Rep. Sam Creekmore

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes Home of Grace in Vancleave, Mississippi, for 60 years of providing Christian-based recovery support to individuals struggling with addiction. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or impose requirements - it serves solely as a symbolic honor for the organization’s community service. The resolution highlights Home of Grace’s founding in 1965 by Reverend Bill Barton and its ongoing mission to offer refuge and renewal. It was unanimously adopted by the Mississippi House of Representatives in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1437 revises Mississippi's medical licensure laws to clarify procedures for obtaining, renewing, and disciplining medical licenses. It directly affects physicians, nurse anesthetists, and newly created anesthesiologist assistants by establishing their licensure requirements, supervision rules (e.g., assistants must work under an anesthesiologist), and disciplinary processes. Key provisions include creating a new licensure pathway for anesthesiologist assistants, exempting certified nurse anesthetists with 8,000+ clinical hours from needing physician collaboration, and requiring the Board to hold disciplinary hearings within 30 days if a physician's practice poses immediate danger. The bill also removes midwives from this chapter and updates definitions to exclude certain non-medical practices from licensure requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 568 would increase the maximum monthly benefit amounts for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients in Mississippi. Currently, the law sets specific maximums: $260 for the first family member, $36 for the second, and $24 for each additional member; this bill would raise these figures. It directly affects low-income families with children who qualify for TANF assistance by potentially increasing their monthly financial support. The bill amends Section 43-17-5 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 to reflect these higher benefit levels.

Maddy summaryHB 573 establishes the MissHEALTH Pilot Program to provide financial grants to Mississippi law enforcement agencies for transporting individuals in mental health or behavioral crises to hospitals or treatment facilities instead of using police custody. The program requires participating agencies to contribute a 25% funding match and mandates coordination with medical professionals to confirm hospital availability before transport, while also requiring telehealth evaluations when possible. It directs the Department of Mental Health, Finance and Administration, and Medicaid to jointly administer the pilot, which would have supported up to three agencies annually for one year. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not include funding authorization.

Maddy summaryHB 1379 is a procedural bill that brings forward Section 41-13-35 of the Mississippi Code (which details the powers of community hospital boards of trustees) to a more accessible location in the code for potential future amendment. It does not alter the existing powers or responsibilities outlined in the section, such as appointing administrators, establishing employee benefits, or managing hospital operations. This bill directly affects community hospital boards of trustees across Mississippi by reorganizing the code without changing current governance rules. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and contains no new policy provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1408 removes a specific prohibition preventing a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) in DeSoto County from participating in Mississippi's Medicaid program. The bill amends Section 41-7-191 of state law to delete the restriction that blocked Medicaid coverage for this facility, which was established under a hospital's Certificate of Need. This change directly affects the PRTF in DeSoto County by allowing it to seek Medicaid reimbursement for services. The key mechanism is the deletion of the outdated prohibition from the existing law, enabling the facility to enroll in Medicaid without needing separate approval for this specific barrier.

Maddy summaryHB 591 requires all Mississippi public school teachers, staff, and school resource officers to complete science-backed mental health first aid training approved by the state Department of Mental Health before the 2025-2026 school year. School boards must create policies for how often this training is repeated and issue certificates of completion that satisfy future district requirements. The bill directly affects over 100,000 school personnel statewide by mandating this training as part of their professional development. It does not alter existing school discipline policies but adds a new requirement for staff to recognize and respond to mental health crises.

Maddy summaryHB 1290 establishes the iREAD Pilot Program to improve early literacy in Mississippi elementary schools rated "D" or "F" for accountability. The program provides a technology platform for K-3 students in these schools, requiring vendors to offer features like real-time reading data, 12,000 Lexile-scoped books, voice recognition, and parent/teacher access. It mandates $750,000 annually for implementation starting in 2025-2026, with Jackson Public Schools as the initial site and priority for expansion to districts with high populations of at-risk 4-year-olds. The State Board of Education must develop policies for vendor selection and report on program outcomes to legislators by January 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 593 would create a Mississippi program repaying student loans for physicians working in rural healthcare settings. It offers annual payments increasing from $20,000 to $40,000 over five years for physicians employed at qualifying rural hospitals (including specific counties like Bolivar and Yazoo, or federally designated facilities like Critical Access Hospitals) and holding a Mississippi medical license. To qualify, physicians must have eligible educational debt, work full-time in designated rural areas, and not be in default on other loans. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 673 requires Mississippi public school districts to adopt and implement age-appropriate policies banning student cell phone use during all school hours (bell-to-bell), from the start of the first class until dismissal. The policy must prohibit suspensions or expulsions for violations, mandate storage options (like lockers or backpacks) for phones during school time, and include grade-specific rules - elementary students may not have phones in buildings, while middle schoolers must store them during class. It also bans social media access on school networks except for teacher-directed educational use and requires districts to post policies online. The bill aims to reduce distractions and improve classroom focus through these structured phone restrictions.