Rep. Clay Mansell

Maddy summaryHB 4012 extends the expiration date of a 2% restaurant sales tax in Clinton, Mississippi, from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2030. The tax applies to restaurants within Clinton’s city limits and funds tourism promotion, parks, and recreation programs. It requires city officials to hold a voter election before implementation and mandates that collected revenue be tracked separately from general city funds. This extension ensures continued funding for local tourism and recreational projects beyond the original 2026 deadline.

Maddy summaryHB 1677 creates the Metro Jackson Water Authority to manage Jackson's water and wastewater systems, directly affecting Jackson residents and the City of Jackson government. The bill requires the new authority to negotiate a lease agreement with the city to take over operations, replacing the current court-appointed interim manager. It establishes a board of directors, authorizes bond issuance for funding, and outlines financial management rules, including tax exemptions for authority assets. The legislation responds to ongoing water system issues highlighted by a 2022 federal complaint and court orders.

Maddy summaryHB 1475 clarifies the process for transferring ownership of land sold at tax sales in Mississippi. It specifies that tax sale buyers receive "perfect fee simple title" to the land and any property on it immediately after the redemption period ends if they demand a deed within 10 working days. If no buyer claims the deed within 90 days of written notice to the last two redeemers, the land transfers to the state, with the Secretary of State gaining full ownership free of liens. This affects property owners with unpaid taxes and individuals who purchase land at tax sales, streamlining title resolution under Sections 27-45-23 and 27-45-21 of the Mississippi Code.

Maddy summaryHB 1404 creates a new criminal offense called "fraudulent utility conversion" in Mississippi, making it illegal for landlords to pocket tenant payments for utilities without paying the provider, causing service interruptions. Landlords convicted face penalties ranging from up to six months in jail and $1,000 fines for under $1,000 in unpaid utilities, to up to 20 years in prison and $50,000 fines for amounts over $25,000. The bill also explicitly adds utility payments to a landlord’s legal duties under existing law (Section 89-8-23) and requires courts to order landlords to reimburse tenants for unpaid utility fees plus related costs like medical or food expenses. This directly affects landlords who fail to pay utilities and tenants who lose service due to this failure, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 designates a one-mile segment of Mississippi Highway 537 in Yazoo County as the "Colonel Donnell Berry Memorial Highway" to honor Colonel Donnell Berry. The Mississippi Department of Transportation will install and maintain signage along this highway segment. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026. This is a commemorative designation with no policy or funding changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1532, the "Mississippi Business Filing Fraud Prevention Act," establishes a process to address fraudulent business filings, directly affecting business entities (like corporations, partnerships, and LLCs) and individuals involved in filing records. It requires a "complainant" (a person connected to the business or filing) to submit a verified declaration to the Secretary of State's Office alleging unauthorized changes to business records or identity theft in filings. The Office then notifies the "filer" to respond within 30 days; failure to respond results in the filing being deemed fraudulent and a final order issued. If the filer responds, the Office reviews evidence, may request additional information, and issues a final determination on fraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Mississippi Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau officers to retain their issued sidearm upon retirement, instead of returning it to the agency. It amends Section 45-9-133 of Mississippi law to explicitly permit these officers to keep one firearm as personal property when retiring under the Public Employees' Retirement System. The policy change directly affects current and future retirement of officers employed by the Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 999 establishes the Mississippi Parkinson's Disease Research Registry within the State Department of Health to track the incidence and prevalence of Parkinson's disease and related conditions (Parkinsonisms) across the state. It requires movement disorder centers and certified healthcare providers treating these conditions to submit patient data to the registry starting January 1, 2027, with patients able to opt out of data collection. The registry will collect epidemiological data while keeping all information confidential, and the Department must make anonymized data available to approved researchers. The bill also mandates public website updates, annual reports to health committees, and requires the State Health Officer to appoint an advisory committee with patient and medical expertise to guide the registry.

Maddy summaryHB 1126 increases base teacher salaries by $5,000 annually starting with the 2026-2027 school year, with an additional $3,000 annual supplement for licensed special education teachers and $6,000 for certified occupational therapists and school psychologists. It also raises assistant teachers' pay by $5,000 and caps superintendent salaries at 250% of equivalent teacher pay, including district supplements. The bill includes related provisions for retirement benefits for first responders and revised roles for student success coaches, but its core focus is direct compensation increases for educators.

Maddy summaryHB 897 creates the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness within Mississippi’s Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop strategies reducing homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization. The task force, composed of state agency leaders and legislative members, must create a state plan to improve housing stability and health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness, recommend policy changes, and submit annual reports to the Governor and legislature. It also establishes a Community Advisory Council on Homelessness to advise the task force, with members including community advocates. The bill directly affects people experiencing homelessness by aiming to strengthen service coordination and housing support systems across state agencies.