Rep. Orlando Paden

Maddy summaryHB 1833 would appropriate $10 million from the state general fund to Coahoma Community College for constructing a new dormitory on its campus during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The bill directly affects Coahoma Community College students and the college’s facilities planning by providing funding for housing infrastructure. Key provisions include specifying the exact appropriation amount, requiring payment through state fiscal channels, and setting the effective date for July 1, 2025. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not advance further.

Maddy summaryHB 479 authorizes Mississippi to issue state bonds to provide funds for the Town of Duncan to extend, upgrade, and improve its walking trail. The bill directly affects the Town of Duncan, which would use the bond proceeds to cover construction and related costs for the trail project. The key mechanism is the state's issuance of general obligation bonds (backed by the state's full credit), with proceeds deposited into a special fund managed by the State Bond Commission for the trail work. The bill does not specify the trail's exact length or timeline but focuses on enabling funding through bond sales.

Maddy summaryHB 1939 authorizes Mississippi to issue state bonds to provide funds for the Town of Duncan's 2024 road rehabilitation project. The bill directs that bond proceeds be transferred to a special fund and used exclusively to cover the town's road repair costs. As state general obligation bonds, they are backed by Mississippi's full credit, with repayment funded through state treasury if needed. This is a funding mechanism, not a policy change, directly benefiting Duncan's infrastructure project.

Maddy summaryHB 1940 is a funding bill that would provide the Town of Duncan, Mississippi, with $1,230,275.75 from the state general fund to cover costs for its 2024 road rehabilitation project. The appropriation is specifically for the fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), with state funds to be paid through the State Treasurer upon proper requisitions. This bill directly affects the Town of Duncan’s local government budget by subsidizing road repair expenses. As a procedural funding measure, it does not establish new policies or regulations but allocates existing state resources. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and was not enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1920 appropriates $100 million (split equally as $50 million each) to Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College for campus facility repairs and improvements through June 2026. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic buildings, upgrading electrical/plumbing systems, modernizing academic spaces, improving student housing, enhancing safety systems, and implementing energy efficiency initiatives. Each college must submit a detailed plan with timelines and provide annual progress reports to the Legislature. The bill, referred to Appropriations committees in February 2025, died in committee and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1921 appropriates $300 million ($100 million to each) to Mississippi's three HBCUs - Alcorn State, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State - for repairing and upgrading campus buildings and infrastructure. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic structures, modernizing electrical/plumbing systems, improving student housing, creating new academic spaces, enhancing safety systems, and supporting energy efficiency. Each university must submit a detailed plan for approval and provide annual progress reports to the legislature on how the money is spent.

Maddy summaryHB 676 requires Mississippi's Department of Mental Health and Medicaid to apply to join a federal Medicaid demonstration program for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). It directs the state to implement this as a pilot in Community Mental Health Regions 6 and 9, with clinics in those regions eligible to apply for certification by July 1, 2026. The bill mandates that the Mental Health Department certifies clinics and monitors compliance, while Medicaid establishes a funding system to support the CCBHC model. This would expand access to comprehensive behavioral health services for Medicaid beneficiaries in those regions through a federally aligned program.

Maddy summaryHB 857 expands Mississippi's literacy program to support students in grades 4 through 8 by requiring evidence-based reading instruction and interventions. It mandates annual universal reading screenings for all students in these grades, professional development for teachers focused on the "science of reading" (including phonics and decoding), and prohibits the use of "three-cueing systems" for teaching word reading. The bill also creates a system to identify "Middle Literacy Support Schools" based on reading data and requires the state education department to develop a structured literacy course for grades 6-8. Schools must provide targeted interventions for struggling readers, and the department must submit annual implementation reports to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 477, the "Crown Act," prohibits discrimination based on natural or protective hairstyles (such as afros, braids, twists, and locs) in Mississippi workplaces and schools. It bans employers and school districts from enforcing dress codes or policies that restrict these hairstyles, or from terminating, reducing pay, or disciplining individuals for wearing them. The bill also prevents discrimination in hiring, promotions, or academic standing based on hair texture and allows affected employees or students to seek unpaid wages, damages, or legal remedies through civil action. This directly affects workers and students in Mississippi who wear natural or protective hairstyles, particularly impacting Black and ethnic minority communities.

Maddy summaryHB 339 requires all Mississippi public schools to maintain epinephrine auto-injectors in every educational building, central administrative office, and cafeteria, stored securely but accessibly. It mandates that school districts adopt policies for storing, administering, and disposing of these devices, with only trained school staff (under licensed medical supervision) permitted to use them during anaphylactic emergencies. The bill defines "anaphylaxis" and specifies that trained personnel must be at least 18 years old and certified via standardized protocols. The State Department of Health, with the State Superintendent, must develop guidelines for these policies. The law directly affects all public K-12 schools and their staff in Mississippi.