Rep. Shane Aguirre

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 89) is a ceremonial commendation for the Tupelo High School Lady Wave Basketball Team and Head Coach Matt Justice. It formally recognizes their achievement of winning back-to-back Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 7A state championships during the 2024-2025 season. The resolution has no policy impact - it solely expresses the House of Representatives' praise for the team's athletic success and sportsmanship, with no new laws or funding created. It was passed unanimously and signed into law on March 18, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1427, the Mississippi Credit Availability Act, increases the maximum balance for credit availability accounts from $2,500 to $3,250 and requires annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U). This affects small lenders (licensees) and their customers who use short-term, fully amortized loans (4-12 months) with monthly payments. The bill mandates the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance to adjust the limit yearly by applying the prior year’s CPI-U to the previous maximum, rounding up to the nearest $10. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 993 allows mortgage lenders and brokers in Mississippi to permit loan originators to process mortgage applications remotely (e.g., from home or other off-site locations) under specific security and supervision rules. The bill requires licensees to implement digital safeguards - including secure system access via encrypted networks, regular security audits, and protocols to protect customer data - to ensure compliance with privacy laws like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. It directly affects mortgage brokers, lenders, and their originators by expanding where they can legally conduct business while mandating strict data security measures. The bill also updates definitions (like "remote location" and "branch") in Mississippi’s mortgage licensing law but does not change core licensing requirements beyond these remote-work provisions.

Maddy summaryMississippi's HB 1304 amends custody law to require courts to consider joint custody in *all* divorce cases, not just specific types. It mandates that if a court grants one parent "paramount physical custody," it must also establish a parenting schedule favoring equal time with both parents, subject to the child's best interests. The bill creates a presumption that joint custody (both physical and legal) is in the child's best interest and defines key terms like "joint physical custody" as significant time with each parent. This directly affects parents and courts in Mississippi divorce proceedings involving child custody.

Maddy summaryHB 1656, the STRONG Act, would provide tax benefits and health care support for Mississippi National Guard members and their families. It increases income tax exemptions for Guard and Reserve members, creates a $250 annual credit against motor vehicle taxes for service members and their spouses, and establishes a program to reimburse National Guard members for Tricare Reserve Select health insurance premiums. The Adjutant General would administer the program and report its progress to the legislature. The bill passed the legislature in February 2025 but died on calendar before becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 1824 appropriated $1 million from the state general fund to the City of Tupelo to help cover costs for acquiring land for a new cemetery, requiring the city to provide 100% matching funds. The bill would have covered fiscal year 2025-2026 (July 2025-June 2026) but died in committee on February 26, 2025, meaning it did not become law. It directly affected Tupelo's governing authorities by providing state financial assistance for cemetery land acquisition. This was a purely procedural funding measure with no substantive policy changes beyond the allocation.

Maddy summaryHB 1836 would have provided $500,000 in state funds to the City of Tupelo to help pay for acquiring land adjacent to its current Class II landfill (a permitted waste disposal site) to expand its capacity. The city was required to contribute 100% of the acquisition costs as a matching fund. This was a one-time fiscal year 2026 appropriation, intended to support the landfill expansion project. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1837 appropriates $750,000 from the state general fund to help the City of Tupelo replace its fire department's Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment, ensuring compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety standards. The funding is intended for the Tupelo Fire Department to cover costs associated with this equipment upgrade during the 2026 fiscal year (July 2025-June 2026). The bill’s key provision is the direct state financial assistance to address a specific safety equipment need. This bill was referred to the Appropriations committee but died there on February 26, 2025, and did not advance further.

Maddy summaryHB 1719 exempts admissions charged at athletic games or contests between universities or colleges from Mississippi's 7% sales tax. This change directly affects colleges, universities, and event organizers hosting intercollegiate sporting events, removing the standard tax on ticket sales for these games. The bill amends Mississippi's tax code (Section 27-65-22) to explicitly exclude such admissions from taxation, aligning with existing exemptions for similar events listed in the law. It does not create new taxes or funding mechanisms but clarifies that these specific admissions are not subject to the state sales tax.

Maddy summaryHB 1933 would have provided $220,000 in state funds from the General Fund to Lee County's Board of Supervisors for storm shelter construction at the Lee County Career and Technical Education Center and several community centers, covering costs for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This funding would directly assist Lee County residents using these facilities by improving safety during severe weather. The bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee but died there on February 26, 2025, meaning it did not become law.