HB1437 • 2026

Food deserts; require Department of Health to track in Mississippi.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO TRACK FOOD DESERTS WITHIN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE BY DECEMBER 31 OF EACH YEAR IDENTIFYING THE LOCATION OF FOOD DESERTS IN THE STATE AND HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD DESERTS; TO DEFINE THE TERM "FOOD DESERT"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Gibbs (72nd), Brown, Summers, Butler-Washington, Clark, Holloway (27th)
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so it has no effective date or further legislative action.

Tracking Food Deserts in Mississippi

This bill requires the State Department of Health to track food deserts in Mississippi and report annually on their locations and health issues.

What This Bill Does

Requires the State Department of Health to provide an annual report about food deserts.
The report must show where food deserts are located within Mississippi.
Includes information about health issues linked to living in a food desert.

Who It Names or Affects

Mississippi residents who live in or near food deserts
The State Department of Health

Terms To Know

Food Desert: An area with a poverty rate of at least twenty percent (20%) where at least one-third (1/3) of the population lives more than a mile from a supermarket or large grocery store, farmers' market or healthy food provider.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
It does not provide funding for addressing food deserts.
Details on how health issues will be identified are not specified in the summary.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Died In Committee
2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/16 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Food deserts; require Department of Health to track in Mississippi.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 1437 *HR43/R249* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R249
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Gibbs (72nd), Brown,
Summers, Butler-Washington, Clark, Holloway
(27th)

HOUSE BILL NO. 1437

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO TRACK 1
FOOD DESERTS WITHIN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO REQUIRE THE 2
DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE BY 3
DECEMBER 31 OF EACH YEAR IDENTIFYING THE LOCATION OF FOOD DESERTS 4
IN THE STATE AND HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD DESERTS; TO 5
DEFINE THE TERM "FOOD DESERT"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. The State Department of Health shall provide an 8
annual report to the Legislature by December 31 of each year which 9
identifies the locations of food deserts within the State of 10
Mississippi and provides information about health issues 11
associated with food deserts. If the annual report contains 12
information from the federal government which identifies the 13
locations of food deserts in the state, and provides information 14
on health issues associated with food deserts, then the 15
requirements of this section are satisfied. For the 16
purposes of this section, the term "food desert" means an area 17
with a poverty rate of at least twenty percent (20%) where at 18
least one-third (1/3) of the population lives more than a mile 19
from a supermarket or large grocery store, farmers' market or 20
H. B. No. 1437 *HR43/R249* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R249
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)
ST: Food deserts; require Department of Health
to track in Mississippi.
healthy food provider, which results in the area being void of 21
fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthful whole foods due, in 22
part, to a lack of access and availability. 23
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 24
and after July 1, 2026. 25