Sen. Michael McLendon

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 129) is a ceremonial tribute from the Mississippi Senate honoring former NBA player Donald Earl "Slick" Watts of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, following his death on March 15, 2025. It commemorates his NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics (1973-1979), including his historic 1975-76 season as the first player to lead the league in both assists and steals, and his legacy as a Mississippi sports icon. The resolution extends condolences to his family and directs the text to be presented to them, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and the Capitol Press Corps. As a commemorative measure with no policy impact, it has no direct effect on legislation or constituents.

Maddy summarySB 3030 appropriates $3,958,339 for the Mississippi State Board of Pharmacy to cover its operations during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The bill directly funds the Board’s activities, authorizing 20 permanent staff positions and requiring strict adherence to spending rules (e.g., no salary increases for current employees, funds must cover headcount not promotions). It mandates the Board to meet specific performance targets, including processing 100% of pharmacy licenses within 10 business days and resolving 100% of complaints within six months. The bill also includes safeguards to prevent misuse of funds and requires detailed reporting for future budget requests.

Maddy summarySB 3052 reassigns $70.6 million in leftover Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to specific projects across Mississippi's coastal communities for fiscal year 2025-2026. It directly affects local governments (like Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula), ports, universities, and nonprofits by funding concrete projects including harbor restorations ($3.5M for Long Beach Harbor), road improvements ($4.6M for Gulfport's Daniel Boulevard), cultural center renovations ($700,000 for Ocean Springs), and economic development initiatives (e.g., $2M for Pearl River County's industrial park). The bill authorizes spending only from unexpended balances of prior-year funds, ensuring projects align with original purposes without creating new spending. This is a funding allocation bill, not a policy change, with no new rules or regulations.

Maddy summarySB 3029 allocates $1,276,240 in state funds to the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), covering operational costs for 8 permanent staff positions. It specifies that funds must not exceed prior-year staffing levels without legislative approval, prohibits using funds for salary increases beyond minimums, and requires strict accounting for expenditures. An additional $27,000 is directed to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy for the Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill is procedural, solely providing funding without altering dental licensing rules or affecting the public directly.

Maddy summarySB 3032 allocates approximately $469.9 million in state funds for Mississippi's Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to cover disaster assistance costs for fiscal year 2026. The bill specifically provides funding for administrative expenses and the state share of costs related to disaster relief programs addressing past events like Hurricane Katrina, the 2020 pandemic, multiple severe storms, flooding events, and the 2021 winter storm. It establishes a disaster relief reserve fund and mandates strict rules for using funds to cover authorized positions, prevent salary increases without new funding, and ensure funds are used for disaster-related assistance rather than replacing federal funds. This appropriation directly affects MEMA's operations and Mississippi communities receiving disaster aid for the listed historical events.

Maddy summarySB 2968 changes how Mississippi calculates property taxes for rural agricultural structures like barns and poultry houses (excluding homes). It requires revaluing structures appraised before 2025 and mandates a fixed 7% annual depreciation rate for all rural structures after initial appraisal. Poultry houses have specific rules: their value cannot drop below 20% of original value, and a 45% economic obsolescence adjustment applies. These changes directly affect owners of commercial agricultural buildings, not residential properties.

Maddy summarySB 3049 is a budget appropriation bill that allocates $37.3 million from the General Fund and $49.1 million from the State Treasury to fund the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). It also allocates $6.3 million for the Tort Claims Board and $44,125 for the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women. The bill authorizes 298 permanent positions for the Finance Department and includes strict rules: funds must cover headcount increases (not salary raises), require matching payroll projections, and prohibit using general funds to replace withdrawn federal or special funds. This bill directly affects state employees and agencies by setting their operational funding limits for the upcoming fiscal year.

Maddy summarySB 3031 is a funding bill that allocates $450.5 million (from general and special funds) to Mississippi's Department of Corrections for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). It directly affects the state's correctional operations by funding specific areas like medical services ($109.6 million), regional facilities ($50.3 million), community corrections ($40.7 million), and major facilities including Parchman ($38.8 million) and South Mississippi Correctional ($27.1 million). Key mechanisms include strict limits on personal services spending (preventing salary increases for current staff) and requiring funds for vacancies to fill headcount, not boost existing salaries. This bill provides operational funding but does not create new policies or alter correctional laws.

Maddy summarySB 3047 allocates $8.9 million from the General Fund and $5.2 million from special funds to cover the State Department of Audit's operations for fiscal year 2026. This funding supports audits of state and county offices as required by law, authorizes 147 staff positions, and mandates specific performance targets like auditing 60% of counties through CPA firms. The bill includes $30,000 for employee CPA certification training and $1 million for federal law enforcement sharing programs, while prohibiting funds from replacing federal sources or violating IRS reporting rules. It does not change existing laws but specifies how audit funding must be used to meet defined outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 3050 appropriates $3,205,828 from the General Fund and $637,204 from Special Funds to cover the Governor's Office, staff, and Mansion operations for Mississippi's fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). It authorizes 39 permanent and 7 time-limited staff positions for these operations. The bill also requires the Governor's Office to prioritize purchasing from Mississippi Industries for the Blind when bids are equal and mandates detailed financial records matching fiscal year 2025 standards. This is a funding bill with no substantive policy changes, directly affecting the Governor's administrative budget and staff.