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MississippiSB 20962026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

MDITS and SOS; require to establish minimum cybersecurity standards for SEMS.

Sponsored By: Bart Williams (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Apportionment and ElectionsElections

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Statewide voter system and rules

The law creates a single Statewide Elections Management System as the official voter list. Beginning July 1, 2026, counties convert records to a standard format and keep all official data in SEMS. The Secretary of State sets security and access rules, including who can change records and exclusive local pollbook printing. Registrars can verify applicants are not registered in another county, get automatic notices when a voter registers elsewhere, receive death, address, and conviction updates, and get notices if a voter may not be a U.S. citizen. An advisory committee helps design and maintain the system, and any format change requires consulting the Circuit Clerks Association.

Stronger privacy for voter data

The law keeps Social Security numbers, phone numbers, emails, and birth dates or age in voter files private. Public copies of voter lists exclude this data. Copies may cost no more than the actual production cost. These privacy rules start July 1, 2026.

Cybersecurity rules and funding limits for counties

By January 1, 2027, the state IT department and the Secretary of State set minimum cybersecurity standards for county registrars and election commissioners who use SEMS. Counties are assessed for compliance; results are confidential but available to the State Auditor and, on request, to the IT department and the Secretary. Through January 1, 2028, a county that fails an internal assessment has six months to fix issues; after a second failure, its Election Support Fund use is limited as the law provides. Starting January 1, 2028, any noncompliant county may use those funds only to meet the standards; the Secretary notifies the Board of Supervisors and the Auditor and lifts limits once the county complies. These requirements take effect July 1, 2026.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Bart Williams

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bradford Blackmon

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 224 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/11/2026

Concurred in Amend From House

Yes: 51 • No: 0

House vote • 3/4/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 121 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/5/2026

Passed

Yes: 52 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor

    3/19/2026legislature

  2. Enrolled Bill Signed

    3/16/2026House

  3. Enrolled Bill Signed

    3/16/2026Senate

  4. Concurred in Amend From House

    3/11/2026Senate

  5. Returned For Concurrence

    3/5/2026House

  6. Passed As Amended

    3/4/2026House

  7. Amended

    3/4/2026House

  8. Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

    2/26/2026House

  9. Referred To Apportionment and Elections

    2/6/2026House

  10. Transmitted To House

    2/6/2026Senate

  11. Immediate Release

    2/5/2026Senate

  12. Passed

    2/5/2026Senate

  13. Title Suff Do Pass

    1/29/2026Senate

  14. Referred To Elections

    1/8/2026Senate

Bill Text

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