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To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Boyd, DeLano, Thompson
SENATE BILL NO. 2918
AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 83-1-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO PROHIBIT THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE, CANDIDATES 2
RUNNING FOR COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE 3
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, FROM RECEIVING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS 4
FROM ENTITIES FOR WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE REGULATES; TO 5
PROHIBIT COVERED PERSONS FROM MAKING A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TO 6
THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE, CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR COMMISSIONER 7
OF INSURANCE OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE; TO 8
ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE PROHIBITIONS ESTABLISHED 9
BY THIS CODE SECTION; TO ALLOW ANY PERSON WHO UNKNOWINGLY RECEIVES 10
A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION FROM A PROHIBITED COVERED PERSON TO HAVE 11
30 DAYS TO REMIT THE VALUE OF THE UNLAWFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE 12
SECRETARY OF STATE ONCE THE VIOLATION HAS BEEN DETERMINED, OR BE 13
SUBJECT TO THE PROVIDED PENALTIES; TO DEFINE RELEVANT TERMS; AND 14
FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 16
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 17
83-1-53, Mississippi Code of 1972: 18
83-1-53. (1) It shall be unlawful for the Commissioner of 19
Insurance, any candidate for Commissioner for Insurance or any 20
employee of the Department of Insurance to knowingly accept any 21
campaign contributions from a covered person. Any person found 22
guilty of violating the provisions of this subsection shall 23
immediately forfeit his or her office or position and shall be 24
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fined not less than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), imprisoned 25
for not less than one (1) year, or both. 26
(2) It shall be unlawful for a covered person to offer any 27
campaign contributions to the Commissioner of Insurance, any 28
candidate for Commissioner of Insurance or any employee of the 29
Department of Insurance. Any party found guilty of violating the 30
provisions of this subsection shall be fined not less than Five 31
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), imprisoned for not less than one (1) 32
year, or both. 33
(3) If an unlawful campaign contribution is unknowingly 34
received, the value of the unlawful contribution shall be paid to 35
the Secretary of State within thirty (30) days of discovery. Any 36
person who fails to remit payment to the Secretary of State within 37
thirty (30) days shall be subject to the penalties set forth in 38
subsections (1) or (2) of this section. The Secretary of State 39
shall remit any payment received to the Election Support Fund. 40
(4) For purposes of this section, the term "campaign 41
contribution" shall include any gift, loan, advance, or anything 42
of value, or the cancellation of a debt, made to influence an 43
election for the office of Commissioner of Insurance. Expenses 44
associated with social occasions afforded to public servants shall 45
not be deemed a campaign contribution. 46
(5) For purposes of this section, the term "Covered Person" 47
shall include: 48
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(a) Any person who is an owner, agent or legal 49
representative of any and all insurance companies, corporations, 50
associations or entities regulated by the Commissioner of 51
Insurance; 52
(b) Any person interested as owner, agent or legal 53
representative of any and all insurance companies, corporations, 54
associations or entities regulated by the Commissioner of 55
Insurance; or 56
(c) Any person acting at the request or direction of an 57
owner, agent or legal representative of any and all insurance 58
companies, corporations, associations or entities regulated by the 59
Commissioner of Insurance. 60
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, a person shall not 61
be considered a "covered person" under this section based solely 62
on such person submitting a complaint or other inquiry, formal or 63
informal, to the Department of Insurance or any department staff 64
concerning service, billing or any other aspect of the service 65
provided by any and all insurance companies, corporations, 66
associations or entities regulated by the Commissioner of 67
Insurance. 68
(6) For purposes of this section, a person who is a member 69
of an insurance company, corporation, association or entity 70
regulated by the Commissioner of Insurance, shall not, by virtue 71
of such membership, be deemed an owner, agent or representative of 72
such association unless such person is acting in any respect for 73
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ST: Insurance Commissioner; prohibit campaign
contributions from entities regulated by.
or as an owner, agent or representative of such insurance 74
entities; nor shall a person who owns less than one-half (1/2) of 75
one percent (1%) in stock, the value thereof not to exceed Ten 76
Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), of any and all insurance companies, 77
corporations, associations or entities regulated by the 78
Commissioner of Insurance, or of any holding company of such 79
insurance entity, by virtue of such ownership, be deemed an owner, 80
agent or representative of such insurance entity, unless such 81
person is acting in any respect for or as an owner, agent or 82
representative of such insurance entity. 83
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 84
and after June 30, 2026. 85