Rep. Larry Byrd

Maddy summaryHB 932 prevents election officials from opening ballot boxes or counting votes until all polling places in Mississippi have officially closed for the day. It requires poll managers to wait for notification from the county registrar confirming all polling places have closed before opening ballot boxes or announcing results. The bill mandates that all poll managers must simultaneously announce their precinct results only after receiving this county-wide notification. This change directly affects local election officials (poll managers) by standardizing the timing of vote counting and result announcements across all polling locations.

Maddy summaryHB 1161, the "Mississippi Autism Scholarship Program Act," proposes a state-funded scholarship program for Mississippi students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who meet specific criteria, including a DSM-5 diagnosis, age 3-21, Mississippi residency, and an active Individualized Education Program (IEP) for ASD. The bill would allow families to use scholarship funds to enroll eligible students in participating public or nonpublic schools offering specialized autism services, covering tuition, fees, and therapy costs. It also mandates autism screening for all public school students in kindergarten through grade 1, requires school diagnosticians to receive additional autism training, and directs the state education department to report annually on program outcomes. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1084 authorizes an additional funding round for Mississippi counties and municipalities to purchase fire trucks through the existing Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program. The bill adjusts the program's funding tiers: counties with no prior trucks may receive up to $1.1 million (covering 6 trucks at $50,000 each, 5 at $70,000, and 5 at $90,000), while those with more existing trucks receive scaled-down maximums. All funds must be used for new or used fire trucks meeting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, approved by a review committee. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 929 redirects 9% of Mississippi's sales tax revenue collected from business activities outside municipal boundaries to counties. This change modifies existing tax distribution rules to send these funds directly to county governments instead of municipalities. The bill specifically amends Section 27-65-75 of the Mississippi Code to implement this 9% allocation for non-municipal business sales. This policy affects all counties by providing them with additional local revenue streams from statewide sales tax collections.

Maddy summaryHB 1165, the "Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act," would have revised Mississippi's education law to include students diagnosed with dyslexia (who do not receive the state's dyslexia therapy scholarship) as eligible for the Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program. It updated the definition of "eligible student" to cover these students and expanded "eligible school" to include public schools or university programs offering intensive full-day dyslexia instruction. The bill aimed to remove a barrier for dyslexia-diagnosed students without the scholarship to access ESA funds for educational services. However, it died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1060 requires Mississippi public schools to notify parents or legal guardians in writing within three days if a student identifies at school with a gender, pronoun, or uses facilities that differs from their sex assigned at birth (as listed on their birth certificate or official records). It directly affects public school students in Mississippi, their parents/guardians, and school staff who would need to comply with the notification requirement. Key provisions include mandating written parental notification for gender/identity-related requests, prohibiting school discipline against staff who refuse to use preferred pronouns inconsistent with birth sex, and requiring parental written approval before using a student’s preferred pronoun. The bill, which died in committee on February 4, 2025, would have taken effect July 1, 2025, if enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 770 allows Mississippi counties and cities to issue emergency licenses to out-of-state contractors during declared emergencies. It directly affects contractors from other states who need temporary authorization to work on repairs or construction in emergency zones. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of a valid home-state license (not "grandfathered" licenses), a recent criminal background check, a bond ($15,000 for home builders, $5,000 for specialty contractors), and a $100 fee. These licenses are limited to one specific emergency event, capped at $100,000 per project for home builders and $35,000 for specialty contractors, and valid only within the declared emergency area and duration.

Maddy summaryHB 1115, which died in committee in February 2025, proposed requiring Mississippi public schools to implement mental health assessments and support for students in kindergarten through grade 12 showing signs of mental distress, incapacity, or disruptive behavior. The bill mandated schools to conduct screenings (with parental consent or student request), train staff to identify mental health needs, integrate social-emotional learning into curriculum (starting at grade 5), and develop policies for reintegration after alternative placements. It also required the State Board of Education and Mississippi Department of Mental Health to create guidelines for coordinated mental health services, including early intervention and community referrals. The bill directly affected all public school districts in Mississippi and students exhibiting behavioral or emotional challenges. It did not address disciplinary actions but focused on prevention and support systems through mental health frameworks.

Maddy summaryHB 1221 would have exempted pesticide manufacturers and sellers from civil liability claims related to labeling if the pesticide was registered and labeled under federal EPA rules (FIFRA) at the time of sale. It specifically protected companies from product liability lawsuits alleging failure to warn, as long as the labeling met EPA requirements. The bill applied only to pesticides approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under FIFRA, not to all pesticides sold in Mississippi. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution from the Mississippi State Legislature expresses support for strengthening economic and diplomatic ties between the state and Taiwan. It specifically advocates for expanding trade partnerships, establishing a Mississippi Trade and Investment Office in Taiwan, and encouraging Taiwan's participation in various international organizations. The document also marks several anniversaries related to the Taiwan Relations Act and the sister-state relationship between Mississippi and Taiwan.