Rep. Steve Massengill

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that formally commends Harold D. Miller III on his retirement after over 50 years of service to the trucking industry. The resolution recognizes his career achievements, including his leadership roles at Miller Transporters and the Mississippi Trucking Association, as well as his receipt of industry awards. It expresses gratitude for his contributions to the state and the sector, and directs that copies of the resolution be sent to Mr. Miller and the Capitol Press Corps. The measure does not create new laws or policies but serves as an official acknowledgment of his distinguished career.

Maddy summaryHB 715 removes the requirement that food sold to charitable organizations must be nonperishable to qualify for Mississippi's sales tax exemption. This change directly affects food banks, shelters, and other nonprofits that distribute food, allowing them to receive tax exemptions on both perishable and nonperishable food items. The bill amends Mississippi Code § 27-65-111 to expand the existing exemption for food sales to these organizations. This policy change simplifies access to the exemption, ensuring all food types used for charitable purposes qualify.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 designates a one-mile segment of Mississippi Highway 537 in Yazoo County as the "Colonel Donnell Berry Memorial Highway" to honor Colonel Donnell Berry. The Mississippi Department of Transportation will install and maintain signage along this highway segment. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026. This is a commemorative designation with no policy or funding changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1442 allows Mississippi airport authorities, municipalities, and other government entities that own or operate airports to contract with private companies for financing, building, operating, or maintaining airport facilities - similar to how toll roads or bridges are handled under existing law. This bill exempts these airport contracts from standard state procurement bidding rules (Section 31-7-13), which typically require competitive bidding for purchases over $75,000. The law specifically amends Section 31-7-13 to clarify this exemption and states that these contracting powers supplement, rather than replace, existing airport authority powers under Section 61-3-15. The bill directly affects local governments and airport operators seeking to use private partnerships for airport projects.

Maddy summaryHB 1112 exempts the Office of State Aid Road Construction (OSARC) from Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB) approval for personal service contracts. It also increases the number of passenger vehicles OSARC may own and operate from seven to thirteen. The bill requires counties that fail to spend allocated funds for bridge repairs over two consecutive fiscal years to forfeit unspent balances, with those funds reallocated to counties having ready-to-proceed bridge projects lacking funding. These changes streamline OSARC operations and aim to improve efficiency in using state bridge repair funds.

Maddy summaryHB 1660 exempts specific safety-related records from public disclosure under Mississippi's Public Records Act. It applies to reports, surveys, schedules, and data collected by state transportation agencies to identify, evaluate, or plan improvements for hazardous roadways, accident sites, or railway crossings - particularly for projects using federal highway funds. This prevents public access to these materials, which were previously subject to disclosure requests. The exemption covers data gathered for safety enhancement purposes under federal law or federal-aid highway projects.

Maddy summaryHB 341 allocates $20 million from Mississippi's State General Fund to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for purchasing new and replacement motor vehicles. The funding specifically covers vehicles needed for DPS employees to perform their official duties during fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). This is a straightforward budget appropriation with no new policy changes, solely providing financial resources for vehicle replacements. The bill directly affects DPS operations by enabling the agency to maintain its fleet of service vehicles.

Maddy summaryHB 325 redirects all revenue from Mississippi's lottery and certain gaming fees to specific state funds. Lottery proceeds must go to the State Highway Fund for road repairs or, if exceeding $80 million in a fiscal year, to the Education Enhancement Fund for early childhood and classroom programs. Gaming fees from sports betting wagers are now required to go exclusively to the Highway Fund for road maintenance, removing previous flexibility. The bill modifies existing laws to ensure these funds are allocated as specified, with highway funds first used for federal matching programs. This directly affects how the state manages revenue from gambling activities.

Maddy summaryHB 927 restructures the employment and governance of Mississippi's School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS). It transitions administrative and instructional staff to direct contracts with MSMS (replacing state employment), requires written contracts for these roles, and allows noninstructional staff to be hired or fired without cause by the Executive Director. The bill also exempts MSMS equipment purchases from public procurement rules, creates an 11-member advisory council to advise the State Board of Education on school planning, and expands 10th-grade enrollment options at MSMS when space is available. These changes take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 324 would have designated June 12 as "Women's Veterans' Day" as a legal holiday in Mississippi, adding it to the state's official list of holidays under Section 3-3-7 of the Mississippi Code. This change would have required state government offices and institutions observing legal holidays to close on June 12 each year, directly affecting state employees and public services. The bill's key mechanism was amending the state code to include this date alongside existing holidays like Independence Day and Veterans' Day. The legislation aimed to formally recognize women's military service history, including the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act.