Rep. Kevin Felsher

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 569) corrects a misstatement in its title - its focus is on University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, not Harrison County. It grants UMMC an academic exemption from the certificate of need approval process for certain hospital beds, services, or equipment within a defined Jackson area, provided they serve academic purposes. The bill also requires the State Department of Health to study exempting small hospitals from certificate of need requirements for dialysis units, geriatric psychiatric units, and mandates psychiatric units to treat a certain percentage of uninsured patients. These changes aimed to streamline healthcare access and reduce administrative barriers for specific facilities.

Maddy summaryThe context provided does not include the actual policy content or provisions of HB 924 (the CLEAR Act). While the bill's title references "Creating Logic for Efficiency and Accountability" and it was passed by the legislature before being vetoed on April 24, 2025, the bill text and summary sections are empty in the provided information. Without details on specific mechanisms, affected parties, or concrete policy changes, a substantive summary cannot be generated. This appears to be a procedural placeholder with no substantive legislative content documented in the given context.

Maddy summaryHB 811 revises Mississippi's candidate qualification process for state and federal offices. It requires candidates to submit a written statement and prescribed form with their fees by 6:00 p.m. on the qualifying deadline date, with executive committees forwarding these documents to the Secretary of State by that time. The bill establishes clear timelines for determining qualifications, including a 10-day appeal window if the Secretary of State disagrees with an executive committee's decision. It also prohibits candidates who voted outside their intended jurisdiction during required residency periods from appearing on ballots, except when redistricting changes their district. Additionally, it changes the presidential primary qualification deadline from January to November/December.

Maddy summaryHB 1062 authorizes licensed dental hygienists in Mississippi to provide dental hygiene services to patients under the general supervision of a dentist for up to 10 consecutive business days, subject to specific conditions. It prohibits hygienists from practicing independently or maintaining offices focused solely on hygiene services, limits dentists to supervising no more than three hygienists at once, and caps annual supervision at 24 days per hygienist. The bill also requires patient notifications, prohibits consecutive visits, and bans charging examination fees during supervised sessions. Additionally, it allows dental hygienists to provide services in nursing and correctional facilities under the same supervision rules, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 602 requires restaurants, retailers, and seafood suppliers in Mississippi to label all seafood products (including crawfish, saltwater finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks) with their country of origin, using "domestic" for U.S.-harvested/processed seafood and "imported" for foreign-origin products. Businesses must display labels prominently in the same font size as the product name, maintain origin records, and face civil penalties up to $10,000 for violations. The law also establishes a Mississippi Seafood Marketing Task Force to study local seafood production and marketing. It expands Mississippi’s existing crawfish labeling law to cover all seafood and was signed into law by the governor on April 17, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1203 prohibits camping on most public property in Mississippi, including sidewalks, streets, highways, and alleys, unless the area is specifically designated for camping by local authorities or state law. It defines "camping" to include setting up tents, sleeping bags, or other personal items and requires all camping to occur only in authorized locations. Local governments can remove camping materials after 24 hours' notice (or immediately for unsanitary or dangerous items) and must provide information about housing or health resources when removing individuals. Violations may result in penalties, but courts can consider mitigating factors like access to services when determining punishment.

Maddy summaryHB 809 clarifies Mississippi's school enrollment rules for children of military families. It allows children of active duty U.S. military members (including Guard/Reserve members on 180+ consecutive days of duty) and civilian military personnel living on bases to enroll in any public school district or campus, regardless of their family's residence. To qualify, parents must provide a Department of Defense ID and a "Statement of Service" from a commanding officer. The bill also specifies that families may transfer schools only once per academic year and do not need to reapply for continued enrollment after the initial transfer. This directly affects military-connected students and their families seeking school enrollment flexibility.

Maddy summaryHB 1200, the "Real Property Owners Protection Act," creates a legal framework for property owners to quickly remove unauthorized occupants (defined as "squatters") who remain on property without the owner's consent after being asked to leave. The bill requires owners or their agents to file a sworn affidavit with local law enforcement, triggering a 24-hour deadline for the alleged squatter to vacate or request a hearing. If contested, a hearing must occur within seven days to determine if the occupant is a squatter, using a "preponderance of evidence" standard. The law also clarifies that owners (or their designated agents) exclusively control property rights, rental income, and eviction processes, while imposing penalties for false complaints and specifying procedures for handling abandoned property.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (not a bill with policy changes) commending the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College men's golf team for winning the NJCAA national championship and achieving academic honors. It recognizes the team's athletic success, including 15 district tournament wins, and individual academic awards earned by players like Will Burnham and Andrew Zielinski. The resolution has no binding effect or funding; it simply expresses symbolic recognition through a formal statement by the Mississippi House of Representatives. Copies are directed to the college leadership and media.

Maddy summaryHB 674 creates a multistate agreement (compact) that Mississippi would join to simplify dental and dental hygiene licensing across participating states. The compact requires passing a single national exam and establishes a shared system for license information, so professionals don’t need to repeat exams or paperwork when moving between states. Military members and their spouses receive fee waivers and expedited licensing under the agreement. This directly affects dentists, dental hygienists, and military families seeking to practice in multiple states.