Bill > HB552

This bill establishes a ban on geoengineering in Mississippi, defining geoengineering as the intentional release of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere to alter temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity. It grants the Mississippi Air and Water Pollution Control Commission, which oversees environmental quality, the authority to issue orders related to geoengineering and explicitly prohibits it within the state. Violators of this prohibition face severe penalties, including a felony charge, a minimum fine of $500,000, a prison sentence of at least two years, or both, with each day of violation constituting a separate offense, and they will also be subject to other existing pollution laws. The bill also clarifies that the Commission is responsible for protecting public health and welfare from environmental risks, including those posed by geoengineering, which the legislature notes are not well understood. This legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0552.xml