Rep. Larry Byrd

Maddy summaryHB 948 expands Mississippi's Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship program to include students with dyslexia in kindergarten through 12th grade, previously covering only older students. The bill revises eligibility criteria to ensure children as young as kindergarten can access the scholarship for research-based dyslexia therapy. This therapy must be delivered by Mississippi Department of Education licensed therapists using structured, multisensory methods like Orton-Gillingham. The policy directly affects K-12 students diagnosed with dyslexia in Mississippi public schools seeking specialized reading intervention.

Maddy summaryHB 949 requires that no ballot boxes be opened or votes counted until all polling places have closed, which occurs at 7:00 p.m. or after the last voter in line casts their ballot. Poll managers must wait for the registrar to confirm all polling places have closed and votes are fully tallied before opening ballot boxes or announcing results. Once notified, poll managers must simultaneously share their precinct's vote totals to prevent partial results from being released early. This bill standardizes the timing for vote counting and result announcements across Mississippi elections.

Maddy summaryHB 951 establishes the Mississippi Autism Scholarship Program to provide financial assistance for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to access specialized educational environments and services. It directly affects Mississippi students aged 3-21 diagnosed with ASD (per DSM-5 criteria), enrolled in public schools, and maintaining an active IEP documenting ASD as their primary eligibility. Key provisions include mandatory autism screenings for school-age children (spring kindergarten through fall grade 1), requiring additional training for school diagnosticians, and authorizing the state to pay federal/state aid directly to participating schools. The program also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on student performance, funding, and program effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHB 955 redirects a portion of Mississippi's sales tax revenue collected from business activities *outside* incorporated municipalities to the county where the activity occurs, rather than to the municipality. This change affects counties, particularly those with rural areas or unincorporated business zones, as it shifts funds from municipal allocation to county treasury. The bill amends existing tax distribution rules (Section 27-65-75) to specify that revenue from such non-municipal business activity must be paid to the county for use in road, bridge, and street projects. It does not alter the percentage of tax collected or other existing distribution formulas for municipal or campus-based revenues.

Maddy summaryMississippi HB 952 modifies the state's Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program to allow students with a formal dyslexia diagnosis to qualify for the program, expanding eligibility beyond those with recent Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Specifically, Section 37-181-3(b) now states that a "diagnosis of dyslexia" (as defined by the Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship Program) is a qualifying criterion for eligibility. This directly affects students with dyslexia who lack an active IEP but have received a clinical diagnosis. The bill does not change how ESA funds are used - parents can still cover tuition, tutors, or materials at eligible schools - but broadens who can access these funds. The change aligns with existing requirements for the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship Program.

Maddy summaryHB 1083 prohibits intentionally releasing chemicals into Mississippi's atmosphere to alter weather, temperature, or sunlight intensity. It directly affects public infrastructure operators (like airports) and any individuals or entities conducting such "geoengineering" activities. Key provisions require public infrastructure operators to report aircraft equipped for atmospheric modification starting in 2026, impose felony penalties (up to $100,000 fines or 5 years in prison), and establish a reporting system for violations. The bill also references existing air pollution laws to clarify enforcement but does not create new environmental standards.

Maddy summaryThis Mississippi bill (HB 1375) would require medical verification from birth to change the sex designation on a birth certificate. It prohibits corrections unless proven to be an error via birth medical records or a physician's confirmation that the sex recorded at birth was incorrect. The law directly affects residents seeking to update their birth certificate sex marker. It would take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee before becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 1526 prevents fire departments from mandating retirement of fire trucks solely based on age if the trucks meet specific safety and maintenance standards. To qualify, apparatus must pass required safety inspections and testing (per NFPA standards), be maintained per manufacturer specifications with documented records, and have no known defects affecting safety or performance. The Mississippi State Rating Bureau must base replacement recommendations on objective test results, not age, and departments may voluntarily replace equipment earlier without penalty. The bill, which died in committee in February 2026, aims to extend the operational life of safe fire apparatus and reduce unnecessary costs for local governments.

Maddy summaryHB 1735 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to study how common dyslexia is among inmates in its facilities. The study will screen inmates using approved tools, collect anonymized demographic and educational data, and analyze links between dyslexia, education levels, disciplinary records, and reoffending rates. Strict privacy rules (complying with HIPAA and FERPA) will protect inmate data, and participants can opt out without penalty. The MDOC must submit a report to the legislature by December 2026, including prevalence rates, demographic trends, and recommendations for addressing dyslexia-related needs.

Maddy summaryHB 1691 removes a requirement that counties charge municipalities a fixed rate for housing municipal prisoners in county jails, which previously tied payments to the state rate for housing state inmates. Instead, it allows counties and municipalities to directly negotiate the costs for housing and caring for municipal prisoners held in county facilities. This change affects counties operating jails and municipalities that send prisoners to those jails. The bill does not alter the $15 per day per prisoner cap for feeding costs mentioned in the existing law but shifts payment negotiations from a mandated formula to flexible agreements between the two parties. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.