Rep. Oscar Denton

Maddy summaryHB 886 would allow individuals affected by foster care decisions made by Mississippi's Department of Human Services or Child Protection Services to appeal those decisions to their county's chancery court. Specifically, it would authorize people who disagree with placement, custody, or other foster care-related rulings to seek judicial review in their local court. The bill focuses on creating a new legal avenue for appeal, not changing foster care standards or services. It died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 496 amends Mississippi's divorce law by removing the "willful and obstinate" requirement from the desertion ground (simplifying proof for this fault-based divorce reason) and adding a new no-fault ground when a court finds an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage and that further reconciliation attempts are impractical or futile. This change directly affects Mississippi residents seeking divorce, particularly those who previously struggled to meet the desertion standard or wish to pursue divorce without assigning fault. The bill does not alter other existing grounds for divorce, such as adultery or mental illness, but streamlines two specific pathways for ending marriages. The new ground requires a court determination based on objective factors, not speculative outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 590 would include school resource officers (SROs) in Mississippi's law enforcement death benefits program. The bill amends the legal definition of "law enforcement officer" to explicitly cover SROs who die while performing their duties. This change would make SROs eligible for the $100,000 death benefit payment to survivors, which currently applies to other sworn law enforcement officers. The policy change extends existing benefits to SROs without altering the benefit amount or eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1082 would have increased the daily payment for Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board commissioners from $67 to $200 per day for work related to their duties, with a limit of 36 days per fiscal year. This change would directly affect the board members (excluding the president) who serve on the levee board responsible for managing flood protection in the Delta region. The bill also maintained existing provisions for mileage and expenses under Section 25-3-41. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryMississippi's HB 497 automatically expunges certain misdemeanor and felony convictions after specific waiting periods, directly affecting individuals with eligible records. Misdemeanor convictions are automatically cleared 7 years after sentence completion (max 4 convictions), while eligible felonies are cleared 10 years later (max 2 convictions). The bill excludes serious offenses like violent crimes, drug trafficking, repeat DUIs, and sex offender violations from automatic expungement. The Department of Public Safety must implement a computer system by July 1, 2026, to manage these expungements while maintaining separate records for law enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 887 revises Mississippi's habitual offender sentencing laws by establishing a 15-year window to count prior felony convictions (counting from release date if incarcerated) and removing parole eligibility for most habitual offenders. It requires longer prison sentences for those with two prior felonies within 15 years and mandates life imprisonment for individuals convicted of a violent crime with two prior felonies. The bill directly affects convicted felons with prior serious offenses, eliminating parole options except for those convicted before the law's effective date. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 485 amends Mississippi's child support guidelines to update the factors courts must consider when adjusting support amounts beyond standard calculations. It adds specific circumstances that allow judges to deviate from standard guidelines, including extraordinary medical/dental costs, a child's independent income, seasonal income fluctuations, special needs of children (including those over 21), and shared parenting arrangements. The bill also explicitly includes factors like the custodial parent's homemaking services and child care expenses tied to employment. This directly affects parents and courts in Mississippi child support cases by expanding the criteria for tailored support awards.

Maddy summaryHB 493 sets clear time limits for Mississippi's Department of Revenue to collect unpaid taxes through tax liens. For tax liens registered on or after July 1, 2025, the state cannot pursue collection more than 10 years after the lien is registered. For existing liens registered before that date, collection must cease by July 1, 2035. This directly affects taxpayers with unresolved state tax debts, limiting how long the state can legally seek payment through these liens.

Maddy summaryHB 732 would allow Mississippi residents to register to vote automatically when applying for, renewing, or updating a driver's license or state ID at the Department of Public Safety. It requires collecting basic personal information (name, address, date of birth, etc.) during these transactions, with an opt-out option for those who decline registration. If not opted out, the Department forwards the information to the Secretary of State for voter registration processing. The bill does not change voter eligibility requirements but streamlines registration through existing DMV interactions. This bill died in committee on February 4, 2025.