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HB929 • 2026

Study committee on certain first responders receiving insurance upon retirement eligibility; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE A STUDY COMMITTEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING THE FUNDING AND FULL PAYMENT OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS WHO HAVE ATTAINED THE AGE OF RETIREMENT UNDER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AND FOR ANY OTHER RELATED PURPOSE; TO PROVIDE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE FOR A QUORUM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PEER COMMITTEE SHALL PROVIDE THE STAFF AND OTHER SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR THE STUDY COMMITTEE TO PERFORM ITS DUTIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Labor
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Shanks
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
Passage

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and there is no information on specific recommendations or findings from the study committee.

Create a Study Committee for First Responders' Health Insurance

This bill creates a study committee to examine how to fund health insurance for retired first responders.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a nine-member study committee to look into funding and full payment of health insurance for retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders.
  • Specifies that the committee will be made up of representatives from various associations and government bodies.
  • Requires the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) to provide staff support for the study committee.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Certified law enforcement officers who have retired
  • Retired firefighters
  • Other first responders who are eligible to retire

Terms To Know

Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
A retirement system for public employees, including first responders.
Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER)
An agency that provides support to legislative committees.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
  • It is unclear what specific recommendations or findings the committee would produce.
  • There is no information on a deadline for the committee's work beyond January 1, 2027.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Insurance

Official Summary Text

Study committee on certain first responders receiving insurance upon retirement eligibility; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 929 *HR43/R685* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R685
PAGE 1 (ENK\KP)

To: Insurance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Shanks

HOUSE BILL NO. 929

AN ACT TO CREATE A STUDY COMMITTEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF 1
STUDYING THE FUNDING AND FULL PAYMENT OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL 2
CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER FIRST 3
RESPONDERS WHO HAVE ATTAINED THE AGE OF RETIREMENT UNDER THE RULES 4
AND REGULATIONS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AND 5
FOR ANY OTHER RELATED PURPOSE; TO PROVIDE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE 6
COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE FOR A QUORUM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PEER 7
COMMITTEE SHALL PROVIDE THE STAFF AND OTHER SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR 8
THE STUDY COMMITTEE TO PERFORM ITS DUTIES; AND FOR RELATED 9
PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. (1) There is created a study committee for the 12
purpose of studying the funding and full payment of health 13
insurance for all certified law enforcement officers, firefighters 14
and other first responders who have attained the age of retirement 15
under the rules and regulations of the Public Employees' 16
Retirement System, and for any other related purpose. The 17
committee shall be comprised of the following nine (9) members: 18
(a) The President of the Mississippi Law Enforcement 19
Officers Association, or his or her designee; 20
(b) The President of the Mississippi Sheriffs 21
Association, or his or her designee; 22
H. B. No. 929 *HR43/R685* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R685
PAGE 2 (ENK\KP)

(c) The President of the Mississippi Association of 23
Chiefs of Police, or his or her designee; 24
(d) The President of the Mississippi Fire Chiefs 25
Association, or his or her designee; 26
(e) The President of the Mississippi Firefighters 27
Association, or his or her designee; 28
(f) One (1) member of the Senate, appointed by the 29
Lieutenant Governor; 30
(g) One (1) member of the House of Representatives, 31
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 32
(h) One (1) member from the Mississippi Department of 33
Finance and Administration, appointed by the Governor; and 34
(i) One (1) member who currently serves on the Board of 35
Trustees for the Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System, 36
appointed by the chair of that board. 37
(2) Appointments to the study committee shall be made within 38
thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act. At the first 39
meeting, the committee shall elect from among its membership a 40
chair, a vice chair and any other officers determined to be 41
necessary, and shall adopt rules for transacting business and 42
keeping records. 43
(3) A majority of the members of the study committee shall 44
constitute a quorum. In the adoption of rules, resolutions and 45
reports, and in the election of a chair, vice chair and any other 46
H. B. No. 929 *HR43/R685* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R685
PAGE 3 (ENK\KP)
ST: Study committee on certain first responders
receiving insurance upon retirement eligibility;
create.
officers determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a 47
majority of the members present shall be required. 48
(4) The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance 49
Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) shall provide the staff 50
and other support necessary for the study committee to perform its 51
duties. 52
(5) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, 53
division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the 54
state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request 55
of the chair of the study committee, provide the facilities, 56
assistance, information and data needed to enable the study 57
committee to carry out its duties. 58
(6) The study committee shall be dissolved on or before 59
January 1, 2027. 60
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 61
and after its passage. 62