MS HB1203

Designates social media websites with over 75 million subscribers as public utilities and allows users to sue for intentional deletion or censoring of political or religious speech.

Provides minimum damages of $75,000 per intentional deletion or censoring, plus actual damages, punitive damages if aggravating factors exist, and attorney's fees to prevailing parties.

Prohibits websites from using alleged hate speech as a defense, but grants immunity for censoring content that calls for immediate violence, is obscene, or is pornographic.

Allows the Attorney General to bring civil actions on behalf of Mississippi residents whose religious or political speech has been censored by social media platforms.

Effective July 1, 2019.