Rep. Solomon Osborne

Maddy summaryHB 365, titled "Early voting; authorize at the office of the registrar and additional early voting polling places," would have established a statewide early voting framework in Mississippi. It would have allowed voters to cast ballots during specified early periods at their county registrar's office (7 days before elections, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturdays) or at additional designated polling places (15 days before, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.). The bill required 14-day public notice in three locations (including courthouses/city halls) and outlined voter ID verification procedures for both locations. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 374 would expand Mississippi's Medicaid program to cover non-pregnant adults under 65 who are not enrolled in Medicare and have household income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. This change would directly affect low-income adults who currently do not qualify for Medicaid under Mississippi's existing eligibility rules. The bill implements a federal provision under the Affordable Care Act that allows states to broaden Medicaid coverage to this group. The expansion would provide health insurance access to these individuals, who would otherwise have limited options for affordable care.

Maddy summaryHB 376, the "Mississippi Voter Protection Act," would have banned voter intimidation (using force/threats to influence voting) and voter suppression (spreading false information to deter voting), creating felony penalties of up to 3 years in prison for intimidation and 2 years for suppression. It required posting a "Voter's Bill of Rights" at all polling places - listing seven specific rights like casting a ballot while in line at closing or receiving language assistance - and mandated the Secretary of State to create a uniform polling procedures manual for election officials. The bill directly affected voters, election officials, and anyone engaging in prohibited voting interference tactics. However, it died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 373, the "Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations Act," would require Mississippi law enforcement to electronically record all custodial interrogations (interviews of people in custody for felony investigations) to prevent false confessions and ensure evidence accuracy. Exceptions include routine booking, consent, safety concerns, or equipment failure, but if a required recording is missing, courts must instruct juries about the potential unreliability of unrecorded testimony. Law enforcement agencies would also need to preserve recordings for specified periods. The bill died in committee in 2026 without becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 369 would authorize municipalities in Mississippi with existing municipal drug courts to establish separate Veterans Treatment Courts. It allows municipal court judges to create these programs as standalone initiatives or components of current drug courts, specifically for veterans with military service records who face criminal charges. Key provisions require court approval, exclude individuals charged with violent crimes, mandate participation in treatment programs, and specify that eligibility depends on verification of veteran status and court discretion. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 366 prohibits discrimination in Mississippi's criminal justice system and requires state and local government agencies involved in law enforcement, courts, and corrections to eliminate discriminatory practices. The bill mandates that agencies like police departments, prosecutors' offices, public defenders, courts, and mental health agencies provide employee training on antidiscrimination laws and adopt clear policies to prevent bias. It specifically targets equal treatment for people of protected classes (such as race or gender) during interactions within the criminal justice system. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, if enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 372 would prohibit Mississippi employers from denying employment to job seekers or terminating current employees solely due to a felony conviction. It specifically bans refusing applications, disqualifying qualified candidates, or firing someone for this reason, applying to crimes punishable by over one year in prison under state or federal law. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting individuals with felony convictions seeking or holding jobs. This policy change aims to expand employment opportunities for this group by limiting one specific barrier.

Maddy summaryHB 375 would allow disabled veterans to appeal court decisions without paying fees if the case involves collecting debts from their disability benefits (from VA, Social Security, or other sources) or if they were already permitted to proceed without fees in the trial court. To qualify, veterans must file a motion with an affidavit confirming their disabled veteran status. If denied at trial, they could appeal the denial to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, attaching the trial court's written reasoning. The bill specifically protects veterans whose disability benefits are targeted for collection, ensuring they aren't barred from appealing due to inability to pay court costs. (Note: The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.)

Maddy summaryHB 370, the "Racial Profiling Prevention Act," would require all Mississippi law enforcement agencies (including sheriff's offices, police departments, and the Department of Public Safety) to collect and report specific data during traffic stops to prevent racial profiling. Key provisions mandate recording the race, ethnicity, gender, and reason for stops, submitting complaints about alleged profiling to local district attorneys, and providing annual reports to the Attorney General for compilation and submission to the Governor and Legislature. The bill aims to increase transparency by tracking stop data and complaints, with penalties for noncompliance including state fund withholdings. It died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 371 would amend Mississippi's state law to remove the Confederate Memorial Day designation from the official holiday calendar. Currently, the last Monday of May is listed as "National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' birthday" (Jefferson Davis was the Confederacy's president), but this bill would change it to list only "National Memorial Day" for that date. The key provision deletes the reference to Jefferson Davis' birthday from Section 3-3-7 of the Mississippi Code, eliminating the state's recognition of a Confederate holiday. This change directly affects Mississippi's legal holiday schedule without altering Memorial Day's federal status or observance.