Rep. Fabian Nelson

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the right to vote to Cassidy Alexander of Lamar County, Mississippi, who had previously lost her suffrage due to criminal convictions for forgery and vehicle theft. The legislation formally recognizes that she has served her sentences and has since lived as a law-abiding citizen, removing the legal barrier that prevented her from voting. By passing this act, the Mississippi Legislature officially reinstates her eligibility to participate in elections without requiring any additional steps or conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 4011 extends the expiration date of Jackson's existing convention and visitors tax from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2030. It authorizes an additional 1% tax on hotel and motel sales and a 0.5% tax on restaurant sales within Jackson, but requires a public election before these new rates take effect. The taxes would apply to businesses meeting the $100,000 annual sales threshold in Jackson (excluding small lodgings under 10 units and 501(c)(3) non-profits). This bill directly affects hotels, motels, and qualifying restaurants in Jackson by potentially increasing their tax burden if voters approve the new rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the right to vote to Jeremy Hodges, a resident of Leflore County, Mississippi, who had previously lost his voting rights due to a 2006 conviction for uttering forgery. The legislation states that Hodges has served his sentence and has since behaved as a law-abiding citizen, making him eligible to have his civil rights reinstated. Once enacted, the law takes effect immediately, allowing Hodges to participate in elections without further legal barriers. This measure directly impacts only this individual by removing the legal disqualification stemming from his past criminal conviction.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores the right to vote to Krisi M. Wiening-Cox of Marshall County, Mississippi, who had previously lost her suffrage rights due to a felony conviction for receiving stolen property. The legislation removes her disqualification from voting after she completed her prison sentence and demonstrated lawful behavior since her release in 2012. The act takes effect immediately upon passage and applies specifically to this individual rather than establishing a general policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 1395 revises Mississippi law to clarify how school districts handle unused instructional buildings. It requires charter schools to accept or reject the right of first refusal within 90 days or forfeit the opportunity, limiting this right to instructional buildings only. The bill also mandates that leased property reverts to the school district if the original or approved alternative use ends, with any alternative use needing prior school board approval via formal resolution. These changes aim to streamline property transactions while ensuring clear timelines and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 20 (the first day of spring) as the "Rest Y'all Mississippi Collective Day of Rest" to promote wellness. It encourages voluntary actions by public agencies, businesses, schools, and community groups - such as flexible scheduling or wellness activities - to support rest and reduce stress. The resolution specifically highlights chronic stress impacts on Mississippi residents, particularly Black women, and aligns with health-focused initiatives like those by Black Women DO Heal, Inc. It has no legal force and is purely symbolic, urging awareness without mandating participation.

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 1075 allows Mississippi housing authorities to partner with private developers on affordable housing projects by creating a new "mixed-finance project" category. This combines public funds (state or federal) with private resources like low-income housing tax credits. Housing authorities can now own, operate, or co-manage these projects through partnerships, limited liability companies, or shared liability agreements, while also enabling multiple authorities to collaborate. The bill directly affects housing authorities and private developers, making it easier to develop affordable housing by streamlining public-private financial arrangements.

Maddy summaryHB 660 formalizes salary schedules for Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol (MHP), Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN), and Commercial Traffic Enforcement Division (CTED) officers within the Department of Public Safety. It establishes specific pay rates based on officer rank and years of experience, such as Troopers earning $54,000 for under 4 years and Captains earning up to $104,500 for over 25 years. The bill directly affects sworn law enforcement officers in these divisions by defining their compensation structure through a detailed salary scale. It does not create new salary increases but codifies existing pay classifications for these state law enforcement roles.

Maddy summaryHB 1035, the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, requires all Mississippi public high school students to earn one credit in a computer science course or a career and technical education (CTE) course with embedded computer science before graduation, starting with the 2029-2030 ninth-grade class. The bill mandates that these courses include instruction on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), covering what AI is, how it works, and its societal impact. Students can fulfill this requirement through either a dedicated computer science course or a CTE course approved by the State Board of Education, without increasing the total number of state-required graduation credits. This policy directly affects all Mississippi public high school students and aims to integrate foundational computer science knowledge into graduation requirements.