Rep. Rickey Thompson

Maddy summaryHB 469 increases the number of judges in Mississippi's First Circuit Court District from four to five, effective July 1, 2026. The bill adjusts residency requirements: Place One must be a resident of Alcorn, Prentiss, or Tishomingo County; Places Two and Three require residency in any county within the district; and Places Four and Five must be residents of Itawamba, Monroe, or Pontotoc County. This change directly affects the 7-county First Circuit Court District (Alcorn, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Tishomingo), altering how judges are elected and assigned geographically. The bill modifies existing law without changing court procedures or jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 516 would have changed Mississippi law to extend registration renewal periods for charitable organizations and related professionals from annually to every 3-5 years, as determined by the Secretary of State. It directly affects charitable organizations soliciting donations, professional fund-raisers, and professional solicitors who must register with the state. Key provisions include maintaining the same $50 annual renewal fee for organizations and $250 fee for fund-raisers while shifting the renewal cycle from yearly to a 3-5 year interval, with required periodic reports. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 474 establishes a three-year pilot program for students in Lee and Monroe counties to learn about environmental stewardship, including soil, water, plants, animals, air, and land ownership. The program, administered jointly by the county boards of supervisors, will teach students the importance of maintaining a healthy environment and the economic value of property ownership. It requires annual reports to the legislature detailing participation, costs, effectiveness, and recommendations for expansion, with implementation beginning July 1, 2026, subject to available funding. The bill does not create permanent funding but sets a framework for evaluating the program's potential statewide adoption.

Maddy summaryHB 467 amends Mississippi law to include school resource officers (SROs) in the legal definition of "law enforcement officer" for death benefits eligibility. This change directly affects SROs employed by schools or school districts, allowing them to qualify for the same $100,000 death benefit paid to other law enforcement officers who die while on duty from a covered cause (excluding suicide or self-inflicted injury). The bill modifies existing definitions in Sections 45-2-1 and 45-2-21 of the Mississippi Code to ensure SROs are covered under the "Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Death Benefits Trust Fund." This is a policy adjustment to align SROs with other law enforcement personnel for benefit purposes, without creating new funding or altering benefit amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 540 revises Mississippi law to increase penalties for drivers who injure children exiting school buses. It amends Section 63-3-615 (school bus stop requirements) and Section 97-3-7 (assault penalties), designating the new provisions as the "Amiya Braxton Amendment." The bill makes it a felony (aggravated assault) when a driver violates the school bus stop law and causes injury to a child boarding or exiting a bus, raising penalties to 5-20 years in prison versus previous misdemeanor penalties. This directly affects drivers who fail to stop for school buses and cause injury to children during boarding or exiting.

Maddy summaryHB 461, "Jennifer's Law," prohibits Mississippi state and local agencies employing peace officers or parking enforcement staff from setting traffic ticket or arrest quotas. It bans using the number of citations issued as the sole factor for promotions, pay, or other benefits, requiring agencies to evaluate officers based on broader criteria like attendance, community complaints, and professional judgment instead. The law directly affects all peace officers and parking enforcement employees in Mississippi and the agencies that employ them. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and defines key terms like "arrest quota" and "citation" to clarify the prohibition.

Maddy summaryHB 676 requires every vehicle owner in Mississippi to provide proof of minimum liability insurance coverage when registering or renewing a vehicle registration. It establishes an online verification system managed by the Department of Public Safety (replacing the Department of Revenue) to check insurance status instantly during registration. The system overrides physical insurance cards, denies registration for non-compliant vehicles, and mandates insurers to submit policy data every 30 days. This directly affects all vehicle owners and insurers operating in Mississippi, with the system required to be fully operational by 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 742 allows farm and agricultural operations with valid harvest permits to pay their annual highway privilege tax in person at their county tax collector instead of electronically. County tax collectors must accept the payment, provide written proof, and forward funds to the Mississippi Department of Revenue within 30 days, while retaining up to 1% of the tax for administrative costs. This change directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses transporting goods under harvest permits. The bill streamlines payment options for these operations without altering tax rates or eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 841 establishes the Mississippi Workforce Innovation Performance Loan Fund to provide zero-interest loans to eligible training providers like community colleges, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships. Loans range from $250,000 to $1 million per project and are partially or fully forgiven based on trainee job placement rates: 80%+ placement results in 100% forgiveness, 70-80% results in partial forgiveness, and below 70% requires repayment. The Mississippi Development Authority administers the program, requiring providers to verify outcomes through wage records or employer confirmation and submit performance reports. Unforgiven loan amounts are repaid into the fund for future use, with all funds maintained separately in the state treasury.

Maddy summaryHB 918 revises how payments from nuclear power plants (like Mississippi's Grand Gulf plant) replace local property taxes. It requires utilities to pay 2% of the plant's assessed value annually (minimum $20 million per year until 2026), with excess payments beyond $16 million distributed as $3.04 million yearly to counties where the plants are located. The bill updates the formula for allocating these payments, ensuring counties receive a fixed annual amount from the excess funds. This directly affects nuclear plant operators and the counties hosting these facilities, changing how tax-equivalent payments are distributed. The policy change applies to qualifying plants licensed to operate through 2026.