Rep. Jeffery Harness

Maddy summaryHB 1365 (Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Act) increases rebates for film productions filming in Mississippi. It raises the base rebate rate from 25% to 40% of eligible costs spent in the state and adds a 10% bonus rebate for productions featuring Mississippi's cultural, historical, or natural landmarks (like Civil Rights sites, blues music history, or the Mississippi River). The bill removes annual caps on rebates for individual productions and total yearly disbursements. This directly affects motion picture production companies that spend at least $50,000 in Mississippi, providing them with higher financial incentives to film there.

Maddy summaryHB 1277, the "Nuclear In Lieu Tax Distribution Equity Act," revises how payments from Mississippi's Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant are distributed. It requires the Department of Revenue to allocate at least 70% of annual nuclear in lieu tax revenue to Claiborne County starting in fiscal year 2027, with specific allocations: 60% for county infrastructure/safety, 25% to Claiborne County Schools, and 15% to Port Gibson. The bill mandates annual adjustments to the distribution formula based on economic impact studies and environmental risk factors, and requires an annual report on collected revenue. It expires on July 1, 2031. The bill directly affects Claiborne County residents, local schools, and Port Gibson through revised funding priorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to allow counties to levy taxes on nuclear-powered electrical generating plants without legislative restrictions. It establishes a special tax valuation method for these plants (classified as "public utility property" at 30% of true value) and ensures counties cannot be denied the right to collect such taxes. The amendment directly affects counties' authority to generate revenue from nuclear facilities and specifies how tax revenue from these plants must be distributed. The change requires voter approval in 2026, as the amendment would revise Section 112 of Mississippi's Constitution.

Maddy summaryHB 1279 requires every Mississippi school district to establish a vocational education program or partner with other districts to jointly operate one, subject to approval by the State Board of Education. It mandates that school boards (or groups of boards) create agreements covering financing, facility management, staffing, and student admission for these programs. The bill specifically targets non-degree vocational training (like trades, health, or business skills) for students, excluding bachelor’s-level programs. This policy change shifts the requirement from voluntary to mandatory for all districts, aiming to expand access to career-focused education.

Maddy summaryHB 1281 requires Mississippi's State Auditor to conduct a 50-year review (1976-2026) comparing all legislative funding to Alcorn State University and Mississippi State University. The bill mandates the auditor to break down every year's appropriations - both general support and specific program funding - by institution. The auditor must submit a detailed report to legislative committees by December 1, 2026, showing total annual funding for each university. This report will provide a historical comparison of state financial support to these two land-grant institutions.

Maddy summaryHB 1346 would create a state-funded program providing $500 annually to Mississippi law enforcement officers who have completed five years of full-time service in the state. The program, administered by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, would apply to sworn, certified officers working for municipalities or counties employing at least one full-time officer. This supplemental payment would be in addition to existing local government pay and could not reduce other compensation. The bill requires that the five years of service must have been completed within Mississippi.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Mississippi counties to tax nuclear power plants without legislative restrictions. It establishes a special tax valuation method for these facilities, treating them as public utilities at 30% of their assessed value (currently under Class IV property). The amendment directly affects counties seeking revenue from nuclear plants and the plants themselves by ensuring counties retain authority to levy taxes without state approval. It modifies existing tax classification rules to explicitly include nuclear facilities under the public utility tax framework.

Maddy summaryHB 1280 reduces penalties for marijuana possession in Mississippi by establishing new, lower sentencing tiers based on the amount possessed. It directly affects individuals convicted of possessing marijuana, replacing previous penalties with maximum punishments of up to 18 months in jail or $1,500 in fines for under 30 grams, and up to 10 years or $10,000 for amounts over 500 grams. The bill amends existing law to create a four-tier system (under 30g, 30-250g, 250g-500g, and 500g-1kg) with progressively higher penalties for larger quantities. These changes apply specifically to simple possession offenses, not sales or other marijuana-related violations. The bill was referred to committee but died there in February 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1349 would have excluded nonviolent offenders from Mississippi's habitual offender sentencing laws, which currently impose mandatory maximum prison terms or life sentences for repeat felony convictions. The bill amended two sections (99-19-81 and 99-19-83) to remove nonviolent offenses from the definition of "crime of violence" used in these penalties and repealed a separate law governing repeat drug offense penalties. This would have directly affected individuals convicted of nonviolent felonies (like many drug offenses) who had prior convictions, preventing them from facing the harshest mandatory sentences under habitual offender statutes. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1267, the Mississippi Retail Marijuana Act, would have authorized the personal use of marijuana for adults aged 21 and older and established a regulatory framework managed by the State Department of Health. The bill required state licensing for marijuana businesses (including retail stores, cultivation facilities, and manufacturers), mandated a seed-to-sale tracking system for all products, and prohibited public consumption, sales to minors, and driving under the influence. It created a "Marijuana Cash Fund" to hold revenue from licensing fees and fines, while also setting requirements for vendor training and age verification. The bill aimed to regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol, focusing on consumer safety and tax revenue.