Rep. John Faulkner

Maddy summaryThis bill would have provided Marshall County with $500,000 from the State General Fund to cover planning, engineering, and environmental costs for the Red Banks Road Improvement Project - a project involving an eight-mile stretch connecting I-22 to Mississippi Highway 302. The funds were intended for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to support the project's completion. However, the bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1920 appropriates $100 million (split equally as $50 million each) to Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College for campus facility repairs and improvements through June 2026. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic buildings, upgrading electrical/plumbing systems, modernizing academic spaces, improving student housing, enhancing safety systems, and implementing energy efficiency initiatives. Each college must submit a detailed plan with timelines and provide annual progress reports to the Legislature. The bill, referred to Appropriations committees in February 2025, died in committee and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1921 appropriates $300 million ($100 million to each) to Mississippi's three HBCUs - Alcorn State, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State - for repairing and upgrading campus buildings and infrastructure. The funds cover specific projects like restoring historic structures, modernizing electrical/plumbing systems, improving student housing, creating new academic spaces, enhancing safety systems, and supporting energy efficiency. Each university must submit a detailed plan for approval and provide annual progress reports to the legislature on how the money is spent.

Maddy summaryHB 1091 would have allowed Mississippi veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to park motor vehicles for free at any state airport or airport parking facility. To qualify, veterans would need to show specific proof of service (like a DD-214, military ID, or "Vet" designation on a Mississippi driver's license) and be the driver or passenger exiting the facility. The bill required airports to implement this policy but did not mandate state funding for the free parking. It died in committee on February 13, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 857 expands Mississippi's literacy program to support students in grades 4 through 8 by requiring evidence-based reading instruction and interventions. It mandates annual universal reading screenings for all students in these grades, professional development for teachers focused on the "science of reading" (including phonics and decoding), and prohibits the use of "three-cueing systems" for teaching word reading. The bill also creates a system to identify "Middle Literacy Support Schools" based on reading data and requires the state education department to develop a structured literacy course for grades 6-8. Schools must provide targeted interventions for struggling readers, and the department must submit annual implementation reports to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 550 removes a Medicaid participation ban for a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) in Desoto County that was established by a local hospital under a Certificate of Need. The bill amends Mississippi law to delete the specific prohibition preventing this facility from participating in Medicaid. This change directly affects the Desoto County PRTF and its patients who rely on Medicaid for psychiatric care services. The key mechanism is eliminating the barrier in Medicaid eligibility rules that previously blocked this facility from serving Medicaid enrollees.

Maddy summaryHB 1339 proposed creating a nine-member board to manage Holly Springs' utility department, with five members appointed by the city council, two by Marshall County, and two by Benton County. The board would oversee all utility systems and services within Holly Springs, requiring members to be qualified electors who cannot hold other local offices. The bill specified four-year terms with staggered appointments and outlined procedures for member compensation and removal. However, the bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 596 would have redirected a portion of Mississippi's sales tax revenue from businesses with specific North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes into the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund. This fund supports conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives, directly affecting businesses in qualifying industries that pay state sales tax. The bill amended existing tax distribution laws to require this deposit, though it did not specify the exact percentage of revenue to be redirected. The legislation died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 684 would require Mississippi public school districts to create age-appropriate policies banning student cell phone use from the start to end of the school day (bell-to-bell). The policies must prohibit suspensions or expulsions for violations, mandate storage of devices off-person during class, and include exceptions for health needs under IEPs or 504 plans. Elementary schools would ban phones entirely indoors, while middle schools would allow stored phones but restrict use during class. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 687 establishes a scholarship program for spouses and children of Mississippi first responders (including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel) who were killed or permanently disabled while on duty. The bill provides up to eight semesters of tuition-free education at any Mississippi state college or university, excluding books and fees, contingent on maintaining a 2.5 GPA and satisfactory academic progress. Eligibility excludes self-inflicted injuries or deaths, and children must not turn 23 during a semester to qualify. The bill, which died in committee in February 2025, would have taken effect July 1, 2025, if passed.