Rep. Omeria Scott

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Mississippi's State Department of Health to issue a multispecialty certificate of need for an existing ambulatory surgical center in Canton, bypassing standard review requirements. It specifically applies to this Canton facility and does not alter statewide certificate of need rules for other providers. The bill authorizes the health department to issue the certificate without the usual application process for new facilities or expansions.

Maddy summaryHB 274 creates a program allowing Mississippi assistant teachers to receive tuition assistance by waiving part of their salary. Eligible current assistant teachers (with 5+ years experience, enrolled full-time in an accredited Mississippi college with 2 years left to graduate, maintaining a 2.5 GPA) can have their salary portion (equal to the state minimum) paid directly toward tuition instead of their paycheck. To qualify, they must pass a standardized teaching exam, sign a commitment to teach in Mississippi for the duration of their degree, and fulfill a teaching obligation afterward. The State Board of Education will administer the program and report annually on teacher vacancies and provisional license hires.

Maddy summaryThis bill would provide financial incentives for experienced teachers to move from higher-performing schools to lower-performing schools in Mississippi. It would offer a salary supplement, plus reimbursement for moving and interviewing expenses, to teachers with five or more years of experience in "A," "B," or "C"-designated schools who choose to relocate to an "F"-designated school within an "F"-designated district. The bill amends existing education code to create this incentive program, directly affecting teachers with significant experience who might consider moving from successful schools to schools with the lowest performance ratings. The policy aims to address staffing challenges in underperforming school districts by creating financial motivation for experienced educators to relocate.

Maddy summaryHB 351 revises Mississippi's rules for appointing election commissioners in cities. It requires cities to appoint 3, 5, or 7 commissioners based on population size (under 20,000, 20,000-100,000, or over 100,000 residents, respectively), with appointments made at least one year before elections. Commissioners must submit a signed acceptance letter to the Secretary of State and complete a training seminar and skills assessment. The bill also updates procedures for cities to contract with county election officials to handle municipal elections.

Maddy summaryHB 249 establishes a standardized 14-day early voting period for all Mississippi elections (including primaries, general, runoff, special, and municipal), beginning 14 days before election day and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before election day. It requires early voting to occur at county registrar offices during regular business hours, with additional locations mandated for every 30,000 county voters, and mandates posting voting hours in three public places (including courthouses) at least eight days in advance. The bill prohibits voters from casting absentee ballots in person at registrar offices and requires all early voting ballots to be processed and counted identically to election-day ballots. This bill directly affects all Mississippi voters participating in elections by expanding early voting access while maintaining existing voter ID requirements and ballot procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 516 prohibits municipal executive committee members and primary election officials appointed by them from campaigning for, fundraising for, endorsing, or otherwise supporting candidates on municipal primary election ballots. This directly affects elected and appointed officials involved in managing municipal primary elections across Mississippi. The bill specifies that violating this rule constitutes a misdemeanor, resulting in removal from office and penalties under Mississippi law. It amends existing election code sections to enforce this restriction and aligns with broader election integrity provisions.

Maddy summaryThe bill text provided does not include the specific amendment language for HB 283. While the bill title states it aims to "revise the age for expunction of misdemeanors," the attached bill text only shows the current, unamended version of Section 21-23-7 (which includes a general expungement provision for misdemeanors after two years of good conduct), not the proposed changes. Without the actual amendment text or details on how the age requirement would be revised, a factual summary cannot be generated. The context lacks sufficient information to describe the bill's concrete policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 275 would allow qualified Mississippi voters to register to vote and cast their ballot on the same day as an election. To register, voters must go in person to a designated location (chosen by county election commissioners), present photo ID and proof of address, and sign an affirmation confirming they haven’t voted before. Approved registrants receive a special ballot marked "election day registration," which is counted like an absentee ballot. This policy directly affects unregistered Mississippi residents who wish to vote on election day but do not meet current registration deadlines.

Maddy summaryHB 352 designates June 19 (Juneteenth National Independence Day) as a legal holiday in Mississippi, adding it to the state's list of recognized holidays under Section 3-3-7 of the Mississippi Code. This change directly affects state government operations, public schools, and many businesses, requiring them to close on June 19 unless it falls on a weekend, in which case the following Monday becomes the observed holiday. The bill also clarifies existing rules for celebrating holidays that fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Mississippi would join 47 other states and the District of Columbia that have established Juneteenth as a public holiday.

Maddy summaryHB 379 creates a 17-member Children's Advocacy Commission to coordinate and streamline Mississippi's existing services for children. The commission will map all state and federal funding for children's health, safety, education, and well-being; assess program effectiveness; and recommend merging, continuing, or ending services. It requires all state agencies and local programs providing child services to submit annual itemized lists of their programs, which the Stennis Institute will compile for the commission. The commission must report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature by December 1 each year.