Maddy summarySB 2516 expands Mississippi's William F. Winter and Jack Reed, Sr., Teacher Loan Repayment Program to include assistant teachers in public schools, who were previously excluded. The bill provides the same annual loan repayment awards for assistant teachers as for teachers - ranging from $1,500 to $6,000 per year - based on years served and whether they teach in areas designated as critical teacher shortage zones. To qualify, assistant teachers must hold a standard license, teach full-time in Mississippi public schools, and have qualifying student loans, while avoiding default on other loans. The program applies the existing structure, including priority for shortage-area schools and annual payments applied directly to outstanding loan balances. This bill aimed to support assistant teachers financially but died in committee in February 2026.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2504 creates a study committee to examine methods for improving math skills among kindergarten through third-grade students in Mississippi public schools, with the stated goal that every third grader can read at or above grade level (though the committee's focus is on math). The committee must study current math curriculum, the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (a reading-focused law), and the costs of expanding data coach programs for math, then provide recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2026. Composed of 11 members including the State Superintendent, legislative education committee chairs, and appointed senators and representatives, the committee will dissolve by January 1, 2027. This bill was referred to the Education Committee but died there in early 2026.
Maddy summaryThis bill would remove "Confederate Memorial Day" from Mississippi's list of legal holidays and designate June 19 as "Juneteenth Freedom Day" instead. It affects all state employees, public institutions, and government operations that observe legal holidays under Mississippi law. The bill specifically amends state code to replace the existing holiday on the last Monday of May (which included Confederate Memorial Day) with Juneteenth observed annually on June 19. It also clarifies that if a legal holiday falls on a weekend, the following Monday becomes the observed holiday. The bill does not create new legal obligations but changes the official holiday schedule.
Maddy summarySB 2573 creates a 9-member commission to recommend two historic figures for new statues representing Mississippi in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. The commission, appointed by state leadership (3 by Lt. Governor, 3 by House Speaker, 3 by Governor), must select figures who "bring honor to all Mississippians" and reflect the state's demographics, with recommendations due by November 30, 2026. This procedural bill does not alter existing statues (Mississippi currently has Jefferson Davis and James Zachariah George on display) but establishes a process for selecting new representatives. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.
Maddy summarySB 2582, the "Robert G. Clark, Jr., Voting Rights Act of Mississippi," would establish statewide protections against voter suppression and vote dilution for Mississippi voters, particularly affecting protected classes defined as racial, ethnic, or language minority groups. Key provisions include creating the Mississippi Voting Rights Commission to review election changes (like district maps or voting locations) before implementation, requiring public notice of voting-related changes, and mandating accommodations for limited English proficient and disabled voters. The bill prohibits election policies that disproportionately harm protected class members or dilute their voting power, with enforcement through legal actions. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not advance to the full legislature.
Maddy summarySB 2649 repealed Section 61-3-6 of Mississippi’s code, which established the Jackson Metropolitan Area Airport Authority. It also amended Sections 61-3-3 and 61-3-5 to remove references to this authority, aligning the code with the repeal. The bill directly affected the governance structure of Jackson’s airport by eliminating its dedicated authority. It died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted into law.
Maddy summarySB 2791, the "Purple Angels Law," creates a public registry within Mississippi's Department of Public Safety for offenders convicted of domestic violence with at least one prior conviction for the same offense against the same victim. Courts must order registration upon qualifying conviction, requiring offenders to pay a $250 fee: $150 funds domestic violence prevention services, $50 covers registry administration, and $50 covers court processing. The registry includes basic identifying information (name, DOB, photo) but excludes sensitive IDs like driver's license numbers. Offenders are removed after 5-20 years based on prior convictions, but never for felony convictions, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending Mississippi's constitution to allow qualified voters to directly propose new state laws through a citizen initiative process. It would require voters to file petitions with the Secretary of State, have proposals reviewed by the Attorney General, and collect signatures meeting specific thresholds before appearing on the ballot. The process prohibits initiatives targeting the initiative system itself or Mississippi's retirement system (PERS), limits initiatives to five per election, and requires majority voter approval for new laws to take effect. The proposal was referred to committee in January 2026 but died there in February 2026, meaning it did not advance to a vote by the full legislature.
Maddy summarySB 2906 would have repealed Mississippi's Tier 5 retirement system for new public employees joining after March 1, 2026, and replaced it with a new benefit structure for those joining after July 1, 2026. The new provision would provide an additional retirement benefit calculated as 1% of the annual retirement allowance multiplied by years of service before age 65, plus a compounded 1% increase for each year after age 65. This bill directly affected new state and local government employees hired after July 1, 2026, but it died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.
Maddy summarySB 2920 establishes a process for Mississippi voters to propose amendments to the state code. Qualified electors can submit initiative petitions to the Secretary of State, including details on required funding sources or program funding changes, with petitions valid for 12 months. The Attorney General reviews proposals for form and style, and the Secretary of State creates a neutral ballot title (max 20 words) and summary (max 75 words) for voter consideration. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.