Rep. Tracey Rosebud

Maddy summaryHB 1686 appropriates $500,000 from the state general fund to Hinds County's Board of Supervisors to help cover costs for expanding broadband internet access to county residents during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The funds are intended to support infrastructure projects that would improve broadband availability for Hinds County residents. The bill specifies that state funds will be paid to the county upon proper requisitions, following standard state fiscal procedures. This is a funding measure targeting direct broadband expansion costs, not a policy change affecting broader regulations or services.

Maddy summaryHB 780 would have created a $5 million grant program to help Mississippi municipalities with populations under 5,000 cover costs for security cameras and equipment. The Department of Public Safety would administer the program, offering grants covering up to 75% of project costs (max $30,000 per municipality annually). The bill, which died in committee on February 26, 2025, authorized state bonds to fund the program but did not advance to a vote.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 1 honors the legacies of Mississippi blues musician B.B. King and civil rights leader Medgar Evers on the 100th anniversary of their births in 2025, recognizing their cultural and social impact. The resolution formally commemorates their contributions - King's influence on music and Evers' work advancing civil rights - and directs that it be presented to their surviving descendants and to Mississippi museums including the B.B. King Museum and Medgar Evers Home National Monument. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a ceremonial tribute.

Maddy summaryHB 776 would automatically restore voting rights for Mississippi residents convicted of vote fraud or specific crimes listed in Section 241 of the state constitution (or later interpreted as disenfranchising by the Attorney General) once they complete all court-ordered requirements like prison time, probation, or fines. It directly affects individuals with these convictions who are otherwise qualified voters. The bill modifies multiple election laws to ensure their names are automatically reinstated in voter databases upon satisfying sentencing terms, rather than requiring separate applications. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 777 (CAMHED Act of 2025) would have required all Mississippi public schools to provide mental health screenings and assessments for students in kindergarten through grade 12, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandated the State Board of Education and Mississippi Department of Mental Health to develop guidelines for coordinated services, including social-emotional learning integration and early intervention protocols for students showing signs of mental distress. It also created a Children's Mental Health Partnership to design screening tools for school staff. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 773 prohibits Mississippi polling places from being located in any facility that sells alcohol, such as bars or liquor stores. The bill defines "facility" as a licensed alcohol seller (excluding government buildings or nonprofit organizations) and "alcoholic beverage" as beer, wine, or liquor. It amends existing election laws to enforce this restriction across all polling locations in the state. This directly affects election officials who select polling sites and ensures voters cannot cast ballots in venues primarily selling alcohol.

Maddy summaryHB 771, a proposed Mississippi bill, would have required all prospective state employees to pass a drug test before being hired. It would have mandated the State Personnel Board to create testing rules, with applicants typically covering the test cost (though the Board could pay it in some cases). The bill was intended to apply to all new state hires and would have taken effect July 1, 2025. However, the bill "died in committee" on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 779 requires Mississippi's Department of Corrections to include in an offender's discharge plan whether they were convicted of a crime that affects voting rights. It mandates that the DOC provide mail-in voter registration applications to eligible offenders who haven't registered to vote and will return to the community. The bill also directs the Secretary of State to supply these applications to the DOC for distribution. This applies specifically to incarcerated individuals being released, aiming to simplify voter registration for those regaining voting rights after conviction. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HC 14) updates Mississippi's constitutional requirement for initiative petitions to amend the state constitution. It changes the rule so that signature limits per congressional district now align with the *current* number of congressional districts, rather than the outdated 1890s district count. Specifically, it ensures signatures from any single district cannot exceed the total required signatures divided by the current number of districts. This directly affects citizens or groups collecting signatures to place constitutional amendments on the ballot, preventing one district from needing disproportionately more signatures than others. The change aims to make the initiative process fairer as Mississippi's congressional districts have been redrawn over time.

Maddy summaryHB 774 would require any private facility selling alcohol (such as bars or restaurants) that serves as a polling place to stop selling alcoholic beverages for 30 days before an election. This applies only to licensed alcohol vendors, excluding government buildings and nonprofit organizations. The bill amends Mississippi election code to enforce this temporary sales ban during the pre-election period. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 2 sentences as required.)