Maddy summaryHB 1392 requires health benefit plans in Mississippi to cover ambulance services for triage, treatment in place (using telemedicine), or transport to lower-acuity facilities like urgent care centers or mental health crisis units - excluding hospitals or critical care settings. It sets minimum reimbursement rates for out-of-network ambulance providers based on contracted county/municipal rates or 250% of Medicare rates, mandates the Department of Insurance to publish these rates, and requires clear billing explanations for enrollees. The law applies to all health plans covering these services starting July 1, 2025, and affects enrollees receiving ambulance care, ambulance providers, and insurance commissioners enforcing the rules. It does not change existing deductibles or co-pays but ensures coverage for non-transport scenarios and alternative destination care.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 816 proposes requiring Mississippi hunters to report white-tailed deer harvests through an electronic system (like a mobile app or website) developed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. This mandatory reporting would affect all deer hunters in the state, with penalties including fines starting at $100 for first violations (up to $500 for subsequent offenses). The bill also mandates an annual report to legislative committees and specifies that funds for the program cannot come from the department’s existing budget. However, the bill "died in committee" on March 4, 2025, meaning it has not become law and is not currently in effect.
Maddy summaryHB 888 updates Mississippi's Burn Care Fund by expanding eligible recipients to include Baptist Medical Center and burn centers affiliated with Level I trauma centers, while removing the University of Mississippi Medical Center as a designated recipient. It increases the fee for distinctive license tags from $1.00 to $2.50 per tag or plate, and adds a $0.50 fee for commercial vehicle decals, with all new proceeds deposited into the Burn Care Fund. These changes direct funding toward specific burn care facilities within Mississippi's trauma system, shifting support from the University of Mississippi Medical Center to Baptist Medical Center and Level I-affiliated centers. The bill does not create new facilities but alters how existing funds are distributed. The fee increases take effect for vehicle registrations starting in 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 553 would have required all hunters aged 16+ to purchase a Mississippi Wild Turkey Stamp (or its digital equivalent) to legally hunt wild turkeys in the state. The bill set fees at $10 for residents and $100 for non-residents, with all revenue dedicated to turkey conservation projects like habitat restoration (not administrative costs). Violations would have carried fines of $25-$100, though penalties could be waived if hunters proved prior stamp purchase. This bill "died in committee" on March 4, 2025, and never became law.
Maddy summaryHB 1393 allows Mississippi counties and incorporated cities, towns, or villages to formally partner with U.S. military branches under federal law (10 USC Section 2679). The bill authorizes local governments to enter agreements providing support services to military installations located within Mississippi. This would enable communities to coordinate directly with bases on matters like infrastructure, housing, or community engagement. The bill passed the House in early 2025 but died in the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee in March 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 1000 reestablishes the Mississippi Fair Commission, transferring management of the State Fairgrounds and related duties back to the Commission from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture (which held these responsibilities since 2020 under House Bill 1566). The Commission, composed of appointed members from agricultural groups (including the Agriculture Commissioner as chair), will now set rules for distributing state funds for fair premiums, manage the Jackson fairgrounds, and handle fundraising through donations and naming-rights agreements for buildings/events. It may establish a private foundation to accept non-public donations for fairgrounds improvements, separate from state operating funds, and lease naming rights to entities (excluding vendors selling illegal products to minors). This bill directly affects fair organizers, agricultural stakeholders, and the Department of Agriculture by restoring the Commission's oversight of Mississippi's State Fair operations.
Maddy summaryHB 1656, the STRONG Act, would provide tax benefits and health care support for Mississippi National Guard members and their families. It increases income tax exemptions for Guard and Reserve members, creates a $250 annual credit against motor vehicle taxes for service members and their spouses, and establishes a program to reimburse National Guard members for Tricare Reserve Select health insurance premiums. The Adjutant General would administer the program and report its progress to the legislature. The bill passed the legislature in February 2025 but died on calendar before becoming law.
Maddy summaryThis Mississippi state resolution (HC 32) honors James Henry Taylor, a soldier who died when Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 vanished during a secret 1962 Vietnam War mission. It specifically recognizes Taylor and the 93 Army soldiers and 11 crew members who perished, whose names are now inscribed on a granite monument in Maine unveiled by Wreaths Across America. The resolution, passed by the Mississippi legislature, formally acknowledges their sacrifice and legacy without altering any laws or policies. It directly affects Taylor’s family, including his daughter Merry Taylor-Mattix, who attended the monument dedication.
Maddy summaryHB 1804 would have provided $900,000 in state funding from the General Fund to the Tishomingo County Fair Board for constructing a roof over the livestock arena at the Iuka fairgrounds during fiscal year 2026. This procedural appropriation bill directly affected the Tishomingo County Fair Board by covering a specific construction cost. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and never became law. It did not create new policy but allocated existing state funds for a local infrastructure project.
Maddy summaryHB 1361 appropriates $100,000 from Mississippi's general fund to cover burial costs in state veterans cemeteries for individuals already eligible under Section 35-1-41(6) of Mississippi law, during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The funds will pay for interments of qualified veterans or their dependents at state-operated cemeteries, as defined by existing law. This is a funding measure with no new eligibility rules or policy changes - it simply allocates money for an established program.