Rep. Bob Evans

Maddy summaryMississippi's HB 760 prohibits elected officials from changing political party affiliations during their term. If an official publicly declares they are leaving their original party or joining a different one, it is treated as a resignation, creating a vacancy in their office. The vacancy must then be filled according to existing state law for that position. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting all current and future elected state officials in Mississippi.

Maddy summaryHB 762 amends Mississippi law to change how license suspensions for refusing a chemical test during a DUI stop are handled. Currently, if a driver refuses a test and later pleads guilty to DUI, the license suspension is terminated. This bill would prevent that termination, requiring drivers to serve the full suspension period (90 days for a first offense, one year for a repeat) regardless of a guilty plea. The bill directly affects drivers who refuse a test and are convicted of DUI.

Maddy summaryHB 763 prohibits selling candy or food products that resemble tobacco products (like cigarettes or pouches). It directly affects retailers who sell such items, imposing penalties for violations. First offenses carry fines up to $1,000, while repeat violations can result in fines of $250-$1,000 or up to six months in jail. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 761 caps the maximum interest rate that pawnbrokers, title pledge lenders, and check cashers can charge at 25% annually on the unpaid principal amount or check face value. This directly affects these businesses and their customers in Mississippi, limiting fees for services like pawn loans, title loans, and delayed check cashing. The bill requires clear disclosure of fees as dollar amounts and annual percentage rates in written agreements, and makes any charges exceeding 25% uncollectible. It also specifies that extended transactions must reduce the principal by 10% per extension without adding interest to the new balance.

Maddy summaryHB 765 prohibits elected and appointed Mississippi state officials from appearing visually or audibly in public advertisements funded by state legislative appropriations. This includes TV, radio, online, or print ads where the official's image or voice is featured. Officials may still help create such ads during planning, as long as their image or voice isn't used in the final public version. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all state offices, agencies, and commissions.

Maddy summaryHB 764 requires all law enforcement interrogations in Mississippi to be recorded on video from start to finish, with agencies mandated to preserve these recordings for at least 10 years. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies and the individuals they interrogate by establishing a standard for documenting questioning processes. Key provisions include the mandatory video recording of every interrogation and the 10-year retention requirement for all such recordings. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1065 would allow retired Mississippi state employees covered by the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who are elected to the legislature to continue receiving their retirement allowance while serving as lawmakers. It provides two payment options: either 50% of legislative pay for up to half the normal session days, or 25% of average compensation with no session-day limit. Retired legislators choosing this option would not count their legislative service toward future retirement benefits and would not be active PERS members during that time. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHC 24 proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Mississippi legislators elected for the first time on or after January 1, 2027, to three full terms in either the House or Senate. It allows current members and those first elected before 2027 to seek re-election indefinitely, but new members after 2027 would be barred from serving beyond three full terms. Partial terms served to fill vacancies (less than two years) do not count toward this three-term limit. The amendment requires voter approval in the November 2026 election.

Maddy summaryHB 1079 would require mineral rights separated from surface ownership after January 1, 2027, to automatically revert to the surface owner if no oil or gas production occurs for ten consecutive years. It defines "nonproduction" as wells not located in the correct government sections for oil (quarter-quarter) or gas (one-half section). The ten-year period restarts after any production attempt or shut-in rental payment, but cannot expire within 180 days of restarting. This bill directly affects surface landowners and mineral rights holders in Mississippi, changing how unused mineral rights are handled after a decade of inactivity. The bill died in committee and has not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1498 prohibits therapists from engaging in sexual relationships with current or recent patients (within 12 months after treatment ends). It creates a new felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine for therapists who violate this rule, regardless of patient consent. The bill also amends licensing laws to add this conduct as grounds for disciplinary action against licensed professionals like psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage therapists. This applies to all mental health service providers, whether licensed or unlicensed, across multiple professions in Mississippi.