Rep. Dana McLean

Maddy summaryHB 1948 appropriates $835,000 from the state general fund to the City of Columbus' governing authorities to help cover costs for the Fifth Street Project during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The bill directly affects Columbus city officials by providing state funding to support this specific infrastructure or development initiative. Key provisions include the exact appropriation amount, payment through the State Treasurer upon proper requisitions, and an effective date of July 1, 2025. This is a straightforward budget allocation bill with no policy changes beyond funding a named project.

Maddy summaryHB 1132 increases fines for littering and improper waste disposal in Mississippi. It raises penalties for first-time littering offenses to $100-$500 (doubling to $200-$1,000 for repeat offenses) and requires offenders convicted of second or subsequent violations to remove waste, repair damage, or complete community service. The bill also adds a $100 assessment per violation, funding local litter prevention programs or scholarships for children of deceased/disabled law enforcement officers. This directly affects anyone who discards litter or waste improperly - especially drivers who throw trash from vehicles - under Sections 97-15-29 and 97-15-30 of Mississippi law.

Maddy summaryHB 1298 requires all medical facilities, law enforcement agencies, crime labs, and other entities handling sexual assault evidence kits to annually submit detailed reports to Mississippi’s Attorney General starting July 1, 2025. The reports must include the total number of untested kits and categorize each kit as either "reported" (where the survivor consented to report to police) or "unreported" (where the survivor consented to evidence collection but not to report the crime). The Attorney General must then make these reports publicly available. This bill directly affects healthcare providers, police departments, and forensic labs that manage sexual assault evidence kits, aiming to increase transparency about backlog and processing.

Maddy summaryHB 50 would have required professional music therapists in Mississippi to obtain state licensure through the Department of Health starting January 1, 2026, prohibiting unlicensed practice or use of titles implying licensure. It directly affects music therapists seeking to practice and patients relying on these services, aiming to ensure practitioners meet defined qualifications. Key mechanisms include creating a Music Therapy Advisory Committee (with licensed therapists, healthcare providers, and consumers), setting licensure requirements, disciplinary procedures, and establishing a special fund for related fees. The bill defined "music therapy" as clinical, evidence-based use of music interventions within therapeutic relationships, excluding medical diagnosis. Note: This bill died on the legislative calendar in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1598 removes "physical force" as a required element for rape convictions in Mississippi, meaning a person can be convicted of rape based solely on lack of consent rather than proof of force. The bill updates related sections (97-3-101, 97-3-97, 97-3-65) to define sexual battery, statutory rape, and key terms like "mentally incapacitated" or "physically helpless" to align with this change. It affects all individuals accused of rape or sexual assault in Mississippi, shifting prosecution focus to consent violations rather than physical coercion. The bill died in committee in February 2025 after being referred to the Judiciary B committee.

Maddy summaryHB 860 creates a new felony offense for therapists engaging in sexual contact with current or former patients, punishable by up to 5 years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The bill defines "therapist" broadly to include psychologists, social workers, counselors, and others providing mental health services, and explicitly states consent is not a defense. It also adds this conduct as grounds for disciplinary action against licensed professionals across multiple fields (e.g., social workers, psychologists, marriage counselors). The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 864 would have eliminated the "A" through "F" letter grade system used to rate Mississippi public schools and school districts under the state's accountability framework. This change directly affected all noncharter public elementary and secondary schools required to meet accreditation standards. The bill specifically amended Section 37-17-6 to remove these letter designations while keeping other accountability requirements intact, such as graduation rates and growth models. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1588 would replace end-of-course subject tests for Mississippi 11th and 12th graders with nationally recognized college- and career-readiness exams like the ACT and ACT WorkKeys, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill requires all public high school students to take these tests and updates the state's school accreditation system to incorporate results from them. It also seeks federal approval to use these tests for compliance with federal testing requirements, eliminating the need for federal end-of-course tests. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 867 requires Mississippi's State Department of Health to ensure a nurse practitioner is present at every county health department for at least one day weekly. This provides free contraceptive supplies and prescriptions to anyone seeking them at these locations. The bill also amends existing law to allow nurse practitioners to provide contraceptive services to certain minors (e.g., parents, married minors, or those with parental consent or referrals). It directly affects county health departments, residents accessing reproductive care, and minors eligible under the updated provisions. The law would take effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee before enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have prevented Mississippi Medicaid from seeking repayment for benefits from ABLE savings accounts established under state law. It specifically protects funds in these accounts - designed for people with disabilities to save without losing eligibility for benefits - from being used to cover Medicaid costs after the account holder's death. The bill amended state laws to ensure ABLE accounts are exempt from estate recovery rules that typically allow Medicaid to reclaim funds from a beneficiary's estate. This change would directly affect Mississippi residents with disabilities who use ABLE accounts to save for future needs while maintaining eligibility for public assistance.