Rep. Carolyn Crawford

Maddy summaryHB 1248 would require Mississippi school districts to install video surveillance cameras with audio in specific areas of school facilities, including self-contained classrooms for exceptional children, hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, and exterior perimeters, to enhance safety for exceptional students. The bill restricts access to recorded footage to district superintendents, principals, and licensed school personnel, and mandates privacy protections for students not involved in incidents captured by the cameras. School districts could contract with external companies for monitoring services through a public bidding process but would no longer need to employ daily security personnel or require immediate law enforcement presence in schools with the cameras installed.

Maddy summaryHB 1246 requires Mississippi school attendance officers to complete annual, 12-hour training on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This training, approved by the state Department of Education, ensures officers understand the legal rights of children with disabilities and proper procedures for reporting potential disabilities to school districts. The bill directly affects school attendance officers statewide, mandating certification within their first year of employment to carry out duties. Failure to obtain certification would prevent officers from performing their roles or receiving pay during the certification period. The law was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee before passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1245 would allow qualified Native American residents of Mississippi to receive free resident hunting and fishing licenses upon presenting a federally recognized tribal identification card (containing photo, name, address, and date of birth) at the time of application. The bill specifically amends license fee provisions to exempt these individuals from standard fees while requiring the tribal ID as proof of eligibility. It affects Mississippi residents who are members of federally recognized tribes and directly impacts the state’s licensing system for hunting and fishing. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1244 would allow parents or guardians to exempt children from school or childcare vaccination requirements based on religious, philosophical, or conscientious beliefs. To claim this exemption, parents must submit a notarized affidavit to the school or facility detailing which vaccines are objected to, acknowledging vaccination risks/benefits, and confirming they understand outbreak protocols. The exemption would require annual renewal and could be revoked during disease outbreaks if a child remains unvaccinated. This bill directly affects students enrolled in Mississippi schools, colleges, and licensed childcare facilities, expanding exemption options beyond existing medical exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 1252 prohibits Mississippi health care licensing boards from disciplining or threatening to discipline licensed health care providers (such as doctors, nurses, or therapists) for exercising free speech, including social media posts, unless the board proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the speech directly caused physical harm to a patient with whom the provider had a current patient relationship. The bill requires boards to provide any complaint leading to potential license revocation to the provider within seven days of receipt. This law directly affects health care practitioners by protecting their speech rights while setting a high standard of proof for any disciplinary action related to speech.

Maddy summaryHB 1249 would allow Mississippi state employees to recover personal or medical leave they used to receive pay during federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave by repaying the amount they were paid. Employees would pay back the exact compensation received during that leave period, and their leave balance would be restored. The bill does not change FMLA leave rules but provides a specific process for restoring accrued leave time. If enacted, the policy would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1243 is a procedural bill that reorganizes Mississippi's code by moving specific sections related to mineral leasing on state-owned lands (including offshore areas) to new code sections. It preserves existing provisions that restrict offshore drilling near oyster reef leases (e.g., no drilling within one mile of such leases) and require royalty payments to the Education Trust Fund and a Gulf and Wildlife Protection Fund. The bill does not change current policy but updates the code structure for clarity and accessibility, affecting how the state manages mineral leases on coastal lands and waters.

Maddy summaryHB 1266 would require Mississippi to deny teaching or administrative licenses to applicants who have physically abused a student and revoke existing licenses for current license holders who have committed such abuse. It directly affects educators in Mississippi public schools who have a documented history of physically harming students. The key provision amends state law to make physical abuse of a student a specific, automatic reason for license denial or revocation. This policy change would apply to all teachers and administrators seeking or holding a license in the state.

Maddy summaryMississippi's HB 1412 prohibits intentionally releasing chemicals into the state's atmosphere with the purpose of altering weather, temperature, or sunlight intensity. The bill directly affects individuals, organizations, or entities considering weather modification activities within Mississippi's borders. It amends existing air pollution laws (specifically referencing Sections 49-17-5, 17-19, 17-25, and 17-36 of the Mississippi Code) to explicitly ban such atmospheric interventions. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1715 would have established a grant program in Mississippi to incentivize public and private/commercial buildings to install universal changing tables in restrooms. It would provide up to $5,000 per table for eligible entities (like schools, stores, or government facilities) through funding from the state legislature, administered by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. The program would prioritize installations meeting specific safety and accessibility standards, such as powered height-adjustable tables in single-occupancy restrooms with adequate space. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.