Maddy summarySB 2436 requires social media platforms operating in Mississippi to implement policies preventing content that could influence minors to misuse tobacco or nicotine products. It mandates platforms to provide user reporting tools for such content, remove material meeting specific criteria (like content easily imitable by minors or promoting harmful use), and consider factors including health risks and whether the content is educational. The bill directly affects social media platforms serving Mississippi users, defining "minors" as those under 21 and targeting content that depicts non-intended, health-harming tobacco/nicotine use. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and would have taken effect July 1, 2025, if passed.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2501 would have imposed civil liability on commercial online platforms that knowingly publish or distribute material depicting, describing, or promoting child sexual exploitation. It defined "child sexual exploitation devices" (like anatomically detailed dolls intended for sexual acts) and allowed victims' parents or the state to sue for damages, including up to $10,000 per violation. The bill exempted internet service providers from liability for content they didn't create and required the Attorney General to enforce it, but it died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Maddy summarySB 2270 would transfer the Mississippi Wireless Communication Commission from Mississippi Information Technology Services to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The commission oversees statewide wireless communications systems used by law enforcement, emergency responders, and public safety agencies during emergencies and disasters. This bill updates legal language to place MEMA as the agency responsible for the commission’s operations and oversight. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2292 authorizes the transfer of a specific property in Jackson, Mississippi, from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (currently housing the Bureau of Narcotics) to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. The property, located at 6090 I-55 South Frontage Road, will be used by the Agricultural & Livestock Theft Bureau once the Bureau of Narcotics vacates the facility. The bill specifies the exact parcels (totaling about 8.1 acres) and requires the transfer to occur upon the Bureau of Narcotics' relocation to new facilities in Rankin County. This is a procedural reallocation of existing state property, not a new policy or funding measure.
Maddy summarySB 2500, the Mississippi Consumer Data Protection Act, would have established state-level privacy rights for Mississippi residents by requiring businesses collecting personal data to provide clear privacy notices, allow consumers to access or delete their data, and implement security measures. It directly affects businesses operating in Mississippi that handle personal information, excluding healthcare data covered under HIPAA and de-identified information. Key provisions include mandating consumer requests be addressed promptly, requiring businesses to establish appeal processes for denied requests, and granting the Attorney General exclusive enforcement authority with civil penalties for violations. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2157 increases the minimum base salary for Mississippi school attendance officers and establishes a new salary scale based on factors like education and experience. It also sets a salary cap for the State Superintendent of Public Education and another cap for the Executive Director of the Community College Board. The bill directly affects school attendance officers (by changing their pay structure) and two state education officials (by limiting their compensation). These changes were proposed through amendments to existing state education code sections but died in committee before becoming law.
Maddy summaryMississippi's SB 2296, the Safe Parks and Public Spaces Act, prohibits public camping on non-designated public property (like parks and sidewalks) except for temporary homeless encampments. It makes unauthorized camping a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $100 (with first offenses requiring referral to homeless shelters), and requires counties/municipalities to enforce this ban to receive state homelessness funding. Counties failing to enforce the law risk losing a pro-rata share of state homelessness funds, and residents or businesses can sue non-compliant local governments to compel enforcement. The bill directly affects homeless individuals camping in public spaces and local governments managing homelessness services.
Maddy summarySB 2299 allows Mississippi community colleges to use state funds for new construction projects without needing pre-approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. It permits colleges to self-administer these projects and select architects/engineers without competitive bidding, streamlining the process for building new facilities. The bill applies only to community colleges designated annually by the Mississippi Community College Board as capable of managing such contracts, and requires colleges to follow other applicable statutes for construction. This change expires on June 30, 2028.
Maddy summarySB 2028 would have allowed sheriffs and deputies in Mississippi counties with populations over 50,000 to use radar speed detection equipment on public roads outside city limits, but only with strict limitations. Key provisions include restricting each sheriff's department to a maximum of two radar guns, prohibiting use within 500 yards of municipal or county boundaries, and banning radar on interstates and four-lane state highways. The bill specifically targeted rural roads outside incorporated municipalities, not city streets. However, the bill "died in committee" on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 7) urges Allen Media Broadcasting, the owner of WTVA Channel 9 in Tupelo, Mississippi, to retain its local meteorology team. It does not create new law but requests the station maintain on-site weather forecasting, citing historical examples where local storm coverage saved lives during tornadoes in 2014 and 2023. The resolution emphasizes that community trust in WTVA’s local reporting cannot be replaced by remote weather updates. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal force but aims to influence the station’s operational decisions.