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HB1740 • 2026

MDOC; prohibit charging of inmates seeking certain healthcare services and provide kiosks at facilities for inmate requests for healthcare appointments.

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS' COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDER FROM CHARGING STATE INMATES FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PROVIDE COMMUNAL KIOSKS AT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SO THAT INMATES CAN MAKE REQUESTS FOR MEDICAL OR DENTAL APPOINTMENTS ELECTRONICALLY; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN DISPENSATION OF MEDICATION FOR STATE INMATES TO HELP ENSURE EFFECTIVE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO EMPLOY ONE LICENSED OR REGISTERED DIETICIAN FOR ALL OF ITS CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES; TO REQUIRE THAT CERTAIN ACCESS BE PROVIDED TO STATE INMATES FOR MEDICAL CARE AT ALL TIMES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Healthcare Housing
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Currie, Anthony
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
Passage

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its exact impact is unknown.

Prohibit Inmate Fees for Healthcare Services

This bill aims to stop the Department of Corrections from charging inmates for certain healthcare services, provide kiosks in correctional facilities for medical appointments, and ensure proper medication management.

What This Bill Does

  • Stops the Department of Corrections' healthcare provider from charging state inmates for specific health care services.
  • Requires communal kiosks or self-service terminals in each housing unit of correctional facilities so that inmates can request medical or dental appointments electronically.
  • Ensures that disabled or mobility-challenged inmates receive their medications as needed and at the prescribed times.
  • Requires the Department to employ a licensed dietician for all its correctional facilities to manage dietary restrictions properly.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State inmates in the Department of Corrections' care
  • The Department of Corrections

Terms To Know

Comprehensive Correctional Healthcare Services Provider
A healthcare provider that offers medical services to state inmates.
Communal Kiosk
An electronic device placed in a common area of correctional facilities for inmates to use to request medical or dental appointments.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not enacted into law.
  • It is unclear how the implementation of these requirements would be funded.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-28 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/28 (H) DR - TSDP: CN To AP

  3. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Corrections;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

MDOC; prohibit charging of inmates seeking certain healthcare services and provide kiosks at facilities for inmate requests for healthcare appointments.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1740 *HR43/R1868* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1868
PAGE 1 (OM\KP)

To: Corrections;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Currie, Anthony

HOUSE BILL NO. 1740

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS' 1
COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDER FROM 2
CHARGING STATE INMATES FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES; TO REQUIRE 3
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PROVIDE COMMUNAL KIOSKS AT 4
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SO THAT INMATES CAN MAKE REQUESTS FOR 5
MEDICAL OR DENTAL APPOINTMENTS ELECTRONICALLY; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN 6
DISPENSATION OF MEDICATION FOR STATE INMATES TO HELP ENSURE 7
EFFECTIVE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO 8
EMPLOY ONE LICENSED OR REGISTERED DIETICIAN FOR ALL OF ITS 9
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES; TO REQUIRE THAT CERTAIN ACCESS BE 10
PROVIDED TO STATE INMATES FOR MEDICAL CARE AT ALL TIMES; AND FOR 11
RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. (1) No inmate shall pay for any fees for 14
healthcare services that are provided by the Department of 15
Corrections' comprehensive correctional healthcare services 16
provider. From and after the effective date of this act, any such 17
unpaid fees that have been previously assessed for an inmate for 18
healthcare and have not been collected, shall be a charge-off for 19
the comprehensive correctional healthcare services provider and 20
the fees shall not be paid by the inmates. 21
(2) (a) There shall be made available in each housing unit 22
of state correctional facilities a communal kiosk or self-service 23
H. B. No. 1740 *HR43/R1868* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1868
PAGE 2 (OM\KP)

terminal for state inmates. The communal kiosk or terminal shall 24
be made available to state inmates to request medical or dental 25
appointments from the Department of Corrections' comprehensive 26
correctional healthcare services provider. 27
(b) When a state inmate makes a request for a medical 28
or dental appointment, pursuant to this subsection, the request 29
shall become a part the inmate's electronic medical records. The 30
Department of Corrections' comprehensive correctional healthcare 31
services provider shall, within twenty-four (24) hours of an 32
inmate's electronic request being made, provide triage service for 33
the inmate to assess his or her medical condition. 34
(3) (a) If a state inmate is disabled or has difficulty 35
walking, the Department of Corrections shall ensure that such 36
inmate shall have his or her medication or medications, as the 37
case may be, dispensed to the inmate as provided under this 38
subsection. 39
(b) Every state inmate who is on any medication or 40
medications, as the case may be, shall receive the medication or 41
medications at the times prescribed for effective medication 42
management for the inmate. 43
(4) The Department of Corrections shall employ one (1) 44
licensed or registered dietician for all of its correctional 45
facilities. The licensed or registered dietician shall help 46
ensure that the dietary restrictions of state inmates are 47
followed. The licensed or registered dietician shall be 48
H. B. No. 1740 *HR43/R1868* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1868
PAGE 3 (OM\KP)
ST: MDOC; prohibit charging of inmates seeking
certain healthcare services and provide kiosks
at facilities for inmate requests for healthcare
appointments.
appropriately licensed to practice in the State of Mississippi as 49
such. 50
(5) There shall be a nurse on staff twenty-four (24) hours a 51
day at each state correctional facility and there shall be a 52
physician on call for each facility. The nurse shall have the 53
ability to contact the physician to assess an inmate's medical 54
condition and to determine the appropriate level of care needed. 55
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 56
and after its passage. 57