Maddy summarySB 2615 would require Mississippi parents or guardians to enroll kindergarten-age children (5-year-olds) in licensed public, parochial, nonpublic, or "legitimate" homeschool kindergarten programs, expanding the state’s compulsory school attendance law to include this age group. It directly affects families with 5-year-olds, mandating enrollment in approved programs that address cognitive, social, and emotional development. The bill defines "legitimate" programs as those not designed to avoid attendance requirements and requires submission of a certificate of enrollment by September 15 each year. This policy change aims to formalize kindergarten attendance under the same rules as older school-age children, though it excludes children with documented medical or educational needs.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2713 would create a Mississippi state-funded supplemental benefit for elderly residents aged 65 or older who receive federal food stamps (SNAP). Eligible recipients would receive an additional $100 per month on top of their existing federal benefits, administered by the Department of Human Services. The program would require applicants to be at least 65 years old and currently enrolled in the federal food stamp program. The bill, introduced in 2025, died in committee and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2647 requires candidates for public office in Mississippi to provide a physical residence address instead of a post office box when qualifying to run. This applies to all candidates filing petitions or paying fees for state, district, county, or special election offices, excluding municipal elections and certain judicial positions. The bill amends qualification rules to mandate election commissions verify a candidate’s physical address as proof of residency. It directly affects anyone seeking public office by changing the address requirement for ballot access. The law does not alter other qualification standards like voter eligibility or felony convictions.
Maddy summarySB 2614 prohibits public and charter school staff (including teachers, principals, and assistants) from using corporal punishment to discipline students. The bill makes it unlawful for school employees to administer physical punishment for discipline, and violators could face civil lawsuits for damages if acting in bad faith or with malicious intent. It directly affects students in Mississippi's public and charter schools by banning this disciplinary practice, effective July 1, 2025. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2332 requires all Mississippi county sheriff departments and municipal police departments to create written policies governing police vehicle pursuits by December 31, 2025. The policy must specify when pursuits may begin (only for serious crimes like murder, robbery, or carjacking), include safety criteria, and outline procedures for crossing into other jurisdictions. Agencies failing to adopt a compliant policy would lose state accreditation eligibility and risk withheld state funding, as the Department of Public Safety would verify compliance annually. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Maddy summarySB 2380 is a Mississippi state bill that primarily establishes a development fund for the City of Jackson and modifies gaming-related laws. The bill creates the City of Jackson Development Fund, which will receive additional fees from gaming licenses and provide loans and grants to support new and expanding businesses in the city. It also amends several sections of the Mississippi Gaming Control Act to define terms like "project" and "gaming device" more clearly, and allows legal gaming in establishments that are part of approved projects. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to ensure that if gaming revenue distributed to certain cities or counties falls below historical averages, the state will make up the shortfall. The bill was referred to a committee but ultimately died in committee without further action.
Maddy summarySB 2394 would expand Mississippi's Medicaid program to include low-income adults who qualify for coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), specifically those meeting income criteria typically set at 138% of the federal poverty level. The bill amends Mississippi Code sections 43-13-115 (eligibility) and 43-13-117 (benefits) to add this new category and require essential health benefits for these individuals. This change would directly affect thousands of low-income adults in Mississippi currently uninsured due to the state's lack of Medicaid expansion under the ACA.
Maddy summarySB 2331 consolidates Mississippi's fragmented expungement laws into a single, unified system. It allows eligible individuals to remove certain misdemeanor convictions (after 2 years of good conduct) and one felony conviction (after 5 years of completing sentences) from public records, provided they meet rehabilitation criteria and avoid specific excluded offenses like violent crimes, drug trafficking, or repeat DUIs. The bill specifies that expungement restores legal status as if the conviction never occurred, while excluding records related to official misconduct, serious felonies, and certain traffic violations. It repeals outdated statutes and standardizes procedures across courts to streamline the process. (Note: The bill died in committee in February 2025 and did not become law.)
Maddy summarySB 2371 requires all Mississippi public bodies (including local governments, school districts, and state agencies) to create email notice lists for residents, send meeting details and agendas 72 hours in advance, and post minutes online within 48 hours. It mandates public bodies to maintain online lists of members/staff and provide contact info for joining notice lists. The bill, which died in committee on February 4, 2025, aimed to improve public access to meeting information but never took effect (scheduled for July 1, 2025). It directly affects how government entities share meeting schedules and records with residents.
Maddy summarySB 2350 would require grocery stores and other retail food establishments in Mississippi to publicly display any cost-plus pricing formula (where a fixed surcharge is added to item costs) before implementing it. Specifically, stores would need to post a conspicuous sign on the front sidewalk within 15 feet of each entrance and another sign inside each entrance showing the surcharge amount. Violations would be considered a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail, and would also constitute an unlawful trade practice. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.