Rep. Fred Shanks

Maddy summaryHB 1090 requires counties and municipalities using handheld traffic cameras (defined as "manually operated automated recording equipment") to confirm the driver's identity before issuing fines for traffic violations. It clarifies that officers must verify who was operating the vehicle to enforce traffic laws, such as speeding or signal violations. The bill also specifies that Mississippi will not recognize out-of-state fines from similar systems unless the issuing state participates in the Driver License Compact. These provisions aim to standardize verification processes for traffic enforcement fines.

Maddy summaryHB 1032 would prohibit municipalities, counties, local health authorities, and property owners associations from banning or regulating (including requiring licenses or fees) minors under 18 from occasionally selling lemonade or other nonalcoholic beverages on private property or in public parks. The bill directly affects young people wanting to run small, informal lemonade stands without local government interference. Key provisions prevent local entities from enforcing rules that would restrict such sales, applying specifically to "occasional" sales in public parks or on private property. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 955 extends the expiration date for Mississippi's Pharmacy Practice Act from 2023 to July 1, 2028, ensuring existing pharmacy regulations remain in effect. It reenacts the core provisions of the Pharmacy Practice Act (sections 73-21-71 through 73-21-129), which govern pharmacy operations, licensure, and patient safety standards. The bill also makes minor grammatical corrections to specific sections without altering substantive requirements. This directly affects pharmacists, pharmacy boards, and patients by maintaining current practice rules and disciplinary procedures for violations related to patient care. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1033 clarifies that requests for DNA testing in post-conviction cases are explicitly exempt from Mississippi's bar on second or successive motions for relief. This directly affects individuals convicted of crimes who seek new DNA evidence to challenge their conviction or sentence. The bill amends sections 99-39-23 and 99-39-27 to add DNA testing requests to the list of exceptions already allowing second motions, alongside cases involving new evidence or mental illness before execution. It ensures convicted individuals can pursue DNA testing without being blocked by the usual procedural bar, provided they meet the evidence standards outlined in the law. The bill was introduced but died in committee in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1031 creates a study committee to examine funding options for health insurance coverage for retired certified law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders who have reached retirement age under Mississippi's Public Employees' Retirement System. The committee, composed of nine members including association leaders, state legislators, and retirement system representatives, must complete its work by January 1, 2026. This bill does not change current insurance policies but directs the committee to study how to fully fund health insurance for eligible retirees and provide recommendations to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 969 extends the deadline for a provision allowing the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL Board) to oversee construction and maintenance projects at state colleges funded by general obligation bonds. The bill amends Section 37-101-15 of Mississippi law to delay when this specific authority would expire, without changing the Board's actual responsibilities. This is a procedural adjustment affecting the IHL Board's management of college construction projects, not a substantive policy change. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1444 would revise Mississippi's law regarding confidentiality of law enforcement records involving youth in court. It specifies that records for children arrested for serious offenses (like felonies or weapon-related crimes) must generally remain private, but allows sharing with law enforcement, youth court, and school officials under strict conditions - requiring written requests and signed confidentiality agreements. The bill also states that records for youth convicted as adults or twice adjudicated for certain sex offenses must be made public, and clarifies that driver's license suspension records for youth must be reported to the state commissioner like adult cases. This bill directly affects youth in the juvenile justice system, law enforcement agencies, and school officials handling such records.

Maddy summaryHB 921, the MS ROSS Act, would have created a state-funded program to help Mississippi public and accredited private elementary and secondary schools hire School Resource Officers (SROs). The Mississippi Department of Public Safety would have covered increasing percentages of SRO costs (starting at 30% in 2025-2026 and rising to 70% by 2029-2030), with local law enforcement and school boards responsible for the remaining portion, up to a $55,000 annual cap per SRO. Schools and local agencies would have needed to jointly apply for funding and establish agreements to participate. The bill, which died in committee in February 2025, was never enacted into law.

Maddy summaryHB 1465, the "Right to Know How Safe We Are Act of 2025," would require Mississippi district attorneys' offices to submit annual reports by March 1 each year. These reports would include detailed, non-personal data on how each office handles cases - such as how many cases are accepted for prosecution, dismissed, or resolved through sentencing - organized by crime type. The Attorney General would then compile this data into a statewide, publicly accessible report sortable by jurisdiction and offense. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Mississippi's Occupational Licensing Review Commission is structured and operates. It adds the Lieutenant Governor, Commissioner of Insurance, and State Treasurer to the commission's membership while removing the Attorney General, and requires all proposed occupational regulations to be reviewed by the commission before they can be filed or take effect. The legislation also expands the commission's authority by allowing any member to request assistance from state agencies and permitting a majority vote to call meetings, rather than requiring the chair to do so. Additionally, the bill mandates that the commission must review all submissions within 150 calendar days.