Rep. Otis Anthony

Maddy summaryHB 333 requires Mississippi's State Workforce Investment Board to create a separate list of high-value industry certifications for community college students. It mandates the Mississippi Community College Board to pay $600 per student toward career and technical education certifications earned at participating community colleges, starting in fiscal year 2027, subject to available funding. The bill prevents double-reimbursement for certifications already obtained and aligns the list with existing K-12 certification standards. This directly affects community colleges, their students pursuing career certifications, and the Community College Board's funding allocation process.

Maddy summaryHB 35 creates a 3-year pilot program in Sunflower and Jones counties to provide cash assistance to pregnant women facing acute economic hardship during pregnancy and for 12 months after birth. It offers $1,500 in prenatal payments (in three $500 installments) and $500 monthly for the infant’s first year, funded through a mix of public (using TANF for Medicaid-covered cases) and private sources. The program ensures these payments are excluded from income calculations for other benefits like Medicaid or SNAP, and requires the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) to track health outcomes - including prenatal care rates, preterm births, and NICU admissions - over the pilot period. This is a targeted economic support initiative, not a broad policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 81 would extend the hours for in-person absentee voting by requiring Mississippi registrar offices to remain open until 5:00 p.m. on the two Saturdays immediately before each election. This change directly affects voters who choose to cast absentee ballots in person at their county registrar's office, rather than by mail. The bill amends existing law to standardize the closing time for these in-person absentee voting sessions across all election types. It does not alter mail-in ballot rules or deadlines for absentee ballots received by mail.

Maddy summaryHB 6 would create a process for identity theft victims to have debts forgiven and credit reports removed. Victims could send certified mail to creditors claiming identity theft; if creditors don't forgive the debt and notify credit bureaus within 60 days, victims could petition court with proof they didn't incur the debt, had no knowledge of it, filed a police report, and received no benefit. The court would then order creditors to release the debt and allow credit report purging. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and is not law.

Maddy summaryHB 27 would have required most health insurance plans in Mississippi to cover obesity treatments - including surgeries like gastric bypass and prescriptions - when a physician certifies medical necessity for patients with a body mass index (BMI) 30% above their ideal weight. It prohibited insurers from imposing extra deductibles or coinsurance for these treatments beyond standard levels and mandated reimbursement rates equal to Medicare’s for healthcare providers. The bill applied to all individual and group health plans sold in Mississippi, directly affecting residents with qualifying obesity and insurers offering coverage. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 250 would require Mississippi counties to reimburse poll workers for mileage when using personal vehicles to travel more than 10 miles to return to the registrar's office after polls close on election day. The reimbursement rate would match the federal employee mileage rate for each mile over 10. This applies specifically to poll managers and other election workers required to make this return trip. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 239 would waive tuition and mandatory fees at Mississippi's public colleges and universities for foster children, adopted children, and state wards under age 21 who meet specific criteria. To qualify, students must maintain a 2.25 GPA, complete the FAFSA, and enroll in associate degree programs or equivalent, with coverage limited to 120 credit hours or five years of enrollment. The Department of Human Services would verify eligibility upon request from institutions, and the bill requires annual reports to the legislature on program participation and graduation rates. This policy aims to support educational access for youth who have been in state custody or foster care, without covering room, board, or other non-tuition costs.

Maddy summaryHB 208 requires all Mississippi state agencies, departments, institutions, and local governments providing child-related services to create annual itemized reports. These reports must detail program descriptions, funding sources (federal/state), costs, outcomes, performance metrics, and the number of children served. The reports must be submitted to Mississippi State University's Stennis Institute by September 1 each year, with the compiled data shared with specific legislative committees by December 1. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and is not currently law. It would have affected all state entities delivering services to children, aiming to improve transparency in child-service funding and outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 232 establishes the Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program to ensure rural hospitals in Mississippi have access to specialty doctors when major hospitals are on diversion (unable to accept more patients). The Mississippi Department of Health would administer grants to eligible rural hospitals (defined as having 50 or fewer acute beds), distributing funds based on factors like hospital size, distance from major hospitals, local health demographics, and specific specialty needs. The program requires the Department to create payment rules and regulations to support this goal, with implementation planned for July 1, 2026. However, the bill died in committee in February 2026 and has not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 435 requires Mississippi's Department of Public Safety to add specific markings ("CCP" for concealed carry permit holders or "EHP" for enhanced firearm endorsements) to driver's licenses, temporary permits, and commercial licenses for individuals legally permitted to carry concealed firearms. This directly affects licensed firearm holders who must present their firearm permit at a driver's license office to receive the endorsement designation. The bill amends existing law to mandate this visual indicator on all relevant licenses, effective July 1, 2026. It does not change firearm licensing requirements but adds a visible identifier on driver's licenses for those with concealed carry permits.