In one paragraph
Mississippi's HB 1048 (2026, as introduced) would have barred AI providers from offering AI systems programmed to provide professional mental or behavioral health care, or claiming such systems can provide it, and barred licensed mental health professionals from using AI in practice except for administrative and supplementary support, and for recording sessions with written informed consent 24 hours in advance. Violators would have faced civil penalties up to $15,000 per violation in Attorney General actions, and licensees board discipline. Referred January 16, 2026; it died in committee February 3, 2026.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
None: the bill died and did not become law. It would have barred AI mental health care services and AI use by licensed therapists beyond administrative support, with fines up to $15,000 per violation.
Key provisions
- AI providers could not make available in Mississippi an AI system specifically programmed to provide a service that would be professional mental or behavioral health care if provided by a person
- AI providers could not represent, or knowingly cause or program a system to represent, that it can provide such care, that users can obtain it through the system's simulated conversation, or that the system is a provider of such care
- A licensee could not use AI in the practice of professional mental or behavioral health care, except to assist with administrative and supplementary support such as scheduling, billing, general communications, records and operational data analysis
- Support services would not include independent therapeutic decisions, direct therapeutic communication with clients, therapeutic recommendations or treatment plans without licensee review and approval, or detecting emotional or mental state
- A licensee could use AI to record or transcribe a session only with written, informed consent obtained at least 24 hours before the session
- Civil penalty up to $15,000 per violation, with the Attorney General able to investigate and sue; licensing boards could discipline licensees under amended Code sections 73-30-21, 73-31-21, 73-53-17, 73-54-29, 73-65-13 and 73-66-17
- Would have taken effect July 1, 2026
- Status: referred January 16, 2026 to the House Public Health and Human Services and Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committees; died in committee February 3, 2026
Latest legislative action
Feb 3, 2026. Died In Committee
Sponsors
| Name | Role | District |
|---|---|---|
| Jill Ford R | Sponsor | HD-073 |
Topics and industries
Related topics
Affected industries
This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error