Rep. Omeria Scott

Maddy summaryHB 31 would increase annual salaries for Mississippi state employees based on their current salary ranges, effective July 1, 2025. Employees earning under $25,000 would receive a $2,500 raise, while those earning $25,000-$35,000 would get $1,500, $35,000-$50,000 would get $1,000, and those over $50,000 would get $500. The bill prevents raises that would exceed an employee’s agency head’s salary or the top pay for their job classification, requiring the State Personnel Board to adjust job classifications if needed. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 382 creates a scholarship program in Mississippi to help former collegiate athletes who did not complete a bachelor's degree pursue teaching credentials. The program covers tuition, room, meals, books, and fees for up to three years at a state university for eligible individuals who commit to teaching in Mississippi public schools after earning a teaching license. Recipients must teach for one to five years depending on how many scholarships they receive (one year for one scholarship, five years for three scholarships), with repayment required if they fail to complete the program or teaching obligation. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning administers the program, prioritizing applicants who previously received scholarships.

Maddy summaryHB 383 requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services (DHS) to restart a program providing nutritionally balanced meals to older residents in community settings, such as senior centers. It directly affects older Mississippians who previously received meals at congregate sites but lost access when the program ended. The bill mandates DHS to reinstate this specific service without new funding or structural changes, restoring an existing program. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 375, the "Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement Act," aims to reduce Mississippi high school dropout rates and increase graduation rates, directly affecting public school districts - especially those designated as "high priority" due to low graduation outcomes. Key provisions require the State Department of Education's new Office of Dropout Prevention to collaborate with school districts, analyze dropout data, identify underperforming districts, and provide technical assistance. The bill mandates schools to notify parents if a student drops out, establish student re-engagement grant programs for districts to fund support services, and compile reports on effective dropout prevention strategies. It also sets a goal of 85% graduation rates for cohort classes and addresses disparities in graduation rates among different student groups.

Maddy summaryHB 276 requires students under 18 to take the ACT test before dropping out of school. If they score below 21 (or below 18 if coming from a school rated "D" or "F"), they must continue attending school until age 18. Parents may face penalties for their child missing school days after this requirement applies. The bill amends Mississippi’s compulsory school attendance law to enforce this ACT score threshold as a condition for dropping out.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled "Donald J. Trump Voting Rights Restoration Act," is misleading - it actually restricts voting rights, not restores them. It would suspend voting for Mississippi residents convicted of specific crimes (including voter fraud, bribery, theft, arson, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, or bigamy) until they complete all sentencing requirements (like parole), excluding murder and rape convictions. The law would require county registrars to remove affected voters from rolls upon conviction and restore rights only after sentencing ends. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law. (Note: The title references Donald J. Trump but contains no policy connection to him.)

Maddy summaryHB 169 would have allowed physically disabled voters in Mississippi to cast absentee ballots from their vehicles at their county registrar's office during regular business hours. The bill required registrars to verify the voter's ID, deliver the ballot to the vehicle, and ensure secrecy (e.g., other passengers exiting the car while the voter marks the ballot). It specified that voters would complete an affidavit and envelope as outlined in the bill, with additional safeguards to prevent ballot rejection. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 278 requires Mississippi's State Board of Education to develop age-appropriate conflict resolution and peer mediation curricula for all public school districts, to be implemented by the 2025-2026 school year. Failing school districts (rated "D" or "F") must have these programs supervised by school resource officers with support from teachers and counselors to address violence and bullying. The bill also mandates that students without prior disciplinary action may choose community service instead of suspension/expulsion for minor infractions, with accompanying youth counseling. These changes amend existing education codes (37-11-54, 37-11-53, and others) to integrate conflict resolution into school discipline policies.

Maddy summaryHB 515 would restore voting rights in Mississippi to individuals convicted of certain crimes (such as vote fraud or other disenfranchising offenses listed in the state constitution) upon completing their prison sentence (including parole) or when sentenced solely to probation. The bill requires election officials to automatically update voter registration systems to remove disqualification status without requiring individuals to apply for restoration. It mandates courts to specify sentence types in certifications to prevent incorrect removals from voter rolls and prohibits removing names for probation-only cases. This change would directly affect thousands of Mississippi residents who have finished their sentences and are now eligible to vote without additional steps.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services (DHS) to create and implement a process for selecting organizations that receive state grant funds, ensuring those organizations reflect the racial, ethnic, and other demographic characteristics of the community they serve. It directly affects DHS and the nonprofits or agencies receiving DHS grants, as they would need to align their selection criteria with local demographic data. The key provision mandates DHS to develop this process based on the eligible population for each specific grant program, without altering existing funding rules. The bill did not advance beyond committee in 2025.