Rep. Rob Roberson

Maddy summaryHB 1620 updates Mississippi's education funding terminology by removing outdated references to the "Mississippi Adequate Education Program" (MAEP) and replacing them with current language describing the "Mississippi Student Funding Formula" (specifically "Total Funding Formula Funds"). It directly affects school districts, charter schools, and the State Department of Education by clarifying how enrollment data and funding calculations are legally described in state code. The bill does not change how funding is calculated or distributed - only the terminology used in legal references. This is a procedural clarification bill, not a policy change, and it died in committee in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1618 amends Mississippi law to allow the State Department of Education to accept donations, gifts, equipment, materials, or manpower from public or private donors. It permits the Department to use these contributions according to the donor’s conditions, as long as those conditions do not violate existing laws. The bill also allows unspent funds from such donations to carry over into the next fiscal year without affecting the Department’s annual legislative budget. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1524 would require Washington County, Mississippi, to combine its four existing public school districts (Greenville, Hollandale, Leland, and Western Line) into two new districts: Greenville Public School District and Washington Consolidated School District (covering the former Hollandale, Leland, and Western Line territories). The bill mandates this consolidation by July 1, 2027, through a November 2026 special election for new school boards, transfers all assets and liabilities to the new districts, and abolishes the original school boards. Key provisions include requiring the State Board of Education to develop consolidation rules, establish election districts, and manage property transfers. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1627, the "Students Safe at School Act," establishes standards for active shooter drills and prohibits active shooter simulations in Mississippi K-12 schools. It requires age-appropriate, trauma-informed drills with 24-hour parental notice allowing opt-outs, prohibits combining drills with other emergency exercises, and mandates post-drill mental health debriefing. The bill explicitly bans student participation in active shooter simulations during school hours (except for optional 9-12th grade participation with parental consent) and defines "drills" as non-sensorial exercises versus "simulations" that mimic real violence. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not address school mapping data or grant programs in its core requirements for student safety procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1348 is a procedural bill that consolidates multiple existing Mississippi Code sections (including those governing individual on-site wastewater systems, rural water associations, and regulatory definitions) into a single, organized chapter for future amendment purposes. It does not change current regulations but reorganizes the law to streamline potential updates. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 882 requires Mississippi public bodies to transcribe and release 911 call transcripts to the public upon request, while redacting all identifying information about callers or subjects (such as names, addresses, or phone numbers). This applies to emergency calls handled by public safety entities, with fees limited to those set under Mississippi's Public Records Act. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law. It aimed to increase transparency around emergency call records without compromising personal privacy.

Maddy summaryHB 877 would allow Mississippi Medicaid to reimburse licensed registered nurses who are legal guardians of a developmentally disabled child for medically necessary care provided to that child at home. The bill specifically applies to guardians living in the child’s household who receive state certification from the Department of Mental Health confirming their qualifications. It amends Medicaid waiver rules to include these services under home- and community-based care for developmentally disabled individuals. This change would directly affect families where a guardian nurse provides in-home care for a disabled child, enabling them to seek reimbursement for those services.

Maddy summaryHB 1525 proposed two main changes for Mississippi charter schools. First, it would allow new charter schools a two-year delay before starting student instruction, requiring them to reapply to the authorizer board if they needed more than two years to open. Second, it would mandate a $6,000 annual salary supplement for National Board Certified teachers, school nurses, counselors, and speech pathologists working in charter schools, with documentation required by October 15 or February 15 each year. The bill directly affected charter schools preparing to open and certified staff employed in those schools. The legislation died in committee in February 2025 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 883 modifies Mississippi's Medicaid rules for managed care providers during credentialing and appeal processes. It allows on-site supervisors at managed care organizations to approve provider work and authorize payment for that work while a provider waits for a final credentialing decision. The bill also prohibits Medicaid from suspending payments during an appeal unless the provider has a prior fraud conviction related to Medicaid. These changes directly affect healthcare providers (like clinics or hospitals) participating in Medicaid managed care programs, ensuring they can receive payment for services rendered during disputes. The policy focuses on maintaining payment continuity during administrative reviews without requiring prior fraud findings.

Maddy summaryHB 1523 requires merging Copiah County School District and Hazlehurst City School District into a single unified district, Copiah County Consolidated School District, effective July 1, 2027. The bill mandates a special election in November 2026 for the new school board, appoints a financial advisor to oversee budget transitions, and abolishes the two former districts by transferring all assets, liabilities, and staff contracts to the new entity. It establishes procedures for the first budget and staffing for the 2027-2028 school year, with the central administrative office located in Hazlehurst. This consolidation directly affects all students, staff, and properties within Copiah County's former school districts.