Rep. Fred Shanks

Maddy summaryHB 565 requires Mississippi law enforcement agencies to report officer resignations and terminations to the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training. Agencies must provide timely notification within a specified timeframe and include an explanation if the resignation or termination resulted from disciplinary action. Failure to report carries penalties, though agencies may appeal the board's decision. This bill directly affects all law enforcement agencies in Mississippi, aiming to improve transparency in officer employment history.

Maddy summaryHB 970 extends the expiration date of a sales tax exemption for the Mississippi's Toughest Kids Foundation, allowing it to continue purchasing tangible personal property and services tax-free for Camp Kamassa in Copiah County. The bill specifically amends Section 27-65-111 to prolong the exemption period for construction, furnishing, and equipping the camp’s buildings and infrastructure. This directly affects the Toughest Kids Foundation and its operations at Camp Kamassa, ensuring continued tax savings for these essential facility improvements. The change modifies an existing exemption that was scheduled to expire, with no new exemptions created.

Maddy summaryHB 961 extends tax credits for businesses using Mississippi ports and airports to handle cargo exports and imports. It allows credits covering specific charges like wharfage at ports and airport handling fees, capped at 50% of income tax liability with a $1.2 million lifetime limit per business. The bill requires the Mississippi Development Authority to annually report on the credits' economic impact, including job creation and shipping volume changes. These credits will expire on July 1, 2028, unless renewed by the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 964 extends the expiration date for Mississippi's Business Finance Corporation bond authority, which allows the corporation to issue bonds to finance economic development projects. This directly affects eligible businesses - such as manufacturers, distribution centers employing 50+ people, or telecom/data processing companies - that seek state financing for location or expansion projects. The bill reenacts existing provisions (Sections 57-10-401 through 57-10-447) and a tax credit (Section 27-7-22.3) to maintain access to these financing tools. The extension prevents these programs from automatically expiring, ensuring continued support for qualifying businesses seeking to establish or grow in Mississippi.

Maddy summaryHB 956 proposes to extend the expiration date of Mississippi's fee limits for real estate broker licenses, currently set to expire on July 1, 2028. The bill would delay when the maximum application and license fees ($100 for brokers, $75 for partnerships) are removed, keeping these caps in place longer. It directly affects real estate brokers, salespersons, and their businesses in Mississippi that pay these licensing fees to the Mississippi Real Estate Commission. The bill does not change the fee amounts but postpones the date when these fee limits would automatically end. The bill passed the House but died in committee and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1316 extends the repeal date for the sections establishing the State Board of Funeral Services from an earlier date to July 1, 2028. It reenacts the existing regulations (Sections 73-11-41 through 73-11-73) that define the Board's duties, powers, and key terms like "funeral establishment" and "cremation." This directly affects the State Board of Funeral Services and funeral service providers in Mississippi by maintaining the current regulatory framework until 2028. The bill does not alter the content of the rules but only prolongs their application period.

Maddy summaryHB 962 extends the expiration date of Mississippi's Energy Academy Act, allowing Vicksburg-Warren and Claiborne County schools to continue partnering with nuclear facilities for career-focused high school programs. The bill authorizes a Partnership Council - including school leaders, nuclear plant representatives, and community members - to manage the program, including student recruitment, curriculum development, and internship opportunities. It also codifies a dedicated fund to cover startup and operational costs, with the program now set to end on July 1, 2028. The act directly affects students in those school districts and the nuclear facility partners in Claiborne County.

Maddy summaryHB 959 extends the expiration date of Mississippi's Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program within the Department of Insurance. The bill directly affects homeowners and business owners in Mississippi's wind-borne debris regions by establishing procedures for wind-resistant construction inspections and linking verified mitigation measures to insurance discounts. Key provisions include requiring cost-benefit studies on wind-resistant building techniques, creating standardized inspection protocols for homes and commercial properties, and enabling insurers to offer premium discounts for properties with certified hurricane-resistant features. The program does not create state funding obligations but provides a framework for insurers and property owners to use verified construction improvements to reduce windstorm damage risk and insurance costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1083 extends the duration of funding mechanisms for Mississippi's Health Care Expendable Fund, which uses tobacco settlement payments to finance health care programs. The bill removes a repealer clause that would have automatically ended these funding rules after a set date, ensuring continued transfers from tobacco settlement funds and the Health Care Trust Fund to the Expendable Fund. This directly affects how state health care funding is managed, as the fund supports Medicaid and other health services through dedicated tobacco revenue. The bill does not change the fund's purpose or allocation rules but prevents their expiration, maintaining current funding streams for health care programs.

Maddy summaryHB 960 extends the requirement that health insurance plans and employer health benefit plans in Mississippi cover telemedicine services (like virtual doctor visits) at the same level as in-person care, keeping this policy in effect beyond July 1, 2028. The bill ensures patients pay no more for telemedicine than for in-person visits (same deductibles, co-pays, and coinsurance) and requires out-of-network telemedicine providers to be reimbursed at the same rate as out-of-network in-person providers. It also specifies billing procedures for telemedicine services using correct medical codes and clarifies that the requirement does not change medical care standards for telemedicine.