Rep. Becky Currie

Maddy summaryHB 1656, the STRONG Act, would provide tax benefits and health care support for Mississippi National Guard members and their families. It increases income tax exemptions for Guard and Reserve members, creates a $250 annual credit against motor vehicle taxes for service members and their spouses, and establishes a program to reimburse National Guard members for Tricare Reserve Select health insurance premiums. The Adjutant General would administer the program and report its progress to the legislature. The bill passed the legislature in February 2025 but died on calendar before becoming law.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution honoring Officer Troy Floyd of the Summit Police Department, who died in the line of duty on August 8, 2024. It expresses the legislature's deepest sympathy to his family and commemorates his 28-year career in law enforcement across multiple Mississippi departments. The resolution formally recognizes his service, sacrifice, and legacy of commitment to community safety, without creating any new laws or policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 603 would have amended Mississippi's income tax code to exclude up to $20,000 annually in compensation for full-time state-certified law enforcement officers from taxable "gross income." This provision would directly affect Mississippi law enforcement officers by reducing their state income tax liability on their base salary. The bill's key mechanism is a specific exclusion added to Section 27-7-15 of Mississippi's tax code, applying to eligible officers' compensation without altering other tax rules. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 43 exempts sales of tangible personal property or services to the Lincoln Civic Center Foundation from Mississippi's sales tax. This bill directly affects the Lincoln Civic Center Foundation by removing a tax burden on its purchases. The key mechanism adds the foundation to an existing list of organizations exempt from sales tax under Section 27-65-111 of Mississippi law. The bill did not become law, as it died in committee on February 26, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 48 would have exempted from Mississippi's sales tax certain grocery items that are currently tax-exempt only when purchased with food stamps. Specifically, it aimed to remove the requirement that these foods must be bought using food stamps to qualify for the exemption, making the tax break apply regardless of payment method. This change would directly affect grocery shoppers purchasing qualifying food items (like unprepared groceries, not prepared meals or alcohol). The bill died in committee in February 2025 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 1652 would have amended Mississippi's tobacco tax law to define "vapor products" (like e-cigarettes) as taxable tobacco products and impose an excise tax on them. The bill directly affected vapor product manufacturers, distributors, and retailers by requiring them to pay this new tax on sales. Key mechanisms included updating definitions in the tax code to include vapor products under "tobacco" and establishing a specific excise tax rate for these items. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1651 proposed appropriating $3,631,000 from Mississippi's Opioid Settlement Fund to Mercy House Adult and Teen Challenge for facility improvements. The funds would support campus upgrades in Georgetown, construction of a new short-term rehab center in Learned, and development of residential facilities for its Third Phase and Aftercare programs across Mississippi during fiscal year 2026. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and never became law. This was a funding allocation bill, not a policy change, directly affecting Mercy House's operational infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1430 would have prohibited Mississippi's medical, nursing, and pharmacy licensing boards from banning healthcare providers (physicians, advanced practice nurses, and pharmacists) from prescribing or filling medications for uses not approved by the FDA (off-label use). Specifically, it would have prevented the State Board of Medical Licensure, Mississippi Board of Nursing, and State Board of Pharmacy from creating rules that restrict such practices, including for semaglutide prescriptions by nurses. The bill required these boards to allow off-label prescribing and filling as long as it was done by licensed practitioners. However, the bill died on the legislative calendar in February 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1493 would have allowed Mississippi to join the Dietitian Licensure Compact, enabling licensed dietitians to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses in each state. The bill would have created a "compact privilege" equivalent to a state license, directly affecting licensed dietitians seeking to work in multiple states and patients accessing dietetics services. Key mechanisms include eliminating redundant licensing requirements, allowing states to share disciplinary information, and requiring dietitians to follow the practice laws of the state where care is provided. This procedural bill aimed to improve access to dietetics services and reduce administrative burdens for professionals, though it died on the legislative calendar in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1051 would transfer administration of Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) certification from Mississippi's State Department of Health to the Mississippi Board of Nursing, effective July 1, 2026. The Board would handle all certification aspects, including setting requirements, approving training courses, administering exams, issuing licenses, and maintaining the CNA registry. It also requires transferring related staff and funds from the Health Department to the Board's special fund. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not advance further.