Mississippi.

House Bill 565, known as “Jill’s Law,” would require state-regulated health insurance plans, including Medicaid and the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan, to cover biomarker testing when it is medically necessary to diagnose, treat, manage, or monitor a patient’s condition. The measure is named in honor of Jill Eure, the late wife of Representative Casey Eure. 

House Bill 1117, the “Creating Transparency and Accountability in Dental Services Act,” would require dental insurance carriers to calculate and report their dental loss ratios, the amount they collect in premiums versus what they pay out in claims. The reports must be turned in to Mississippi’s Insurance Commissioner, who will make the information publicly available to increase transparency and accountability in the dental insurance market. 

The Capitol welcomed several visitors this week, including SPIRE Learning Center, EMCC School of Nursing, UMMC Dental Hygiene students, Jefferson Davis High School, the Mississippi Nurse Practitioner Association, the Alderwomen of Clinton, Mississippi College nursing students, Boys2Men, the Mississippi Coalition against Domestic Violence, and the Lamar School Football Team.