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MississippiHB 16622026 Regular SessionHouse

Joint custody matters; create rebuttable presumption in favor of.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Judiciary AJudiciary, Division A

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Equal parenting time in new custody cases

For initial temporary and final custody orders entered after July 1, 2026, courts start with joint legal and physical custody and equal parenting time as best for the child. A parent can rebut this presumption by showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that another arrangement is best. Reasons can include the parents’ agreement, a parent’s absence or other circumstances, a parent’s registered-sex-offender status, or incarceration. Courts must explain a departure unless both parents petition for a different arrangement. The presumption does not apply to custody modifications.

Child support offset for equal parenting

Beginning July 1, 2026, when a court orders equal shared parenting, it calculates child support for each parent under Mississippi’s guidelines as if each were the parent who pays. The court subtracts the smaller amount from the larger. Unless the court finds a different result is best for the child, the parent with higher adjusted gross income pays the difference to the parent with lower adjusted gross income. This can shift who pays support and how much, but the law sets no fixed payment amount.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 299 • No: 20

Senate vote • 4/1/2026

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 39 • No: 10 • Other: 1

House vote • 3/31/2026

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 90 • No: 10 • Other: 16

Senate vote • 3/5/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 52 • No: 0

House vote • 2/11/2026

Passed

Yes: 118 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor

    4/8/2026legislature

  2. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/6/2026Senate

  3. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/6/2026House

  4. Conference Report Adopted

    4/1/2026Senate

  5. Conference Report Adopted

    3/31/2026House

  6. Conference Report Filed

    3/30/2026House

  7. Conference Report Filed

    3/30/2026Senate

  8. Conferees Named Wiggins,McCaughn,Fillingane

    3/30/2026Senate

  9. Conferees Named Hood,Aguirre,Yates

    3/30/2026House

  10. Decline to Concur/Invite Conf

    3/26/2026House

  11. Returned For Concurrence

    3/9/2026Senate

  12. Passed As Amended

    3/5/2026Senate

  13. Amended

    3/5/2026Senate

  14. Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

    2/26/2026Senate

  15. Referred To Judiciary, Division A

    2/19/2026Senate

  16. Transmitted To Senate

    2/12/2026House

  17. Passed

    2/11/2026House

  18. Title Suff Do Pass

    2/2/2026House

  19. Referred To Judiciary A

    1/19/2026House

Bill Text

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