Rep. Joey Hood

Maddy summaryHB 1382 requires Mississippi insurers to verify if claimants owe past-due child support before paying certain claims exceeding $500, including those for negligence, personal injury, or workers' compensation. Insurers must check with the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) within 10 days of claim opening and withhold the owed amount from payments if confirmed. The withheld funds are then remitted to child support enforcement within 30 days, with insurers facing $1,000+ fines per noncompliant claim. This directly affects insurers, claimants with unpaid child support, and MDHS enforcement efforts, aiming to use insurance payouts to collect overdue support.

Maddy summaryHB 921, the MS ROSS Act, would have created a state-funded program to help Mississippi public and accredited private elementary and secondary schools hire School Resource Officers (SROs). The Mississippi Department of Public Safety would have covered increasing percentages of SRO costs (starting at 30% in 2025-2026 and rising to 70% by 2029-2030), with local law enforcement and school boards responsible for the remaining portion, up to a $55,000 annual cap per SRO. Schools and local agencies would have needed to jointly apply for funding and establish agreements to participate. The bill, which died in committee in February 2025, was never enacted into law.

Maddy summaryHB 1383 would require Mississippi offenders whose parole eligibility petitions are denied by a circuit court judge to wait two years before filing another petition. This applies to all inmates in the Mississippi Department of Corrections seeking parole after a court denial, regardless of their offense type. The bill amends Section 47-7-3 of the Mississippi Code to establish this mandatory waiting period, preventing immediate reapplications. It does not change parole eligibility criteria but sets a specific timeline for subsequent petitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1397 would allow Mississippi courts to revoke probation or post-release supervision before it begins if a person commits a new felony crime during the waiting period before supervision starts. Currently, revocation typically applies only to violations during active supervision, but this bill extends that rule to cover pre-commencement felonies. It directly affects individuals sentenced to probation or supervision who commit new felonies while awaiting the start of their supervision period. The bill amends Section 47-7-37.1 of Mississippi law to make this change effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1384 increases salary caps for Mississippi court reporters in circuit and chancery courts based on experience: $57,000 annually for five years or less, $66,000 for 5-10 years, and $72,000 for 10+ years. Counties, not the state, must pay these salaries from their general funds, with payments calculated proportionally based on how many weeks court is held in each county. The bill also clarifies that court reporters cannot practice law in their assigned court or receive extra pay for special court terms. It would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee on February 4, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1358 would have amended Mississippi's compulsory school attendance law to add "roping or barrel horse racing events" to the list of valid excuses for student absences. It would allow students to miss school for these events if parents provide satisfactory evidence to the school superintendent, similar to other authorized activities like field trips. The bill directly affects Mississippi students participating in these equestrian competitions, requiring school approval for excused absences. The proposed change was added to the existing list of valid excuses under Section 37-13-91, which already includes authorized school activities and medical reasons. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1221 would have exempted pesticide manufacturers and sellers from civil liability claims related to labeling if the pesticide was registered and labeled under federal EPA rules (FIFRA) at the time of sale. It specifically protected companies from product liability lawsuits alleging failure to warn, as long as the labeling met EPA requirements. The bill applied only to pesticides approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under FIFRA, not to all pesticides sold in Mississippi. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis legislative bill is a procedural measure that temporarily suspends standard deadlines to allow the Mississippi legislature to draft and consider a new law called the "Safer Act." The proposed law would directly affect public schools and universities by requiring them to provide exclusive male or female restrooms, single-occupancy changing facilities, and single-occupancy student housing. It also mandates that single-sex social fraternities and sororities designate their housing according to these definitions and establishes rules for how individuals may enter these spaces. Additionally, the act defines the terms male, female, and sex, and authorizes the Attorney General to take legal action if the regulations are violated.

Maddy summaryHB 1817 is a budget bill that allocates state funds to cover the operating expenses of the Mississippi Legislature and its various committees for the 2025 fiscal year. The legislation provides money to pay salaries, mileage, insurance, and daily allowances for legislators, as well as funding for specific groups such as the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Reapportionment Committee. It also sets aside money for the state's share of assessments for organizations like the Southern States Energy Board and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Additionally, the bill reauthorizes previously approved funds for the House and Senate, ensuring these resources remain available for their designated purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates approximately $21 million to the Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System for the 2025 fiscal year to cover administrative costs and building operations. The funding authorizes 167 permanent staff positions and establishes strict rules to prevent salary increases for current employees, requiring that any new hires be essential and that no employee falls below the state minimum wage. Specific portions of the money are designated for computer system upgrades, building repairs, and purchasing service pins for employees. The legislation also mandates that the system's board meetings be live webcast and recorded, with archives posted online within 48 hours, and requires the agency to give purchasing preference to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind. Additionally, rental income from the system's building must be deposited into a dedicated maintenance fund.