Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1079: Mineral rights; revert to surface owner after certain period of time.
Status: Failed, February 3, 2026
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT MINERAL ESTATES SEPARATED FROM THE SURFACE ESTATE SHALL REVERT TO THE OWNER OF THE SURFACE ESTATE AFTER TEN YEARS OF NONPRODUCTION; TO DEFINE NONPRODUCTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to provide that mineral estates separated from the surface estate shall revert to the owner of the surface estate after ten years of nonproduction; to define nonproduction; and for related purposes.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT MINERAL ESTATES SEPARATED FROM THE SURFACE ESTATE SHALL REVERT TO THE OWNER OF THE SURFACE ESTATE AFTER TEN YEARS OF NONPRODUCTION; TO DEFINE NONPRODUCTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) Mineral estates separated from the surface estate after January 1, 2027, shall revert to the owner of the surface estate if, after a ten-year period, there is no bona fide attempt to drill for or produce minerals or no actual production of minerals. The ten-year period may run continuously or be interrupted. If there is attempted or actual production, the period shall be interrupted and shall start to run again on the day after the last day of actual production or the last day actual drilling or production operations are conducted on the property. For contracts providing for shut-in rental payments in lieu of production, the ten-year period may be interrupted, but will start to run again at the end of the period for which the last such rental payment was made if there is no production. The possibility of interruption is not limited to the instances stated *HR43/R861* H. B. No. 1079 ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 26/HR43/R861 PAGE 1 (MCL\KP) in this section, but may extend to other circumstances as equity may …
Sponsors
- Evans, Bob (D, 91) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Died In Committee
- : Referred To Judiciary A
Subjects: Mineral rights
Common questions
- What is HB1079?
- HB1079 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Mineral rights; revert to surface owner after certain period of time.
- What does HB1079 do?
- In its own words: An act to provide that mineral estates separated from the surface estate shall revert to the owner of the surface estate after ten years of nonproduction; to define nonproduction; and for related purposes.
- What is the status of HB1079?
- Failed as of February 3, 2026. Latest action: Died In Committee (February 3, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB1079?
- Evans, Bob (D, 91).
- Where is the official record for HB1079?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1079.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.