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HB535 • 2026

Workers' Compensation Commission; require emergency hearing upon request of either party.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 71-3-47, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION TO ORDER AN EMERGENCY HEARING UPON REQUEST OR PETITION OF EITHER PARTY FOR SUCH HEARING; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 71-3-55, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Labor
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Watson
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate statement about bringing forward Section 71-3-55 for possible future amendment is supported, but no specific details or changes are mentioned.

Workers' Compensation Commission; Emergency Hearings

This bill requires the Workers' Compensation Commission to order an emergency hearing within twenty days if requested by either party in a workers' compensation case.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Workers' Compensation Commission to order an emergency hearing when requested by either party involved in a workers' compensation case.
  • Limits the time for ordering such an emergency hearing to twenty days after the request is made.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who work in Mississippi and might need a workers' compensation hearing.
  • The Workers' Compensation Commission that handles these cases.

Terms To Know

Emergency Hearing
A special meeting called quickly when someone needs it right away.
Workers' Compensation Commission
The group in charge of deciding workers' compensation cases in Mississippi.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It does not specify how other hearings are held, only emergency ones.
  • Future changes to Section 71-3-55 of the Mississippi Code may be considered but are not detailed in this bill.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/12 (H) Referred To Insurance

Official Summary Text

Workers' Compensation Commission; require emergency hearing upon request of either party.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 535 *HR43/R1414* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1414
PAGE 1 (RKM\KP)

To: Insurance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Watson

HOUSE BILL NO. 535

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 71-3-47, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION TO ORDER AN EMERGENCY 2
HEARING UPON REQUEST OR PETITION OF EITHER PARTY FOR SUCH HEARING; 3
TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 71-3-55, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR 4
THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 71-3-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
71-3-47. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the 9
details of practice and procedure in the settlement and 10
adjudication of claims shall be determined by rules of the 11
commission, the text of which shall be published and be readily 12
available to interested parties. 13
The commission shall have full power and authority to 14
determine all questions relating to the payment of claims for 15
compensation. The commission shall make or cause to be made such 16
investigation as it deems necessary and, upon application of 17
either party or upon its own initiative, shall order a hearing, 18
H. B. No. 535 *HR43/R1414* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 2 (RKM\KP)

shall make or deny an award, and shall file the same in its 19
office. 20
Upon request or petition of either party for an emergency 21
hearing, the commission shall order the hearing within twenty (20) 22
days of the request or petition. 23
Informal conferences and hearings in contested cases may be 24
conducted by a duly designated representative of the commission. 25
Upon the conclusion of any such hearing, the commission's 26
representative shall make or deny an award, and file the decision 27
in the office of the commission. Immediately after such filing, a 28
notice of decision shall be sent to all interested parties. This 29
decision shall be final unless within twenty (20) days a request 30
or petition for review by the full commission is filed. 31
SECTION 2. Section 71-3-55, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 32
brought forward as follows: 33
71-3-55. (1) In making an investigation or inquiry or 34
conducting a hearing, the commission shall not be bound by common 35
law or statutory rules of evidence or by technical or formal rules 36
or procedure, except as provided by this chapter, but may make 37
such investigation or inquiry or conduct such hearing in such 38
manner as best to ascertain the rights of the parties. 39
Declarations of a deceased employee concerning the injury in 40
respect of which the investigation or inquiry is being made or the 41
hearing conducted shall be received in evidence and shall, if 42
H. B. No. 535 *HR43/R1414* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Workers' Compensation Commission; require
emergency hearing upon request of either party.
corroborated by other evidence, be sufficient to establish the 43
injury. 44
(2) Hearings before the commission shall be open to the 45
public and shall be stenographically reported or recorded and 46
transcribed. The commission shall by regulations provide for the 47
preparation of a record of the hearings and other proceedings. 48
(3) Unless otherwise ordered by the commission, hearings 49
shall be conducted in the county where the injury occurred. 50
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 51
and after July 1, 2026. 52