Rep. Tracy Arnold

Maddy summaryHB 44 appropriates $11.16 million from general funds and $4.86 million from special funds to support the Mississippi Library Commission for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). It specifically restricts $3.48 million of these funds for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and fringe benefits), prohibiting transfers to other categories and requiring compliance with state salary caps. The bill also mandates at least $1.35 million be spent on the Magnolia Database and requires detailed accounting for all funds, including quarterly payments to public libraries under the Personnel Incentive Grants Program. This directly affects the Library Commission’s operations, staff compensation, and public library funding.

Maddy summaryHB 41 appropriates $1.6 million from general funds and $6.49 million from special funds (including $1.49 million from the Education Enhancement Fund) to cover the Mississippi Arts Commission's expenses for fiscal year 2026. The bill specifically allocates $1.49 million to fund arts education programs in public schools, including teacher training, grants, and the "Whole Schools Initiative." It strictly limits $1.098 million of the total funds to "Personal Services" (salaries, benefits, and vacancy funding for staff), prohibiting use for promotions or salary increases beyond approved headcounts. The Commission must maintain detailed financial records and ensure funds are spent only as specified, directly affecting its staff and public school arts programs.

Maddy summaryHB 43 appropriates $4,713,545 from general funds and $9,921,012 from special funds (including $2,118,966 from the Education Enhancement Fund) to cover the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television's (MAET) expenses for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The bill specifically restricts $6,550,368 of these funds for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, benefits, and vacancy funding), limiting MAET to 87 total authorized positions (80 permanent, 7 time-limited) and prohibiting use for public relations or replacing federal funds. It requires MAET to maintain detailed financial records matching its 2025 reporting standards and mandates that any 2027 budget request follow the same format. This is a routine budget appropriation bill, now law after passing the legislature and being signed by the governor on June 2, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1193 prohibits Mississippi public K-12 schools and public postsecondary institutions from maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, requiring diversity statements from staff or students, or teaching "divisive concepts" related to race, sex, color, or national origin. The law bans programs favoring individuals based on protected characteristics and mandates annual reports to school boards and the legislature on incidents related to prohibited practices. It directly affects all public schools, colleges, and universities under Mississippi’s State Board of Education, Community College Board, and higher education governing bodies. Signed into law by the governor in April 2025, the bill requires institutions to base decisions solely on merit and qualifications.

Maddy summaryHB 1877 restores voting rights to Michael Gray of Prentiss County, Mississippi, who lost his right to vote following a 2005 burglary conviction and subsequent probation violation. The bill specifically reinstates his suffrage after he completed his sentence, was discharged in 2008, and has since lived as a law-abiding citizen. This is a personal restoration bill with no broader policy impact, as it applies solely to one individual's voting rights. The legislation died in committee in April 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1770 funds the Mississippi Library Commission for fiscal year 2026 with $10,946,838 from the State General Fund and $4,863,028 from special funds. It authorizes 48 permanent and 1 temporary position, requires strict budget adherence (no salary increases without new funds), and mandates $493,847 from the Education Enhancement Fund specifically for the Magnolia Database program. The bill ensures funds are used for library operations, staff support, and performance targets like resolving 1,150 help desk tickets and hosting 40 continuing education workshops. It directly affects public libraries statewide through the Library Commission's operations and the Magnolia Database initiative.

Maddy summaryHB 1769 appropriates $4,547,938 from the State General Fund and $6,353,694 from a special fund (including $2.1 million from the Education Enhancement Fund) to cover the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television's (MAET) expenses for fiscal year 2026. The funding directly supports MAET's operations, including salaries for 78 permanent and 7 temporary staff positions, with strict requirements to maintain current educational broadcast schedules as a priority. Key provisions prohibit using state funds to replace federal funds, restrict personnel spending to new hires (not promotions or salary increases), and mandate detailed accounting comparable to previous years. This is a funding bill, not a policy change, ensuring MAET can continue providing educational TV programming and public service content.

Maddy summaryHB 1771 appropriates $1.43 billion from state funds to cover the Mississippi Department of Transportation's (MDT) administrative expenses and core operations for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The funds are allocated to specific MDT programs, including $986 million for construction, $265 million for maintenance, and $63 million for administration, with additional transfers of $650,000 to the Department of Agriculture for beaver control and $5 million to the Department of Public Safety for commercial transportation enforcement. The bill restricts personnel spending to filling vacancies (not salary increases or promotions) and requires MDT to track expenses against projected costs, with strict reporting to the legislature. It also mandates detailed accounting records matching fiscal year 2025 standards for all fund usage.

Maddy summaryHB 1768 appropriates over $5.2 billion in state funds for Mississippi's K-12 education system and related programs for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). It allocates $2.95 billion from the State General Fund and $2.28 billion from special funds to cover operations of the State Department of Education, vocational and technical education, and the Mississippi Student Funding Formula. Key provisions include $16 million for school district capital facilities and buses, $25 million for instructional materials, and specific funding for literacy initiatives, special needs programs, and the Mississippi Eye Screening Program. The bill directly affects all public K-12 schools, students, and the State Department of Education, including payments to Chickasaw Cession counties for lost land compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 1767 appropriates $1,562,907 from the State General Fund and $2,690,000 from a special fund (including $1.49 million from the Education Enhancement Fund) to cover the Mississippi Arts Commission’s expenses for fiscal year 2026. The funds support the Commission’s operations, staff positions (10 permanent, 2 time-limited), and specific programs like educator training, public school arts grants, and the "Whole Schools Initiative." Strict rules govern spending, including limits on salary increases, requirements to maintain detailed records, and prohibitions on using state funds to replace federal or special funds. The bill ensures all spending complies with state appropriation laws and specifies that $1.49 million must be used for designated education and program activities.