Rep. Jansen Owen

Maddy summaryHB 1520 would amend Mississippi law to allow elected or appointed members of the Mississippi House of Representatives or Senate to legally perform weddings, expanding the list of authorized marriage officiants beyond current options like ministers, judges, and mayors. The bill specifically adds legislators to Section 93-1-17 of the Mississippi Code, enabling them to solemnize marriages statewide for any couple presenting a valid marriage license. This change would directly affect Mississippi residents seeking wedding officiants who might prefer or require a legislator to perform the ceremony. The bill was introduced but died in committee in February 2025 and never took effect.

Maddy summaryHB 1514 prohibits state agencies, local governing authorities, and community/junior colleges from using public funds to hire outside lobbyists for legislative advocacy. It makes any such contract void and unenforceable, and public employees who authorize these payments could face termination. The bill also updates definitions related to lobbying (like "anything of value") and removes lobbying contracts from procurement oversight requirements. Importantly, it allows public employees whose job duties include lobbying (e.g., agency staff) to continue this work under existing reporting rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1336 creates a new "capital rape" offense for individuals convicted of raping a child under 12 years old who suffers damage to their sexual organs. This bill amends Mississippi's statutory rape law to elevate penalties for this specific scenario from life imprisonment to either the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole. The law directly affects offenders convicted under this new provision, requiring courts to impose the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction. The bill does not change other rape penalties or victim age thresholds but specifically targets cases involving severe physical harm to children under 12.

Maddy summaryHB 1309 changes Mississippi's absentee ballot processing rules. It requires election officials to begin processing absentee ballots on the Monday before an election but mandates that all absentee ballot results be announced simultaneously with other election day votes. The bill also requires all ballots to be counted and tallied by election night, and prohibits sealing ballot boxes until every vote in the precinct has been counted and reported. These changes directly affect election officials managing absentee ballots and ensure all votes are tabulated and announced together on election night.

Maddy summaryHB 1141 makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly file a false damage claim about pesticide or chemigation issues with Mississippi law enforcement or the Department of Agriculture. It directly affects individuals or entities reporting such claims. The bill’s key provision (Section 1) imposes penalties for intentionally submitting false reports, while referencing existing pesticide law sections (69-23-5 and 69-23-29) for potential amendment. The bill does not change pesticide safety rules but targets dishonest reporting related to pesticide damage. (Note: The bill died in committee and did not become law.)

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Mississippi law enforcement must notify property owners when seizing items worth under $10,000 related to drug violations under the Uniform Controlled Substances Law. Instead of publishing notices in local newspapers for three weeks, agencies can now post notices online for 30 consecutive days on a state-run forfeiture site managed by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Property owners have 30 days from notice to file a written contest with the seizing agency; if they don’t, the property is forfeited to the agency. The law applies only to seizures where a proper warrant was obtained and affects individuals whose property is seized under these value thresholds.

Maddy summaryHB 1310 prohibits intentionally and willfully making false claims about crop damage allegedly caused by pesticides, fertilizers, or other agricultural agents applied through methods like aerial spraying or irrigation systems. It targets individuals or entities who repeatedly file such false reports to law enforcement or the Mississippi Department of Agriculture, making it a misdemeanor only after a third violation. Penalties include up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, plus additional costs for legal fees and investigations. The law excludes inconclusive damage findings from the state's Bureau of Plant Industry from counting toward the third violation threshold.

Maddy summaryHB 1119 (the "Representative Andy Stepp Pharmacy Benefit Prompt Pay Act") requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacies at least the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) for drugs plus a standard dispensing fee, ensuring pharmacies are paid fairly for medications. It prohibits PBMs from charging patients more than the amount retained by the pharmacy and bans PBMs from penalizing patients for choosing specific pharmacies or favoring certain pharmacies in networks. The bill also mandates clear appeal processes for pharmacies disputing low reimbursements and prohibits PBMs from retaliating against pharmacies for exercising rights under the law. These provisions directly affect PBMs, pharmacies, and patients in Mississippi by setting fair reimbursement standards and protecting patient choice.

Maddy summaryHB 995, the "First Responder Halo Act of 2025," creates a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and emergency management personnel) while they perform lawful duties. It prohibits individuals from approaching or remaining within 25 feet after receiving a verbal warning, if the intent is to impede, threaten, or harass them. Violations are classified as a misdemeanor punishable under existing law. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and has not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1335 removes a requirement that courts appoint both an attorney and a guardian ad litem for unrepresented children in involuntary termination of parental rights cases. Under the bill, courts would have discretion to appoint just one representative (either an attorney or a guardian ad litem) instead of both. This change directly affects children in these proceedings who lack legal representation, streamlining their court representation. The bill does not alter the requirement for the child to have a representative or change other procedural timelines in termination cases.