Rep. Omeria Scott

Maddy summaryHB 227 requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services, State Department of Health, and Division of Medicaid to create a 20-minute video covering nutrition, healthy eating, obesity prevention, and breastfeeding benefits. The video must be offered in agency offices and on websites to applicants and recipients of TANF, SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and CHIP benefits. It must include specific topics like dietary guidelines, physical activity recommendations, breastfeeding tips, and local resources, with annual updates. The video must be available by January 1, 2028, and the law clarifies that breastfeeding information is included in this single video rather than requiring separate materials.

Maddy summaryHB 235 creates a scholarship program for former Mississippi college athletes who did not complete a bachelor's degree, allowing them to pursue teaching degrees at state institutions. The scholarship covers full tuition, fees, and living costs (up to the maximum state institution rate) for up to three years, but recipients must teach in Mississippi public schools for 1-5 years after graduation, depending on how many years of scholarship they received. Failure to complete the teaching obligation or the degree requires repayment plus interest at the Stafford Loan rate. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 199 changes Mississippi's penalty for simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana from a criminal offense to a civil penalty. Instead of facing potential jail time (up to 3 years) or a $3,000 fine, individuals caught with this amount would now receive a civil fine only. The bill amends Section 41-29-139 to specify this reduced penalty for small amounts and updates Section 21-23-7 to give municipal courts authority to handle these civil violations. This policy shift directly affects people possessing 30 grams or less of marijuana without criminal charges.

Maddy summaryHB 201, the "Donald J. Trump Ban-the-Box Act," prohibits Mississippi public employers (including state agencies, colleges, hospitals, and government institutions) from asking about an applicant’s criminal history before an interview. It requires employers to delay criminal history inquiries until after a conditional job offer and to consider factors like the offense’s severity, time elapsed since the offense, and relevance to the job before denying employment. The bill also bans disqualification based solely on unconvicted arrests and mandates employers to inform applicants of adverse decisions tied to background checks and allow applicants to dispute inaccuracies. This law directly affects public hiring practices across Mississippi state government and public institutions, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 226 would have expanded Mississippi's Medicaid program to include low-income adults who qualify for coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), specifically those with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. This change would directly affect low-income adults aged 19-64 who previously did not meet Mississippi's existing Medicaid eligibility criteria. The bill aimed to amend two sections of state law to align Mississippi's Medicaid rules with the ACA's expanded eligibility standards and include essential health benefits for these new enrollees. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted into law.

Maddy summaryHB 237 would create a STEM pilot program for high-performing math students in grades 4-8 within 13 Delta region school districts plus Jasper, Clarke, and Jones Counties. The program requires schools to offer career presentations, employer field trips, college visits, and scholarship information to motivate students toward STEM fields. Participating districts must annually report student participation, academic progress, and program activities to the State Department of Education, which will compile these reports for legislative review by 2029. The bill aims to address Mississippi’s STEM workforce shortages by exposing students early to career opportunities and academic pathways.

Maddy summaryHB 232 establishes the Specialty Doctors to Rural Hospitals Grant Program to ensure rural hospitals in Mississippi have access to specialty doctors when major hospitals are on diversion (unable to accept more patients). The Mississippi Department of Health would administer grants to eligible rural hospitals (defined as having 50 or fewer acute beds), distributing funds based on factors like hospital size, distance from major hospitals, local health demographics, and specific specialty needs. The program requires the Department to create payment rules and regulations to support this goal, with implementation planned for July 1, 2026. However, the bill died in committee in February 2026 and has not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Mississippi's Medicaid program to apply for federal waivers to eliminate waiting lists for home and community-based care services. It specifically targets older adults and people with disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. The bill directs Medicaid to use existing funds to provide these services immediately upon waiver approval, removing current delays in access. (Note: This bill died in committee in 2026 and did not become law.)

Maddy summaryHB 229 requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a process for selecting subgrantees (organizations receiving state grant funds) that ensures these recipients reflect the demographic makeup of the community eligible for each specific grant program. It directly affects DHS, which must implement this process when awarding grants, and the subgrantees that apply for or receive those funds. The key provision mandates DHS to develop and use this demographic reflection process during subgrantee selection. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 228, a proposed Mississippi bill, would require unemployed SNAP and TANF recipients aged 18+ to take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education). If they score below 12th-grade level in any subject, they must enroll in a community college remedial program and retake the test until they meet the standard. The bill, which died in committee in February 2026, would have taken effect July 1, 2026, but is not currently law. It directly affects low-income adults receiving food assistance or cash aid who are not working.