Rep. Donnie Scoggin

Maddy summaryHB 1706 increases the authorized number of legal assistants (not investigators) in 23 Mississippi circuit court districts, with specific raises effective January 1, 2027. For example, the Eighteenth Circuit Court District will add five new legal assistants (rising from three to eight), while the Twentieth Circuit will add three (from seven to ten). The bill establishes two tiers: base staffing levels (Section 25-31-5) and optional additional positions (Section 25-31-10) if funds are appropriated or local counties adopt resolutions to cover costs. These changes directly affect prosecutors and court operations in the specified districts, with some provisions (like the Twenty-third Circuit’s extra staff) set to expire by 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 865 would reclassify kratom as a Schedule III controlled substance under Mississippi's Uniform Controlled Substances Law, removing it from its current unregulated status. This change would allow kratom to be prescribed by doctors for medical use (as Schedule III substances have accepted medical uses) while still requiring prescriptions and regulating its distribution. The bill directly affects Mississippi residents who use kratom, pharmacies dispensing it, and law enforcement handling related cases. Note: The bill title incorrectly references marijuana; this bill specifically addresses kratom, not cannabis.

Maddy summaryHB 221 allows Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts representatives to speak with Mississippi public school students about civic involvement and participation opportunities, but only with principal approval and prior parent notification (at least 3 days in advance). It requires schools to provide parents or eligible students (18+) with information about local, age-appropriate water safety courses and swimming lessons - including free or low-cost options - starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill defines "water safety" as education promoting safety around water to reduce drowning risks. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and currently remains pending after dying in committee.

Maddy summaryHB 220 creates a 13-member committee to study Mississippi's hospice and palliative care system. The committee, including state health officials, hospice providers, medical professionals, and advocacy representatives, will examine service gaps, workforce shortages, cost savings from reduced hospital visits, and care for incarcerated individuals. It must submit a final report to state leaders by December 1, 2026, detailing findings and recommendations for improving end-of-life care access. The committee will dissolve on July 1, 2027, unless the legislature reauthorizes it. This bill directly affects hospice providers, patients, and correctional facilities by focusing on systemic improvements in care delivery.

Maddy summaryHB 356 would have created the Mississippi School Risk Management Task Force to study and improve risk management in schools. The task force would assess school district needs, review emergency plans (including for disasters like floods and tornadoes), recommend best practices (such as annual disaster drills), and identify resource gaps like FEMA grant opportunities. It would directly affect school districts, administrators, and emergency management agencies across Mississippi. The bill required the task force to report annual recommendations to the legislature but died in committee on February 3, 2026, without becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 1308 would allow registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses to delegate medication administration to unlicensed assistive personnel in outpatient clinic settings, but only for patients with stable and predictable health conditions. The bill requires nurses to provide direct, in-person supervision, retain full accountability for patient care, and ensure unlicensed staff are properly trained, competent, and able to perform tasks safely. It mandates that delegations be person-specific, prohibits delegation for certain medications, and requires clinics to have formal policies for such practices. The bill also specifies that nurses must document training and can rescind delegation if patient conditions change or safety concerns arise.

Maddy summaryThis Mississippi bill (HB 1375) would require medical verification from birth to change the sex designation on a birth certificate. It prohibits corrections unless proven to be an error via birth medical records or a physician's confirmation that the sex recorded at birth was incorrect. The law directly affects residents seeking to update their birth certificate sex marker. It would take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee before becoming law.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow municipal police in Mississippi cities with at least 2,000 residents to use radar speed detection equipment on two-lane federally designated highways within their boundaries, but only if the city has both a public community college and a state-operated program providing services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, radar use by municipal police is restricted to larger cities (over 15,000 population), campus police, or specific highway types. The bill expands eligibility to qualifying smaller cities meeting these two specific conditions. It does not change existing radar restrictions for other locations or highway types.

Maddy summaryHB 1672 revised Mississippi's Pharmacy Benefit Prompt Pay Act to improve payment processes for pharmacies. It required pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to provide written reasons for claim denials within seven days, prohibit "spread pricing" (charging pharmacies more than they pay), and mandate annual licensing for PBMs and pharmacy services administrators (PSAOs). The bill also created new rules against retaliation toward pharmacists, established a specialty drug committee, and required PBMs to submit annual reports to the State Board of Pharmacy. These changes directly affected pharmacies, PBMs, and PSAOs by increasing transparency and accountability in drug reimbursement. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 222 would have raised the spending cap for repair and renovation projects at Mississippi's public community colleges and four-year universities from its previous limit to $10 million per project. It specifically increased funding authority for these institutions to cover facility repairs, utility infrastructure, HVAC systems, and equipment replacement. The bill, which died in committee on February 3, 2026, aimed to provide more financial flexibility for maintaining college facilities but did not become law. It directly affected community/junior colleges and institutions of higher learning by expanding their eligible project funding.