Rep. John Hines

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 450 creates a study committee to examine how Mississippi can better use existing federal and state funds to expand affordable child care access for low- to moderate-income working parents. The committee will analyze current funding streams, including federal revenue and state funds tied to federal matching requirements, to identify ways to increase participation in the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) and reduce waiting lists. It must study specific metrics like the number of eligible families on waiting lists, the cost to serve all eligible children, and economic impacts of improved child care access. The committee will report recommendations to the 2026 legislature for increasing child care assistance, focusing on reallocating current resources rather than proposing new spending. This is a procedural study bill, not a funding measure.

Maddy summaryHB 447 requires Mississippi's State Workforce Investment Board and occupational licensing boards to accept military education, training, and service as valid credentials for professional licenses or certifications. It directly affects military members transitioning to civilian careers in licensed professions like nursing, pharmacy, cosmetology, and engineering (listed in Section 2 of the bill). The bill mandates that licensing boards develop policies to evaluate military experience and expedite processing for active-duty service members. It also requires public universities and community colleges to create procedures for accepting military-acquired academic credits toward degrees. The law aims to streamline credential recognition for veterans without altering licensing standards.

Maddy summaryHB 424 revises Mississippi's minimum weekly unemployment compensation payments based on a worker's previous year's earnings. It sets new minimum weekly benefit amounts: $250 for workers earning $25,000 or less annually, $500 for $25,000-$50,000, $650 for $50,000-$75,000, $750 for $75,000-$100,000, and $1,000 for earnings over $100,000. These changes apply to individuals whose benefit year begins on or after July 1, 2025, directly affecting low-to-moderate wage workers who qualify for unemployment benefits. The bill amends Section 71-5-503 of Mississippi's code and brings forward Section 71-5-505 for potential future updates.

Maddy summaryHB 1496 requires Mississippi's Department of Mental Health and Medicaid to apply for a federal demonstration program that certifies community mental health clinics as Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). This would directly affect community mental health centers (operated by regional commissions) and the patients they serve, enabling them to provide comprehensive mental health and substance use services. Key provisions include mandating a federal application to SAMHSA, establishing a state plan amendment for statewide CCBHC implementation, assigning certification oversight to the Mental Health Department, and creating a funding mechanism for clinics. Clinics would have until July 1, 2026, to apply for CCBHC certification under this framework.

Maddy summaryHB 449 amends Mississippi law to create an exception to the moratorium on new home health agencies, allowing the State Department of Health to issue up to five special permits (certificates of need) for hospice providers who received new licenses under Section 41-85-7(3). This directly affects five specific hospice organizations that obtained new licenses but would otherwise be blocked from operating home health services due to the moratorium. The bill modifies the certificate of need requirements to permit these five permits exclusively for the newly licensed hospice providers. This is a procedural change targeting hospice licensees, not a broader policy shift.

Maddy summaryHB 414 establishes Mississippi's Small Business Bridge Loan Program within the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. It creates a revolving loan fund starting with $3 million in fiscal year 2026, which can grow to $6 million over three years, to provide short-term loans (up to $250,000) for eligible small businesses. The program targets businesses operating in Mississippi for at least one year, offering 90-180 day loans to cover immediate financial needs while they secure longer-term financing. Repayments return to the fund for future loans, with no annual lapse of unspent funds.

Maddy summaryHB 423 requires Mississippi Medicaid-managed care organizations (MCOs) to use specific, clear level-of-care guidelines when reviewing whether medical treatments are necessary. This applies to all MCOs operating under Mississippi's Medicaid program and directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries whose care requests are evaluated. The bill prohibits MCOs from adding extra criteria that would deny care deemed medically necessary under these established guidelines. It ensures MCO decisions align with widely accepted professional medical standards, aiming to prevent unnecessary denials of appropriate care.