Rep. Percy Watson

Maddy summaryHB 1079 authorizes Mississippi's Department of Corrections to enter into contracts with Forrest County and Wayne County to house state inmates in their correctional facilities. This bill specifically adds these two counties to the list of local governments eligible to contract with the state for inmate housing, building on existing provisions that allow contracts with other counties. The law requires contracted facilities to meet American Correctional Association standards, constitutional requirements, and court orders, without changing existing capacity limits or facility standards. The bill was introduced to expand housing options for state inmates but died on the legislative calendar in March 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 6, 2025, as "Omega Psi Phi Day" in Mississippi to commend the fraternity's community service and legacy. It recognizes the organization's 100+ years of activism, including over 5,000 hours of community service and initiatives like scholarship programs and voter registration in Mississippi. The resolution is purely ceremonial, with no new laws or funding, and serves to honor the fraternity's historical contributions to Mississippi and national civil rights efforts. It was adopted by the Mississippi House of Representatives on March 5, 2025, and will be formally recognized at the state capitol.

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 summaryHB 688 appropriated $100,000 from the State General Fund to the City of Holly Springs for restoring the gravesite of Hiram Revels during fiscal year 2026. The bill directly affected the city government and the historical preservation of Revels' gravesite, who was Mississippi's first U.S. Senator and the first Black U.S. Senator. It specified that state funds would cover restoration costs through a state treasurer payment process upon city requisitions. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1106 would have provided Mississippi taxpayers who claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) with a state income tax credit equal to 10% of their federal credit amount. The credit would be refundable, meaning eligible taxpayers could receive a cash refund even if they owed no state income tax. To qualify, taxpayers would need to claim the federal EITC on their federal return and submit documentation to the Mississippi Department of Revenue. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1920 appropriates $100 million (split equally as $50 million each) to Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College for campus facility repairs and improvements through June 2026. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic buildings, upgrading electrical/plumbing systems, modernizing academic spaces, improving student housing, enhancing safety systems, and implementing energy efficiency initiatives. Each college must submit a detailed plan with timelines and provide annual progress reports to the Legislature. The bill, referred to Appropriations committees in February 2025, died in committee and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1921 appropriates $300 million ($100 million to each) to Mississippi's three HBCUs - Alcorn State, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State - for repairing and upgrading campus buildings and infrastructure. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic structures, modernizing electrical/plumbing systems, improving student housing, creating new academic spaces, enhancing safety systems, and supporting energy efficiency. Each university must submit a detailed plan for approval and provide annual progress reports to the legislature on how the money is spent.

Maddy summaryHB 1145 is a procedural bill that repositions an existing sales tax exemption section (Mississippi Code §27-65-111) within the state code for potential future amendment. It does not create new exemptions or alter any existing ones - only relocating the current list of exemptions (such as for hospitals, newspapers, medicines, and schools) to a different section of the law. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and never became law, so no policy changes occurred. This was purely an administrative reorganization of existing tax law.

Maddy summaryHB 1108 would require all auto insurance policies in Mississippi to include mandatory uninsured motorist coverage for both bodily injury/death and property damage. This means drivers would automatically have protection if injured or damaged by an uninsured driver, with minimum coverage limits set by state law. Policyholders could choose higher coverage limits but could not opt out of the basic requirement. The bill directly affects every driver purchasing auto insurance in Mississippi by standardizing this protection.

Maddy summaryHB 1107 requires all motor vehicle liability insurance policies sold in Mississippi to include at least $10,000 in medical payment coverage for injuries resulting from accidents. This directly affects drivers purchasing auto insurance in the state, as it mandates this coverage as a standard part of every policy. The bill amends Mississippi law to specify that medical payment coverage must be included in the policy terms, not offered as an optional add-on. It does not change existing liability limits but adds this specific medical coverage requirement, effective July 1, 2025, if enacted. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and is not currently law.