Rep. Bill Kinkade

Maddy summaryHB 183 authorizes the State of Mississippi to issue general obligation bonds to provide funds for the City of Olive Branch to repair, renovate, and upgrade the historic Maples Methodist Church building. The funds are specifically intended to support the city's use of the building as a community events center and theater. The bonds would be issued by the State Bond Commission, with repayment backed by the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi, using proceeds from bond sales to cover the renovation costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1635 appropriated $1 million from the state general fund to the Town of Byhalia for constructing a new police department and jail during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The bill directly affected Byhalia residents and local law enforcement by funding these specific facility projects. It died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law. The appropriation would have covered construction costs but contained no policy changes beyond the funding allocation.

Maddy summaryHB 551 appropriates $20 million from the State General Fund to the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). This funding supports existing outdoor stewardship programs under Mississippi Code Section 49-39-7, though the bill does not specify new program details or direct beneficiaries. The legislation died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law. As a budgetary measure, it only allocates existing funds without creating new policies or regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1714 would appropriate $800,000 from Mississippi's State General Fund to Marshall County's Board of Supervisors for preliminary planning studies on three infrastructure projects: the Potts Camp Railroad Bridge and Bypass, Byhalia Railroad Bridge, and Red Banks Road Improvement. The funds would cover costs for engineering, environmental impact, and cultural resource assessments during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). This bill directly supports Marshall County's planning efforts for these specific road and bridge projects. It is a funding measure, not a policy change, and did not advance beyond committee in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1706 allocates $1.5 million from the state general fund to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for fiscal year 2026. The funding specifically allows MEMA to purchase equipment that pumps or transfers drinkable water to healthcare facilities and other essential institutions during natural disasters that disrupt water systems. This bill directly affects MEMA's emergency response capabilities and ensures critical facilities can maintain water access when local systems fail due to events like floods or storms. The appropriation becomes effective July 1, 2025.

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 summaryThis resolution commends Captain Jimmy Wiseman of the Southaven Fire Department for his 43 years and seven months of service - the longest tenure in Southaven's history - and congratulates him upon his retirement. It recognizes his career progression from volunteer firefighter (1980) to Captain (1996), his specialized rescue expertise, and his decade-long service with Mississippi Task Force One. The resolution formally acknowledges his contributions to the city and its residents through the Mississippi House of Representatives. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on legislation.

Maddy summaryHB 1441 would revise the specific dates when retail fireworks sales are permitted in Mississippi. Currently, sales are restricted to periods after June 15 through July 12 and after December 5 through January 2. The bill would change these dates to new periods but does not specify the exact new dates in the provided text. It would maintain existing restrictions, such as prohibiting sales to anyone under 12 and requiring fireworks to be ignited at least 600 feet from churches, schools, or hospitals. The bill died on the calendar in February 2025 and did not become law.

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 197 increases the minimum state grant amount for Mississippi's MCOPS program from $10,000 to $40,000 per school resource officer (SRO) position hired by school districts or law enforcement agencies. It also raises the reimbursement for required training at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy from an unspecified amount to $2,400 per officer. The bill requires local matching funds (50/50) and mandates that SROs spend at least 75% of their time working in schools. This bill, which died in committee on February 4, 2025, would have directly affected school districts and law enforcement agencies seeking to hire or retain SROs.