Rep. John Read

Maddy summaryHB 1927 appropriates $36.4 million from the State General Fund and $491,802 from the Prosecutor Compensation Fund to cover salaries, travel, and office expenses for Mississippi district attorneys, assistant district attorneys, and criminal investigators for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The bill specifically allocates $1.682 million for office expenses and $371,679 for two assistant district attorneys and one criminal investigator under prior legislation. It prohibits using funds for taxable meals incurred within a district and requires district attorneys to maintain detailed financial records matching 2026 standards. This is a funding measure for existing state prosecutorial offices, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 1909 appropriates over $1.68 billion in total funding to Mississippi's Department of Human Services for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027), including $94.3 million from general funds and $1.588 billion from special funds. It specifically limits $117.3 million of this total for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits), requiring strict adherence to the state's Variable Compensation Plan and prohibiting funds from being used for non-essential purposes. The bill mandates that the department cannot exceed the allocated personal services budget, must use "Vacancy Funding" solely to fill authorized unfilled positions (not for raises or promotions), and must secure written approval for any fund escalations. This funding measure directly supports the department’s operations but does not create new policies or services.

Maddy summaryHB 1906 appropriates $321,341,757 total for Mississippi's Department of Child Protection Services (DCPS) for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It allocates $143,462,074 from general funds and $177,879,683 from special source funds to cover the department’s operating expenses, primarily for personnel costs. The bill specifies that $125,185,108 of these funds must be used exclusively for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits), including authorized headcounts of 1,431 permanent and 393 time-limited positions. It also authorizes six new attorney positions and includes strict rules to prevent overspending on personnel, requiring departmental compliance with salary caps and headcount limits.

Maddy summaryHB 1934 appropriates $1,686,731 from the State General Fund and $2,699,838 from special funds to cover the Mississippi Arts Commission's expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill specifies that $1,168,500 of these funds must be used exclusively for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and benefits) for 13 authorized positions (11 permanent, 2 time-limited), with strict limits on exceeding the appropriation or using funds for promotions. It requires compliance with Mississippi's Variable Compensation Plan and mandates that the Commission maintain detailed accounting records for all expenditures. This is a routine funding bill, not a policy change, directly affecting the Arts Commission's budget operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1921 is a funding bill that allocates $33.78 million from the State General Fund and $226.79 million from special funds to cover the Department of Rehabilitation Services' expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It specifies that $3.68 million from the Health Care Expendable Fund must fully match federal funds and support the Independent Living Program. The bill restricts how personal services funds (covering salaries, wages, and fringe benefits) can be used, requiring compliance with Mississippi’s Variable Compensation Plan and preventing overspending on personnel costs. This is a routine appropriations measure with no new policy provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1889 provides $13.3 million from general funds and $30.8 million from special funds to cover the Department of Archives and History's operating expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill allocates funds specifically for personnel costs, including salaries and benefits for up to 161 permanent and 10 time-limited employee positions. It includes strict rules requiring the department to stay within the allocated budget for "Personal Services" and prohibiting the use of these funds for promotions or salary increases beyond approved headcounts. This is a routine funding measure for an existing state agency's operations, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 1930 appropriates $4,678,350 from the State General Fund to cover the Office of State Public Defender's expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill funds the office’s general operations, authorizes 25 full-time positions, and allocates specific amounts for three key programs: three assistant public defenders ($446,521), indigent parental representation ($422,500), and a youth defender specialist ($235,926). It requires the office to track performance metrics (like case processing timelines) and maintain detailed financial records, while also reapplying $30,000 for Hinds County and $200,000 for a rural legal pilot program from prior capital funds. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, directly supporting the public defender office’s services for indigent defendants.

Maddy summaryHB 1912 appropriates over $6.7 billion in state funds for Mississippi's Medicaid program for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It allocates specific sums to cover medical assistance under Mississippi Medicaid Law, administrative costs, and the CHIP program, with $61 million reserved for personal services like employee salaries and "vacancy funding" for authorized positions (840 permanent, 82 time-limited). The bill restricts shifts between funding categories, requires compliance with Mississippi's Variable Compensation Plan for salaries, and mandates that personal services spending not exceed the FY2027 appropriation without legislative approval. This funding directly supports the Division of Medicaid in delivering healthcare services to eligible Mississippi residents.

Maddy summaryHB 1899 appropriates $31,629,107 from special funds to cover the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District's operational expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill specifically allocates funds for 99 permanent staff positions, dredging operations at Ross Barnett Reservoir ($1,427,719), construction of a new office building ($4 million), campground infrastructure renovations ($4.233 million), and repairs at Northshore Parkway ($4 million). It requires the district to maintain detailed financial records comparable to 2026 and mandates waivers of certain fees for events like the ESPN Bass Masters Classic if won by local entities. The funding must be spent in compliance with existing Mississippi Code, with no use of general funds to replace withdrawn special funds.

Maddy summaryHB 1901 allocates $2,476,315 in general state funds and $80,000 from the Project Atlas Fund to cover the Public Utilities Staff agency’s expenses for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). The funds are strictly restricted to "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits) for 23 authorized staff positions, with no spending allowed for promotions or salary increases without new funding approval. The bill requires strict adherence to budget limits, prohibiting annualized spending that exceeds allocated funds and mandating that any new headcount or salary changes must be approved with additional resources. This funding supports the agency’s ongoing operations and the specific "Atlas Project" initiative, with all spending subject to oversight by the State Personnel Board.