Rep. Price Wallace

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending Mississippi's Constitution to add human trafficking, sexual battery, child exploitation, and commercial sexual activity to the list of crimes that result in loss of voting rights. It simultaneously removes bribery, theft, obtaining money under false pretense, perjury, forgery, and bigamy from that list. The change would directly affect individuals convicted of these specific crimes, altering which offenses permanently prevent voting eligibility. The amendment would take effect July 1, 2025, and be submitted to voters in November 2026.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 18), not a policy bill. It formally commends Lilly Overby, a Simpson County Academy student from Mendenhall, Mississippi, for being named the 2024-2025 Gatorade Mississippi Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. The resolution highlights her athletic achievements (including an unbeaten season and state championship), academic record (3.68 GPA), and community service. It has no policy impact or legal effect - it simply expresses the Mississippi House of Representatives' recognition of her accomplishments.

Maddy summaryHB 204 amends Mississippi law to require that at least three of the five members appointed to the State Parole Board must have at least five years of prior experience as law enforcement officers. This change directly affects who is eligible for appointment to the Parole Board, replacing the previous requirement with a specific law enforcement background mandate. The bill updates Section 47-7-5 of the Mississippi Code to implement this membership requirement, effective January 1, 2028. The provision does not alter the board's duties, such as parole decisions or electronic monitoring programs, which remain governed by existing statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 205 gives school district levying authorities (like county boards) discretion to approve or partially approve school board requests for ad valorem tax increases, rather than requiring automatic referendums for all increases over 55 mills. It modifies Mississippi law so that if a levying authority approves a tax increase that would exceed the current millage rate, a referendum is only required if the approved amount would raise the rate. The bill directly affects school districts seeking funding and their local levying authorities. Key changes include removing the automatic referendum requirement for approved increases and clarifying that referendums are not needed if the requested increase doesn't raise the current millage rate.

Maddy summaryHB 1256 requires Mississippi's State Department of Education to assign a qualified licensed dyslexia therapy teacher supervisor to every county by July 2025. These supervisors must develop interventions for students diagnosed with dyslexia, implement evidence-based strategies (including the 3-Tier Instructional Model), and provide training using standards from the International Dyslexia Association. The bill also mandates a program using "dyslexia data coaches" in willing school districts to improve reading instruction, with coaches focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, and data analysis. This directly affects students with dyslexia in Mississippi public schools, particularly those in counties identified as having the highest need based on reading assessment data.

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.

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 1448 would increase the daily fee paid to circuit clerks for attending court sessions from $50 to $85 per day. This change applies specifically to "each day's attendance upon the circuit court term" for clerks and necessary deputies, with counties covering the cost. The bill directly affects county governments (as payers of the fee) and circuit clerks (as recipients). The fee adjustment, if enacted, would take effect July 1, 2025. (Note: The bill died in committee and did not become law.)

Maddy summaryHB 1096 allows the Town of D'Lo to redirect funds originally designated for specific road projects to other streets within the town. This procedural bill amends existing funding allocation language to provide flexibility for local street improvements. It directly affects the Town of D'Lo by changing how its allocated road project funds may be used. The bill does not create new funding or alter policy, only authorizes a reallocation of existing funds.

Maddy summaryHB 203 requires the Mississippi State Parole Board to send parole hearing notices for homicide cases via trackable certified mail to both the immediate family members and any designated family member of the victim. This change applies to all parole hearings for offenders convicted of homicide, ensuring victims' families receive official notification 30 days before the hearing. The bill specifically amends existing law to mandate certified mail (with return receipt) instead of standard mail for these notices, improving delivery reliability. It directly affects homicide victims' families and the Parole Board's notification process, with no other policy changes.