Rep. Otis Anthony

Maddy summaryHB 658 requires Mississippi's Department of Corrections to provide specific protective equipment - such as face masks, gloves, and eye protection - to state inmates assigned to work involving raw cleaning chemicals. This applies directly to inmates working in correctional facility maintenance, public service programs, cemetery restoration, or other designated assignments where they handle chemicals like acids, alkalies, or surfactants. The bill amends multiple sections of state law to mandate this safety provision, ensuring inmates receive necessary gear when using hazardous cleaning agents. It does not alter inmate eligibility for work programs but adds a clear safety requirement for specific job assignments.

Maddy summaryHB 1387 expands eligibility for monthly payments to relatives and non-relatives caring for foster children in Mississippi. It revises Section 43-15-17 to allow payments to "godparents, friends of the family, or other adults who have a strong familial bond with the child," beyond the previous third-degree relative limit. The bill also amends Section 43-21-105 to define "fictive kin" as those with a strong family connection, ensuring they qualify for the same 100% of standard foster care payment rate. This change directly affects caregivers like extended family, close family friends, or godparents who provide foster care but weren’t previously covered. Payments remain subject to legislative funding and require completion of foster care training, unless exempt.

Maddy summaryHB 570 requires Mississippi government agencies employing full-time EMTs, paramedics, emergency medical responders, 911 dispatchers, and firefighters to provide evidence-based mental health first aid training approved by the state Department of Mental Health to all such personnel by July 1, 2031. This applies to all full-time staff certified by relevant state boards, including those working for local or state government entities. The bill mandates the training to help emergency responders recognize and appropriately respond to mental health crises during their duties. It does not create new penalties or funding but sets a compliance deadline for existing emergency response roles.

Maddy summaryHB 1556 establishes the MissCATEE Program, providing tuition-free community college education in career and technical education (CTE) for eligible Mississippi residents. It directly affects recent high school graduates and adults seeking industry certifications or associate degrees in high-wage, high-demand fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology, as identified by Accelerate MS. Key provisions require recipients to work in their field for a set period after graduation (with funds recouped if they don’t comply) and mandate enrollment in approved CTE programs aligned with state workforce needs. The Office of Workforce Development (Accelerate MS) administers the program, sets eligibility rules (including residency, high school diploma, and FAFSA completion), and tracks outcomes to measure effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHB 888 updates Mississippi's Burn Care Fund by expanding eligible recipients to include Baptist Medical Center and burn centers affiliated with Level I trauma centers, while removing the University of Mississippi Medical Center as a designated recipient. It increases the fee for distinctive license tags from $1.00 to $2.50 per tag or plate, and adds a $0.50 fee for commercial vehicle decals, with all new proceeds deposited into the Burn Care Fund. These changes direct funding toward specific burn care facilities within Mississippi's trauma system, shifting support from the University of Mississippi Medical Center to Baptist Medical Center and Level I-affiliated centers. The bill does not create new facilities but alters how existing funds are distributed. The fee increases take effect for vehicle registrations starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1412 creates a pilot grant program to fund dual enrollment courses at Mississippi community colleges for high school students. The Office of Workforce Development will distribute funds to four specific workforce areas (Delta, Twin Districts, Mississippi Partnership, and Southcentral Mississippi) to cover $150 per credit hour for career-focused courses that align with state priority sectors. Community colleges use these grants to offset costs for students enrolled in these dual enrollment programs. The bill requires annual reports tracking student participation, course usage, and program outcomes to state leadership by October 1 each year. This program is designed to expand access to career technical education for students while connecting high school and college pathways.

Maddy summaryHB 1492 creates a "Noncustodial Parents' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" to ensure noncustodial parents (those without primary physical custody) receive equal access to information about their children. Key provisions require advance notice of child support hearings, court proceedings, and agency decisions, plus 24/7 access to contact department staff. The bill also includes updated procedures for voluntary paternity acknowledgments at birth, ensuring fathers can request genetic testing within one year. However, the bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1551 creates a Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board within Mississippi's Department of Health to analyze deaths from domestic violence incidents and develop prevention strategies. The board, composed of survivors, advocates, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and other experts, reviews case records (including medical, court, and social services data) from relevant agencies and requires healthcare providers to share medical records with immunity. It must submit biennial reports to legislators detailing fatality statistics, trends, and policy recommendations, while maintaining strict confidentiality for all collected data. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1498 creates the Mississippi Comprehensive Cancer Care Coalition Task Force to develop a state-wide plan addressing cancer care gaps. The task force, composed of 20 members including legislators, health officials, cancer advocacy groups, survivors, and healthcare providers, must create a data-driven plan by December 1, 2025, focusing on equity, prevention, treatment, and survivorship across all cancer care stages. It will propose specific legislation to the legislature based on its findings, using principles aligned with CDC and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. This bill directly affects Mississippi's cancer care system by mandating a coordinated strategy to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for all residents.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 would create a new Board of Trustees to regulate adoption agencies in Mississippi, directly affecting adoption service providers, attorneys handling adoptions, and child welfare systems. The bill establishes the "Mississippi Adoption Relief Fund" to cover board costs and amends laws to define adoption services, require agency licensing through the new board, prohibit attorneys from sharing adoption fees, and link child support compliance to license renewals. Key mechanisms include setting board membership (three from child services, three from adoption agencies, three from residential care agencies), requiring adoption agencies to pay licensing fees into the fund, and adding rules for fee transparency. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and never became law.