Rep. Bill Kinkade

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 872, the "Health Care Facility Right to Visit Act," would require Mississippi hospitals, nursing homes, and other licensed health care facilities to allow patients to be visited by designated family or friends during hospitalizations longer than 24 hours, including during public health emergencies. The bill mandates facilities permit at least two designated visitors for a minimum of two hours daily while allowing reasonable safety rules (like visitor limits or health screenings). It also shields facilities from liability claims if they comply with the visitation rules. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and never became law, so it does not currently affect any patients or facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 709 would have required Mississippi public and charter school boards to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom by January 2026, using a specific text and format (11x14 inch framed poster with a context statement about historical educational use). The bill mandated that displays include a historical explanation noting the Ten Commandments' role in early American textbooks and education. It also allowed school boards to choose additional historical documents for display and directed the state to provide free resources for compliance. This bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted into law.

Maddy summaryHB 1274 increases penalties for theft involving mail, postal keys, and credit cards/checks in Mississippi. It defines mail theft as stealing, damaging mail or mailboxes, or selling stolen mail, and adds similar rules for stealing or forging mail depository keys/locks. Offenders face up to 5 years in prison or $5,000 fines for first offenses (increasing to 10 years/$20,000 for repeat offenses), plus mandatory restitution to victims. The bill directly affects individuals who commit these specific thefts, including those who steal mail, tamper with postal access points, or handle stolen payment instruments like checks. It establishes these as separate offenses alongside existing laws, not replacing them.

Maddy summaryHB 876, the Mississippi Emergency Drinking Water Network Act, creates a grant program administered by MEMA to help counties and rural water systems maintain drinking water access during emergencies. It provides funding for equipment like water transport trucks, transfer systems, and training for water operators and first responders to quickly establish emergency water distribution points. The program, funded by ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds, requires projects to be completed by December 2026 and mandates annual reports to the governor and legislature. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted into 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 196 increases Mississippi's threshold for requiring performance bonds and general liability insurance on public works contracts. It raises the contract value from $25,000 to $75,000 for local government projects (cities/counties) before a performance bond is required, allowing lump-sum payments instead for smaller contracts. For contracts exceeding $75,000 with local governments or $5,000 with the state, contractors must provide $1 million in general liability insurance, and general contractors become liable if subcontractors lack adequate coverage. This bill directly affects contractors bidding on public construction, alteration, or repair work, and public entities like cities, counties, and the state. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1462 would have removed the requirement for hunters to pay landowners restitution (between $100-$250 per animal) for unlawfully taking whitetail deer on private property without permission. It would have kept all other penalties intact, including fines, loss of hunting privileges, and seizure of unlawfully taken animals. Landowners would still retain the right to pursue civil lawsuits for property damage caused by trespassing hunters. The bill, which died in committee on February 4, 2025, did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1092 proposed to amend Mississippi's Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program by removing a restriction that previously limited counties to receiving funding for no more than eight rounds of fire trucks. The bill would have allowed counties and municipalities to apply for additional matching funds beyond the eight-round cap, enabling them to secure more fire trucks under the program. Specifically, it aimed to eliminate the requirement that a county must have received funding for only eight or fewer rounds to qualify for further assistance. This change would directly affect rural Mississippi counties and municipalities seeking to replace aging fire equipment, with funds covering up to $90,000 per fire truck for eligible purchases meeting NFPA standards. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.