Maddy summaryHB 552 prohibits medical providers (like doctors, hospitals, and nurse practitioners) and medical malpractice insurers from requiring patients or healthcare providers to agree to arbitration as a condition for receiving medical care or insurance coverage. The bill bans providers from denying care or insurers from withholding coverage based on mandatory arbitration agreements, with penalties including license suspension for providers and insurance violations for insurers. It amends Mississippi law to explicitly define this practice as unfair or deceptive, aligning with existing insurance regulations. The bill would have directly affected patients seeking care, healthcare providers, and medical insurance companies in Mississippi.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 548 would have capped noneconomic damages (like pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life) for certain serious injury cases in Mississippi. It set specific limits: $500,000 for medical malpractice, $1 million for most other civil cases, and $3 million for cases involving catastrophic injuries, illnesses, or death (defined as severe conditions like spinal cord injuries, amputations, severe brain injuries, or burns covering significant body surface). The bill, which died in committee in February 2025, would have applied to cases filed on or after January 1, 2025, but did not change how economic damages (like medical bills) are calculated. This is a procedural policy change affecting only the amount recoverable for non-financial harms in specific lawsuits.
Maddy summaryHB 147 proposed to amend Mississippi's driver's license law by explicitly exempting county and municipal employees from needing a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) when operating vehicles owned by their local government for work duties. The bill would have expanded the existing exemption for "vehicles and equipment owned or operated by local county and municipal governing authorities" to clarify that employees performing job-related tasks - like transporting supplies or equipment to work sites - would not require a CDL. This change would directly affect government workers operating local vehicles (e.g., road maintenance crews, sanitation staff) but not apply to vehicles used for commercial purposes. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 1250 would revise Mississippi's campaign finance laws by clarifying key terms like "corporation" and "corporate contribution," shifting enforcement authority for fines from the Mississippi Ethics Commission to the Secretary of State, and requiring complete, legible campaign finance reports to be posted on the Secretary of State's website. The bill also adds perjury penalties for false filings and revises civil/criminal penalties for violations, including increasing penalties for accepting illegal corporate contributions. It directly affects candidates, political committees, and corporations making political contributions. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 144 requires all Mississippi governmental entities - including state agencies and local governments - to maintain a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance coverage for claims under the Tort Claims Act. This applies to all claims involving injuries caused by government actions, such as vehicle accidents or facility incidents. The bill mandates that the Tort Claims Board must approve each entity's insurance plan to ensure it meets this $500,000 minimum. This change updates existing coverage requirements to establish a uniform minimum standard for all entities facing tort claims.
Maddy summaryHB 10 would have required Mississippi to maintain health insurance coverage under the state and school employees' health plan for state workers who file workers' compensation claims. Specifically, it would have prevented state employees from being removed from the health insurance plan solely because they filed a claim, and mandated that the state continue paying its share of the premium during the workers' compensation benefit period. The bill aimed to ensure continuous health coverage for affected employees without gaps during their claims process. This legislation died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 148, the "Safeguarding Teens from Out-of-State (Abortion) Procedures (STOP) Act," makes it a felony to assist a minor (under 18) in obtaining an abortion or abortion-inducing drugs while concealing the procedure from their parents or guardians. It specifically targets actions like providing transportation, shelter, or money to help minors travel to another state for an abortion, punishable by 20+ years in prison or fines up to $500,000. The law explicitly states that abortions performed out-of-state do not excuse liability, and parental consent is a valid defense against prosecution. Civil lawsuits for damages are also permitted, though the bill clarifies it does not create a right to abortion or override existing state abortion laws.
Maddy summaryHB 146 amends Mississippi's Tort Claims Act to clarify who qualifies as a "covered employee" for claims against state entities. It requires employees working for non-covered entities (like certain private contractors or charter schools) to register with the Tort Claims Board *before* any tortious conduct occurs, or they will not be considered covered employees. The bill also changes the statute of limitations to start when a plaintiff is notified an employee is covered, rather than when the incident happened. Additionally, it mandates the Tort Claims Board maintain a comprehensive list of employees from non-covered entities. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 143 amends Mississippi's drug trafficking law to include "dosage units" as a measurement standard alongside weight for sentencing. It defines a "dosage unit" as a pill, capsule, or 1 milliliter of liquid (with special rules for LSD), requiring prosecutors to use either weight or dosage units to determine penalties. This directly affects individuals convicted of drug trafficking by altering how prosecutors categorize the amount of drugs involved - e.g., a small quantity of pills might be measured in dosage units instead of grams. The bill updates existing penalty tiers for Schedule I-V drugs (like opioids, marijuana, and synthetic cannabinoids) to reference both metrics, ensuring sentences align with the drug's form. The measure was introduced but died in committee in February 2025.
Maddy summaryThis Mississippi bill updates the rules for absentee voting to streamline the process for in-person voters and expand access for specific groups. It requires that application forms and witness certificates be printed directly on the ballot envelope for those who vote in person at the registrar's office, while also allowing on-call workers and people incarcerated for non-disenfranchising crimes to request absentee ballots. The legislation further clarifies that a signature mismatch will not lead to a ballot being rejected if it was cast in person, and it mandates that mail-in ballots must be returned only by mail or common carrier. Additionally, the bill updates the text of several existing state codes to ensure they align with these new procedures and requirements.