Rep. Chuck Blackwell

Maddy summaryHB 687 exempts boat trailers from Mississippi's highway privilege tax, property tax, and registration and license tag requirements. Boat trailer owners will no longer need to pay these fees or register their trailers with the state. The bill amends specific sections of Mississippi's vehicle tax code to implement this exemption, specifically targeting boat trailers as defined in the law.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (not a policy bill), commending the South Jones High School "Band of Braves" for winning the 2025 Bands of America Class A Grand National Championship. It recognizes the band’s achievements, including state and national awards, and its community service. The resolution formally honors the band members and their director, Brian Joyce, with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents. It serves purely as symbolic recognition by the Mississippi House of Representatives.

Maddy summaryHB 1629 makes it illegal for anyone to knowingly enter a commercial wildlife enclosure or shooting preserve without permission and then kill, injure, or capture exotic livestock. The bill directly affects trespassers who harm animals and provides enhanced legal recourse for facility owners. Key provisions include fines up to $500 or six months in jail for trespassing, additional Class I violation penalties for harming animals, mandatory restitution payments to owners for animal loss (based on replacement value), and civil liability for property damage caused during entry. The bill also defines "commercial wildlife enclosure" as facilities meeting specific size and habitat requirements, and "exotic livestock" as non-native herbivores like deer, antelope, or exotic ruminants raised for meat, sport, or exhibition.

Maddy summaryHB 574 would increase the paid military training leave allowance for Mississippi state and local government employees who are reserve military members, raising the current 30-day limit. The bill requires employers to grant additional leave without loss of pay, time, annual leave, or efficiency rating, and mandates reinstatement to the employee's original position or an equivalent after training. It also establishes a process for enforcement through county or district attorneys if reinstatement is denied. This change would directly affect reserve members working for state agencies, counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions.

Maddy summaryHB 551 prohibits all Mississippi state and local government entities - including agencies, departments, and political subdivisions - from using central bank digital currency (CBDC) for payments, transactions, or government functions. The bill defines CBDC as digital money issued by central banks (like the Federal Reserve) or foreign central banks, while explicitly excluding national currencies, bank deposits, and certain stablecoins. It also amends state law to clarify that "money" does not include CBDC, ensuring government entities cannot adopt such digital currencies. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 659 would allow Mississippi public school districts and charter schools to hire or accept chaplains as volunteers to provide student support services, without requiring chaplains to hold teaching certifications. Schools employing chaplains must conduct criminal background checks and prohibit individuals required to register as sex offenders from serving. The bill also mandates that school boards adopt chaplain policies by December 2026, requires schools to fund chaplain-related safety programs, and integrates chaplains into state crisis response teams under amended education codes. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and has not advanced.

Maddy summaryHB 705, titled "Enhanced penalties for use of mask in commission of a crime; authorize," would have required Mississippi courts to add a mandatory 1-2 year prison sentence for anyone convicted of a crime while wearing a facial mask, hood, or other face-covering that concealed their identity. The bill directly affected individuals convicted of crimes committed with facial concealment during sentencing. Key provisions mandated the enhanced penalty be added to the standard sentence for such offenses, with no judicial discretion to reduce it. However, the bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 675 gives Mississippi law enforcement officers who test positive for drugs in a urine test the right to request a more reliable hair follicle test before facing termination or unpaid suspension. Officers have two business days to contest the initial test result and up to five additional days to get a hair test (paid by the officer initially, but reimbursed if negative). If the hair test is negative, the officer is reinstated immediately and reimbursed for the test cost; if positive, they keep the cost and face disciplinary action. The bill directly affects all full- or part-time law enforcement officers in Mississippi who receive a positive drug test result under current policies.

Maddy summaryHB 689 would require Mississippi's Department of Human Services to set aside $10 million annually from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds to provide marriage counseling, preparation, and support services. It specifically directs these funds to nonprofit organizations serving military families (including active/reserve forces and National Guard) and first responder families (firefighters, EMTs, police, correctional officers, etc.). The bill mandates this funding supplement, not replace, existing support programs. The legislation died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 960 requires all new documents and instruments of record (like land deeds, legal filings, and property records) filed after July 1, 2026, to be written in English. This applies to county clerks and courts recording documents in Mississippi, directly affecting property owners, legal practitioners, and government offices handling official records. The bill amends existing laws to mandate English language use, with limited exemptions for documents executed before 2009, military papers, foreign documents, certified copies, and records involving deceased parties. It focuses on standardizing record-keeping for clarity and accessibility without altering substantive legal content.