Maddy summaryHB 1355, the "Success Sequence and Character Education Act of 2025," requires Mississippi public schools to teach a specific curriculum focused on completing high school, working full-time, and marrying before having children ("success sequence"), alongside 15 character traits like respect, responsibility, family care, kindness, and patriotism. It mandates the State Department of Education to develop a K-12 curriculum by January 2026, with school districts required to adopt or create compliant programs by the 2027-2028 school year. The bill allows after-school programs by third parties to teach the "success sequence" and character traits, with parental consent required for student participation, while prohibiting religious or political indoctrination in core classroom instruction. This bill directly affects all public school students and educators in Mississippi through mandated curriculum changes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryMississippi HB 1407, the "Mississippi On-Farm Sales and Food Freedom Act," allows farmers to grow, raise, and sell unprocessed agricultural products (like raw milk, eggs, vegetables, or meat) directly to consumers on their property or at farmers' markets without local government permits or regulations. It prohibits counties and municipalities from restricting these direct sales, regulating farm production practices (e.g., crop management), or requiring permits for non-commercial home gardening or small-scale animal raising (e.g., chickens or goats). The bill mandates a clear "Buyer Beware" label on all unprocessed products to inform consumers about inherent risks, while explicitly stating it does not override local zoning laws or nuisance regulations. It affects Mississippi farmers selling directly to consumers and consumers purchasing raw agricultural products.
Maddy summaryHB 1356 requires election commissioners, working with county registrars, to manually recount ballots in precincts previously audited by Mississippi's Secretary of State. If a discrepancy of more than 1% is found between the manual count and voting machine results, officials must conduct a full hand count of all ballots in those precincts. The bill mandates that registrars report detailed tabulation results - including voter totals, ballot counts, and electronic vs. paper ballot numbers - to the Secretary of State. These reports must be published on the Secretary of State's website. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 1057 would have allowed certified nurse midwives (CNMs) in Mississippi to practice without needing a written agreement with a physician. It directly affects CNMs who previously required such a collaborative agreement under state nursing law. The bill amended Sections 73-15-5 and 73-15-20 of the Mississippi Code to remove the mandatory physician agreement requirement specifically for CNMs, while keeping other advanced practice nursing rules intact. This change would have enabled CNMs to independently provide care within their scope without formal written protocols from physicians.
Maddy summaryHB 1036 would require the Governor to approve any orders issued by Mississippi's State Health Officer related to disease control measures before they are made public. The bill specifically targets orders for sanitary and quarantine actions aimed at suppressing diseases and preventing their spread. This change would add a procedural step where the Governor must review and approve such orders prior to public release. The bill did not advance beyond the committee stage in the 2025 legislative session.
Maddy summaryHB 1056, the "Defend the Guard Act," would require the U.S. Congress to formally declare war or take specific action under the Constitution before Mississippi National Guard members can be deployed to active combat. The bill directly affects Mississippi's National Guard by blocking their release from state control for combat missions unless Congress has declared war or explicitly authorized deployment under Article I, Section 8 (e.g., to execute federal law, suppress insurrection, or repel invasion). It mandates the governor to take all necessary actions to comply with this requirement. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Maddy summaryHB 1055 creates a felony offense for out-of-state individuals or entities that supply abortion medication (abortifacient) to Mississippi residents, defining "foreign sender" as anyone mailing, shipping, or placing such medication in commerce knowing it will be used in Mississippi. It imposes penalties of up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison for violations, while allowing pregnant women to sue foreign senders for $10,000 per violation. Key provisions include criminal penalties for out-of-state suppliers and civil remedies for affected individuals, with defenses for licensed physicians providing legitimate medical care and pharmacies filling valid prescriptions. The bill does not criminalize local medical practices or affect pregnant women’s criminal liability.
Maddy summaryHB 1369 modifies Mississippi eviction procedures to set strict timelines and protect tenants' rights. It requires eviction notices to be posted on the property door and mailed within 72 hours of filing, mandates court hearings within 14 days, and removes judges' authority to extend the tenant's move-out period beyond seven days after a judgment. Tenants who pay all owed rent by the court-ordered date may stay, and landlords must allow 72 consecutive hours after eviction for tenants to remove belongings. The bill directly affects landlords and tenants in rental disputes across Mississippi.
Maddy summaryHB 1035 would allow Mississippi vehicle owners to reuse their current license plates when purchasing a new vehicle (if they traded in a vehicle at a dealership) or when selling a vehicle privately and registering a new one for the first time. To qualify, the plate must match the required series for the new vehicle, be authorized for that vehicle type, and have been issued by the same county where the new vehicle is registered. This change would eliminate the need to purchase a new plate in these specific situations, potentially saving owners money. The bill does not alter registration fees, taxes, or other existing vehicle registration requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 1039 would require food products containing mRNA vaccines or vaccine material to carry conspicuous labeling, though mRNA vaccines are not ingredients in food and cannot be present in food products. The bill defines "mRNA vaccine" as a substance administered for immunity, not an additive, making the requirement biologically impossible. It also allows "mRNA free" labeling for meat from animals not given such vaccines. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not reflect any current regulatory practice regarding food safety or vaccines.