Sen. Joseph Thomas

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (not a policy bill) expressing the Mississippi Senate's condolences to the family of Edwin Lloyd Pittman, a former Mississippi public servant. It honors his service as Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, Attorney General, Secretary of State, two-term State Senator, and Brigadier General in the Mississippi National Guard. The resolution recognizes his career spanning multiple branches of state government and his efforts to improve judicial transparency and access to justice. It contains no policy changes or funding provisions, serving solely as a formal tribute.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SC 506) is a concurrent resolution expressing the Mississippi Legislature's sympathy to the surviving family of former State Senator Nickey Reed Browning of Pontotoc, Mississippi, following his death on October 29, 2024. It commends his 24-year service in the Senate, his community leadership, and his role as a longtime coach for the Pontotoc Red Sox American Legion Baseball team. The resolution formally extends condolences and recognizes his contributions to Pontotoc and Union Counties. As a commemorative measure, it does not create any new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryBill SC 504 is a commemorative resolution extending the Mississippi Senate's deepest sympathy to the family of Charles James Pittman, a former Mississippi State Senator and former staff member to Governor Haley Barbour. The resolution also commends his decades of public service, including founding the "MS Singing Senators" and his dedication to Mississippi communities. It honors his legacy of ethics, community involvement, and service to the state, as detailed in the resolution's preamble. This procedural resolution does not create new laws or affect policy, but serves as a formal tribute.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 30) expresses the Mississippi Senate's condolences to the family of Representative Charles L. Young, Jr., following his passing on December 19, 2024. It formally extends sympathy to his surviving family members, recognizing his service as a Democrat representing Mississippi's 82nd District since 2012. The resolution does not create any new policies or affect any specific laws, as it is a ceremonial expression of respect for a deceased legislator.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 12) formally congratulates "Visit Mississippi" and the Mississippi Tourism Association for winning the "Past Presidents Award" at the 2025 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. The award recognized their float celebrating Mississippi's music heritage, honoring Elvis Presley and B.B. King. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any individuals or policies - it simply expresses the state's support for Mississippi's tourism program through this recognition. The resolution was adopted by the Mississippi Senate on February 17, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 29) formally honors Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones for 25 years of service in law enforcement. It recognizes his leadership, community-focused initiatives, and contributions to improving police-community relations in Hinds County. The resolution has no policy impact - it is purely ceremonial, expressing legislative appreciation through a formal resolution and a copy presented to Sheriff Jones. It was adopted by the Mississippi Senate on February 17, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2522 created a 9-member task force to study historical funding disparities between Alcorn State University and other Mississippi public universities, particularly Mississippi State University (a land-grant institution). The task force was required to examine past underfunding impacts on students and faculty, and propose solutions for restoring adequate funding and future parity. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, before the task force could be formed or submit its required report by December 31, 2025. This procedural bill did not enact any funding changes, as it failed to advance beyond committee review.

Maddy summarySB 2623 would require all public and nonpublic schools in Mississippi (excluding home instruction programs) to install carbon monoxide safety alarms by July 1, 2025. The bill mandates that the State Fire Marshal create regulations for detector installation, testing, maintenance, and specific standards (like UL 2075/2034), while banning battery-backup plug-in devices. It also protects schools from liability if detectors are installed and maintained per regulations. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and is not currently law.

Maddy summarySB 2709 requires Mississippi nursing homes and assisted living facilities to maintain a fully operational emergency power source with enough fuel to run continuously for at least five days. This applies directly to all licensed facilities in the state, ensuring backup power for medical devices (like oxygen) and climate control during outages. The bill mandates the Mississippi Department of Health to create rules for these standards and conduct unannounced inspections for compliance, giving facilities 60 days to meet requirements after rules are finalized. The bill was referred to the Public Health and Welfare Committee but died there on February 4, 2025, without further action.

Maddy summarySB 2561 would have established a six-county business incubator program in Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington, and Yazoo counties, targeting new businesses and micro-enterprises. The program would provide shared office space, reduced rents, business support services, and access to resources through a partnership involving county governments, economic development authorities, and the Mississippi Development Authority. Each county would host one incubator, with the Development Authority overseeing operations and funding from public/private sources. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.