KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

HB650 • 2026

Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program; revise provisions related to.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-153-235 AND 37-153-237, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PARAMEDICS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Healthcare Labor
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Paramedics Scholarship Program Changes

This bill changes the requirements for a scholarship program that helps people become paramedics and stay in Mississippi.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes rules about who can get scholarships to study to be a paramedic.
  • Requires applicants to have EMT certification before applying.
  • Sets conditions for staying in Mississippi after getting training.
  • Allows the Office of Workforce Development to use up to five percent of funds for managing the program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to become paramedics and live in Mississippi
  • The Office of Workforce Development

Terms To Know

paramedic
A healthcare worker trained to give emergency medical care outside hospitals.
EMT
Emergency Medical Technician, a person who provides basic emergency medical services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and will not become law.
  • It does not say how much money is available for the scholarships.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/13 (H) Referred To Workforce Development;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program; revise provisions related to.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 650 *HR26/R801* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R801
PAGE 1 (ENK\KW)

To: Workforce Development;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Carpenter

HOUSE BILL NO. 650

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-153-235 AND 37-153-237, 1
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 2
PARAMEDICS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; AND FOR 3
RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 37-153-235, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
37-153-235. (1) There is established the Paramedics 8
Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program ("the program"). 9
The scholarship program shall be used by the Office of Workforce 10
Development, with the Mississippi Department of Employment 11
Security acting as the fiscal agent, for the purpose of providing 12
funding for grants to cover the full cost of tuition, fees, books 13
and any required uniforms for qualified applicants to attend an 14
accredited paramedic program and to reimburse the cost of a 15
qualified applicant's fee for the successful completion of the 16
National Registry Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor 17
examinations. The scholarship program shall be funded from monies 18
appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose. 19
H. B. No. 650 *HR26/R801* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R801
PAGE 2 (ENK\KW)

(2) For the purposes of this article, a "paramedic" means a 20
certified healthcare professional who specializes in providing 21
emergency medical treatment to people who are injured or ill, 22
typically in a setting outside of a hospital. 23
(3) The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the 24
terms and conditions of grants awarded under the program. To 25
qualify for a grant under this program, an applicant must: 26
(a) Be a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT); 27
(b) Have the necessary requisites for an accredited 28
paramedic program; 29
(c) Commit to locate in the State of Mississippi for a 30
minimum of three (3) years; and 31
(d) Meet any other conditions for receipt as prescribed 32
by the Office of Workforce Development. 33
(4) The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of 34
five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the 35
administration of the program. 36
(5) The Office of Workforce Development may promulgate rules 37
and regulations as necessary to effectuate the provisions of this 38
section. 39
SECTION 2. Section 37-153-237, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 40
amended as follows: 41
37-153-237. The office shall enter into a grant contract 42
agreement with each recipient of a grant under the program that 43
H. B. No. 650 *HR26/R801* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R801
PAGE 3 (ENK\KW)
ST: Paramedics Recruitment and Retention
Scholarship Program; revise provisions related
to.
incorporates * * * obligations and conditions * * * as determined 44
appropriate by the office. 45
* * * 46
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 47
and after July 1, 2026. 48