Rep. Gene Newman

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (not a policy bill) commending the Hinds Community College Raymond Cheer Team for winning the 2025 UCA National Championship in the Open Small Co-Ed Game Day Division. It formally recognizes their victory, highlighting their championship performance and resilience, and extends congratulations to the team, coach Kadin Adcox, and Hinds Community College. The resolution has no policy impact or funding provisions - it is purely a symbolic gesture of recognition.

Maddy summaryHB 157 allows Mississippi's Department of Archives and History (MDAH) to approve exemptions from standard repair rules for state-owned properties over 20 years old with historical, cultural, or architectural significance. It requires repairs to replicate original materials and maintain a property's historic appearance, while permitting demolition only if economically beneficial. Properties designated as both Mississippi Landmarks and National Historic Landmarks must follow additional federal and state preservation standards, including written approvals from MDAH and the National Park Service. The bill aims to balance preservation needs with practical repair flexibility for state-owned historic sites.

Maddy summaryHB 193 would delay the disclosure of certain sensitive medical test results to patients via electronic health records for 72 hours after finalization, unless a patient's healthcare provider directs earlier release. It specifically applies to pathology/radiology reports with a reasonable likelihood of indicating cancer or tests revealing genetic markers. The bill, which died in committee in February 2025 and never took effect, aims to prevent immediate patient access to these results while allowing providers to override the delay when clinically appropriate. This would directly affect patients receiving such test results in Mississippi.

Maddy summaryHB 1529 is a procedural bill that reorganizes existing Mississippi code sections (23-15-671 through 23-15-701) related to military absentee voting, moving them to a more logical position in the law for potential future amendments. It does not change voting rights but consolidates provisions defining who qualifies as an "absent voter" (including active-duty military, veterans, dependents, and emergency responders), how they request ballots using federal forms, and administrative details for ballot envelopes and printing. The bill directly affects Mississippi military members, veterans, and their families who vote absentee while serving or living outside their county. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not advance to become law.

Maddy summaryHB 192 would require Mississippi court clerks to automatically suspend a driver's license if a person fails to appear in court for a traffic violation within 30 days of receiving a notice of their missed court date. The bill directs clerks to notify the driver and send their license information to the Department of Public Safety after 30 days of non-appearance, leading to license suspension until the person appears in court or resolves their charges. Drivers could have their licenses reinstated by scheduling a new court date, appearing for their hearing, or having their case resolved, with a possible reinstatement fee. This bill directly affects individuals with unresolved traffic citations who miss their court appearances, creating a standardized process for license suspension and reinstatement.

Maddy summaryHB 586 establishes Mississippi's Early Voting Act, creating standardized early voting periods for all elections (primary, general, runoff, special, municipal). It requires 15 days of early voting ending at noon Saturday before election day, with registrar offices open 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the two preceding Saturdays. The bill mandates 14-day public notice in three locations (including courthouses), sets specific voter ID requirements at early voting locations, and prohibits in-person absentee ballot casting at registrar offices while requiring absentee ballots to be received by 5 p.m. the day before election. This directly affects all qualified Mississippi voters participating in state and local elections.

Maddy summaryHB 161, the "Released-Time Moral Instruction Act of 2025," would have allowed Mississippi public school students to leave campus for religious instruction during the school day, subject to parental consent. School boards could survey students and parents to identify those wanting to attend off-site religious instruction for one hour weekly, without penalizing students for missing regular classes. The bill prohibited schools from hosting or facilitating such instruction on school grounds and required schools to cover only the cost of the initial survey. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law. It directly affected public school students in Mississippi who sought religious instruction with parental permission.

Maddy summaryHB 158, the "Justice for Trafficked Minors Act," would have amended Mississippi law to mandate life imprisonment for individuals convicted of trafficking minors or procuring minors for commercial sex. Specifically, it increased penalties under Sections 97-3-54.1 and 97-29-51 of the Mississippi Code, requiring life sentences for offenses involving minors (instead of up to 20 years) and adding mandatory reporting obligations for suspected minor trafficking cases to Child Protection Services. The bill also prohibited holding minors criminally liable for trafficking situations. This legislation died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 678, the Mississippi Doxxing Prevention Act, prohibits intentionally sharing restricted personal information (like home addresses, phone numbers, or email) of specific protected individuals with the intent to harass or threaten them. It directly affects law enforcement officers, government employees, jurors, witnesses, and informants (defined as "covered persons") by creating criminal penalties: first offenses are misdemeanors (up to 6 months jail or $2,000 fine), while repeat offenses or cases involving violence become felonies (up to 10 years in prison or $10,000 fine). The bill also amends Mississippi’s public records law to exempt the restricted personal information of these covered persons from public disclosure. The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee but died there on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have prevented Mississippi Medicaid from seeking repayment for benefits from ABLE savings accounts established under state law. It specifically protects funds in these accounts - designed for people with disabilities to save without losing eligibility for benefits - from being used to cover Medicaid costs after the account holder's death. The bill amended state laws to ensure ABLE accounts are exempt from estate recovery rules that typically allow Medicaid to reclaim funds from a beneficiary's estate. This change would directly affect Mississippi residents with disabilities who use ABLE accounts to save for future needs while maintaining eligibility for public assistance.