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.

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SB2426 • 2026

Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline program; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE PROGRAM; TO DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BOARD IN MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD TO CREATE A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROGRAM; TO OUTLINE CRITERIA THE PLAN MUST MEET; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD TO COMPLETE THE PLAN AND MAKE IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2026; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD TO PERIODICALLY UPDATE THE PLAN AND MAKE SUCH UPDATES PUBLICLY AVAILABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how awareness will be improved or what kind of demographic information will be collected, only that these activities are required.

Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline Program

This bill aims to create a program that provides suicide prevention services and mental health support for veterans in Mississippi.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline program.
  • Requires the State Veterans Affairs Board to work with crisis centers across the state to provide suicide prevention and mental health crisis intervention services for veterans.
  • Establishes a hotline staffed by trained veteran volunteers to assist other veterans in need of mental health support.
  • Improves awareness about the program through social media and outreach efforts.
  • Collects demographic information to understand disparities in access to the program among veterans.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Veterans who are at risk of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis.
  • The State Veterans Affairs Board, which will manage the program.
  • Crisis centers and other organizations that provide support services for veterans.

Terms To Know

State Veterans Affairs Board
A group responsible for managing programs that help veterans in Mississippi.
Demographic information
Information about a population, such as age or location, used to understand patterns and differences among groups.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during the session it was introduced.
  • It requires the State Veterans Affairs Board to develop a plan by December 1, 2026, but this deadline may change if the bill is reintroduced and passed in future sessions.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Veterans and Military Affairs

Official Summary Text

Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline program; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2426 *SS36/R266* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R266
PAGE 1 (aa\kr)

To: Veterans and Military
Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Tate

SENATE BILL NO. 2426

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION 1
LIFELINE PROGRAM; TO DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BOARD IN 2
MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS 3
BOARD TO CREATE A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE 4
PROGRAM; TO OUTLINE CRITERIA THE PLAN MUST MEET; TO REQUIRE THE 5
BOARD TO COMPLETE THE PLAN AND MAKE IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE BEFORE 6
DECEMBER 1, 2026; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD TO PERIODICALLY UPDATE THE 7
PLAN AND MAKE SUCH UPDATES PUBLICLY AVAILABLE; AND FOR RELATED 8
PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. (1) The State Veterans Affairs Board ("Board") 11
shall maintain the Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention 12
Lifeline program created herein. 13
(2) In maintaining the program, the activities of the Board 14
shall include: 15
(a) Working with and supporting crisis centers across 16
the State for providing suicide prevention and mental health 17
crisis intervention services for veterans, including appropriate 18
follow-up services, to veterans seeking help at any time, day or 19
night; 20
S. B. No. 2426 *SS36/R266* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R266
PAGE 2 (aa\kr)

(b) Maintaining a suicide and mental health hotline for 21
veterans to link callers to local emergency, mental health and 22
social services resources. Such hotline shall be staffed by 23
veterans trained to assist in mental health crises; 24
(c) Improving awareness of the program for suicide 25
prevention and mental health crisis intervention services for 26
veterans in Mississippi, including by conducting an awareness 27
initiative on social media and online, as well as ongoing outreach 28
to the public; and 29
(d) Improving the collection and analysis of 30
demographic information, in a manner that protects personal 31
privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy 32
laws, in order to understand disparities in access to the program 33
among veterans who are seeking help. 34
(3) (a) For the purpose of maintaining the suicide 35
prevention hotline for veterans, the Board shall develop and 36
implement a plan to ensure the provision of high-quality services. 37
(b) The plan required by paragraph (a) shall include 38
the following: 39
(i) Program evaluation, including performance 40
measures to assess progress toward the goals and objectives of the 41
program and to improve the responsiveness and performance of the 42
hotline. 43
(ii) Requirements that call takers must meet to 44
ensure that each telephone call and applicable other communication 45
S. B. No. 2426 *SS36/R266* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R266
PAGE 3 (aa\kr)
ST: Mississippi Veterans Suicide Prevention
Lifeline program; create.
received by the hotline is answered in a timely manner by a 46
veteran trained to assist other veterans in mental health crises, 47
consistent with evidence-based guidance or other guidance or best 48
practices, as appropriate. Such requirements shall be developed 49
in conjunction with the Department of Health. 50
(c) Specific recommendations for implementing 51
evidence-based practices, including with respect to follow-up 52
conversations and communicating the availability of resources in 53
the State for individuals in need. 54
(d) Criteria for carrying out periodic testing of the 55
hotline during each fiscal year to identify and address any 56
problems in a timely manner. 57
(4) The Board shall complete development of the initial plan 58
and make such plan publicly available not later than December 1, 59
2026, and update such plan and make the updated plan publicly 60
available periodically thereafter. 61
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 62
and after July 1, 2026. 63