Rep. Gene Newman

Maddy summaryHB 532 requires Mississippi's Office of Healthy Schools to create a statewide salary schedule for school nurses based on their education and experience. All public school districts must use this schedule as the minimum pay rate when hiring school nurses. The bill directly affects school districts across Mississippi and school nurses employed in public schools. It establishes a standardized pay structure to ensure consistent compensation, replacing district-specific salary decisions with a state-mandated minimum. The schedule becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1656, the STRONG Act, would provide tax benefits and health care support for Mississippi National Guard members and their families. It increases income tax exemptions for Guard and Reserve members, creates a $250 annual credit against motor vehicle taxes for service members and their spouses, and establishes a program to reimburse National Guard members for Tricare Reserve Select health insurance premiums. The Adjutant General would administer the program and report its progress to the legislature. The bill passed the legislature in February 2025 but died on calendar before becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 1216 appropriated $1.5 million from the State General Fund to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (as fiscal agent for the Office of Workforce Development) to fund the Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Grant Program. The program was intended to provide scholarships for individuals pursuing paramedic careers, directly benefiting prospective paramedics in Mississippi seeking education and training. The funding would have covered the 2025-2026 fiscal year (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), with the Department of Employment Security managing the disbursement. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 155 is a procedural bill that would have allocated $600,000 from the state general fund to the City of Pearl for constructing a traffic signal at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 468 and Murray Drive during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). The bill specifically provided funding to cover costs associated with this infrastructure project. It did not advance beyond the Appropriations Committee, dying there on February 26, 2025. As a funding measure, it directly affected the City of Pearl’s ability to complete the traffic signal construction.

Maddy summaryHB 1853 authorizes Mississippi to issue general obligation bonds to fund the construction, equipment, and upgrades of an infectious disease testing lab at the Mississippi Blood Services Building in Flowood. The funds would specifically support the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency in establishing this lab to handle infectious disease testing for organ recovery. The bill outlines bond issuance procedures, repayment terms using state funds, and specifies that proceeds must be used solely for the lab's construction and related costs. This is a funding mechanism, not direct appropriations, and the bill died in committee before becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 189 authorizes the State of Mississippi to issue general obligation bonds to provide funding for the City of Pearl to repair, renovate, and upgrade its city hall complex and related facilities. The bill would allow the State Bond Commission to sell these bonds, with the full faith and credit of Mississippi pledged for repayment, and direct the bond proceeds exclusively to cover the city hall project costs. This would directly affect the City of Pearl by providing state financial assistance for its municipal infrastructure improvements. The bill does not create new policies or regulations but establishes a specific funding mechanism for a local government project.

Maddy summaryHB 190 imposes a $3.50 tax on each motor vehicle charged at public alternative-fuel fueling stations (specifically electric vehicle charging stations open to the public). The station owner collects this tax at the time of charging and remits it to the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Revenue from this tax is distributed identically to gasoline and diesel fuel tax revenue - allocated to the same programs (like road maintenance) in the same proportions as the previous fiscal year. The tax applies only to public charging stations and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 156 authorizes the State of Mississippi to issue bonds to provide funds for the City of Pearl to cover costs of building a traffic signal at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 468 and Murray Drive. The bill creates a process for the State Bond Commission to issue bonds, with proceeds transferred directly to the city for this specific infrastructure project. It does not create new traffic regulations or safety standards but provides financial assistance for the signal installation. The bill affects the City of Pearl (as the recipient of funds) and Mississippi taxpayers (as bondholders). The legislation is purely procedural, focusing on funding mechanics rather than policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 101 would require Mississippi prosecutors to notify law enforcement officers in writing before sending a "Giglio letter" (a notice to an officer's employer about credibility concerns) or adding an officer to a "Giglio list" (a list of officers deemed untrustworthy for testimony). The notice must detail the issue, allow 30 days for the officer to review evidence and meet with the prosecutor, and include the right to be accompanied by counsel. If a prosecutor proceeds, the officer could appeal the decision to a circuit court for a full review. The bill, which died in committee in February 2025, would have directly affected all law enforcement officers and prosecutors in Mississippi.

Maddy summaryHB 564 creates a process for Mississippi first responders (firefighters, law enforcement officers, and public EMS personnel with 10+ years of service) who test positive for drugs in an initial urinalysis. It requires employers to offer a follow-up hair follicle test within 5 days if the employee contests the results within 2 business days. The first responder pays for the follow-up test initially but gets reimbursed if it returns negative, which would overturn the initial positive result and restore their position. If the follow-up test is positive, the employee bears the cost and faces disciplinary action. This bill establishes clear procedural steps for drug testing disputes but does not change drug policy or employment standards.