Rep. Vince Mangold

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial House Resolution (HR 33), not a legislative bill with policy changes. It formally commends Abbey Harty, a Canadian rodeo competitor from Saskatchewan, for being crowned Miss Rodeo Canada 2026. The resolution highlights her decade of rodeo involvement, recovery from a serious injury, work in healthcare, and roles with Canadian rodeo associations. It does not create new laws, impose obligations, or affect any policies or individuals beyond expressing the Mississippi House of Representatives' recognition.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 30), not a policy bill. It formally commends and congratulates Mrs. Juanita Pauline Smith Burns on the centennial anniversary of her birth (February 19, 2026), recognizing her life as a Mississippi resident, mother, church member, and community pillar. The resolution highlights her upbringing, marriage, decades of work (including 34 years at Kellwood), family, and service at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. It has no policy impact or effect on laws, regulations, or any group of people beyond honoring one individual. The Mississippi House of Representatives will present a copy to Mrs. Burns.

Maddy summaryHB 971 clarifies that Mississippi landowners who allow recreational use of their property (including ATVs and off-road vehicles) maintain legal immunity from liability for injuries, as long as they don’t charge fees or operate concessions. The bill expands the definition of "outdoor recreational purposes" in state law to explicitly include ATVs and off-road vehicles, aligning with existing immunity protections. It maintains that landowners owe no duty of care for safety or hazardous conditions, unless the injury was deliberate or malicious. This change directly affects landowners who host recreational users and users of ATVs/off-road vehicles on private property.

Maddy summaryHB 973 amends Mississippi law to remove possession of a stolen firearm (when committed knowingly or intentionally) from the exclusive jurisdiction of youth courts. This change means minors charged with this specific offense would now be handled directly in circuit court, not youth court. The bill applies to cases where a minor knowingly possesses a firearm that was stolen, which would be a felony if committed by an adult. This policy shift affects minors accused of this particular offense by moving their cases to adult criminal court proceedings. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 974 clarifies that a divorce automatically revokes an ex-spouse as a life insurance beneficiary for all policy designations made on or after July 1, 2026. It directly affects individuals who divorce after this date and have designated their ex-spouse as a life insurance beneficiary, ensuring the ex-spouse no longer receives benefits unless the divorce decree specifically reinstates them, the insured redesignates them, or the beneficiary is designated for a child. The bill specifies that insurers must pay proceeds to the named alternative beneficiary or the insured's estate if the ex-spouse's designation is invalid under this rule. This change applies only to designations created on or after the effective date, not to prior policies.

Maddy summaryHB 839 amends Mississippi law to give local governments (like cities or counties) discretion to suspend utility shutoffs during emergencies, rather than requiring the Governor to make that decision. It directly affects utility customers and local officials who manage emergency responses. The key change revises Section 33-15-11 by modifying the Governor’s emergency authority under subsection (b)(4)(d), shifting decision-making power from the Governor to local governing authorities regarding utility service suspensions. This change allows local officials to determine if suspending shutoffs is necessary for public safety during declared emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 1070 removes a prohibition that previously prevented the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) from providing security at two specific locations: the Mississippi Department of Agriculture building at 121 North Jefferson Street and the new Farmers Market Building at High and Jefferson Streets in Jackson. The bill authorizes DPS to post security personnel, conduct regular vehicle patrols, and respond to security system alarms at these properties through a contract with the Department of Agriculture. This is a procedural change to enable existing security services at these state-owned facilities, without altering broader security policies or affecting other entities.

Maddy summaryHB 1071 would authorize Mississippi's Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce to issue subpoenas for department hearings and require witnesses to appear or produce documents, with enforcement through circuit courts. It also allows the Bureau of Plant Industry to seek court-issued administrative inspection and search warrants when denied access to regulated facilities (like farms or agribusinesses), detailing how warrants must be obtained, executed, and documented. The bill specifies that warrants require probable cause showing a public interest in enforcement, must be served during business hours, and include strict procedures for seizing property and documenting inventory. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and would have directly affected licensed agricultural entities subject to the Bureau’s oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill would add kratom to Mississippi's Schedule III controlled substances under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. It directly affects individuals who use or sell kratom products in Mississippi, as possession or distribution would become regulated under state law. The key mechanism is reclassifying kratom as a Schedule III substance, placing it alongside drugs like ketamine and certain barbiturates with recognized medical use but potential for abuse. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and is not currently law.

Maddy summaryHB 1100, the "Mississippi Teachers' Bill of Rights," would require teachers to create annual classroom management plans and grant teachers immediate authority to remove students for disruptive, threatening, or dangerous conduct (like persistent refusal to follow directions or verbal outbursts) without prior administrative approval. It mandates schools to notify parents about removal authority, establish clear timelines for plan approvals, and ensure removed students are placed under supervised administrative control - not suspended - while requiring written documentation and behavioral support plans for repeated removals. The bill directly affects Mississippi teachers, students, and school administrators by clarifying classroom management procedures, prohibiting principal interference with teacher removal decisions, and protecting teachers from retaliation for using these rights. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.