Mississippi House honors Air Care crash victims, advances key bills

JACKSON, Miss. (VDN) — The Mississippi House observed a moment of silence during this week’s legislative session in honor of the three victims who died in the UMMC Air Care helicopter crash in Madison County earlier this week: Med-Trans pilot Cal Wesolowski, critical care paramedic Jakob Kindt and flight nurse Dustin Pope.

The House reconvened at 2 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 10, marking the start of the 10th week of the 2025 legislative session.

Several bills were passed this week, some of which have been sent to conference. During conference week, Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann will each appoint three members from their respective chambers to negotiate and finalize the legislation.

Key Bills Passed This Week

• House Bill 913 (HB 913) establishes labeling requirements for meat and meat substitute products to prevent consumer confusion. It mandates that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture inspect food processing plants, retail stores and food establishments based on credible complaints regarding misbranded meat products. The bill enforces penalties for violations and requires clear labeling at the final point of sale to distinguish between meat and meat alternatives.
• Senate Bill 2835 (SB 2835) creates the Mississippi Emergency Communications Authority within the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to oversee and modernize emergency communication systems. It sets a goal of implementing Next Generation 911 (NG911) statewide by 2030, establishes a statewide advisory board, introduces an Emergency Communications Service Charge to fund upgrades and mandates financial audits for transparency. Counties will have the ability to coordinate emergency communication districts under new technical and operational standards.
• Senate Bill 2426 (SB 2426) establishes the Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AIR) Task Force to evaluate the risks, benefits and policy implications of AI in Mississippi. The task force will examine AI applications, privacy concerns, ethical standards and potential government uses. It will report findings to the Legislature annually until its dissolution in 2027. The task force is authorized to seek funding, appoint advisory members and propose policy recommendations to balance innovation with public safety and regulatory oversight.
• Senate Bill 2573 (SB 2573) creates the Mississippi Department of Tourism, transferring tourism-related responsibilities from the Mississippi Development Authority. The bill establishes an executive director, appointed by the governor, to oversee the department. It also introduces a grant program for tourism entities and a marketing advisory board to guide promotional efforts. A portion of sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels will be diverted to fund tourism advertising, streamlining the state’s tourism governance structure.
• Senate Bill 2555 (SB 2555) amends Mississippi Code Section 67-5-11 to allow native wineries to sell directly to consumers or the Department of Revenue at one satellite location within the same county as their original site. It also permits onsite pickup for wines and distilled spirits sold by the Department of Revenue to retailers, eliminating the requirement for shipment to the department’s warehouse. This bill aims to expand market access for local wineries while simplifying distribution processes.

The House faces a Tuesday, March 18, deadline for original floor action on appropriation and revenue bills from the opposite chamber.

The House is set to reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday.