Maddy summarySB 2413 establishes Mississippi's "Disabled Veteran and Dependents Patriot Scholarship Program," providing tuition and fee waivers at state colleges and universities for eligible veterans and their families. It directly affects disabled veterans (with 40%+ service-connected disability, POW/MIA status, or death in service) and their dependents (spouses, children, or stepchildren), covering in-state tuition, required books, and fees up to state limits. Key provisions include residency requirements, benefit durations (5 years for 100% disabled veterans' dependents, 3 years for 40-90% disabled veterans' spouses), and new 2026 rules requiring FAFSA submission and a $2,000 semester cap on fees. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2426 would establish Mississippi's Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline program, creating a 24/7 hotline staffed by veterans trained to assist fellow veterans experiencing mental health crises. The program requires the State Veterans Affairs Board to partner with crisis centers statewide, maintain the hotline, and conduct public awareness campaigns via social media and outreach. Key requirements include developing a public implementation plan by December 2026 (with periodic updates), setting standards for call response times and staff training, and collecting demographic data to address access disparities while protecting privacy. The bill directly affects Mississippi veterans seeking immediate mental health crisis support.
Maddy summarySB 2433 requires Mississippi's Department of Human Services to set aside at least $10 million annually from federal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) block grant funds to provide grants for marriage counseling services. These grants would be awarded to nonprofit organizations specifically serving military families (including active/reserve personnel) and first responder families (firefighters, EMTs, police, correctional officers, etc.). The bill mandates that these funds supplement, not replace, existing funding for marriage counseling programs. It updates state law to direct TANF resources toward this specific purpose, aligning with federal TANF block grant requirements.
Maddy summarySB 2512 requires Mississippi public schools (K-12) to implement a specific "success sequence" curriculum focused on finishing high school, working full-time, and marrying before having children, alongside 15 mandated character traits like trustworthiness, responsibility, respect for marriage, and patriotism. School districts must adopt this curriculum by the 2028-2029 school year, consulting parents, educators, and community members, while prohibiting religious or political indoctrination in regular classes (though after-school programs may include such content with parental consent). The State Department of Education must track implementation, report on impacts to student discipline and achievement, and may accept outside funding for support. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.
Maddy summarySB 2501 (Mississippi) would allow public school districts and charter schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains to provide student support services. Key provisions require chaplains to pass criminal background checks, prohibit employment of registered sex offenders, and mandate school boards to adopt chaplain policies by December 2026 for implementation in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill also amends education codes to include chaplains in school crisis response teams, require local districts to fund chaplain-related safety programs, and integrate chaplain services into emergency management plans. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2562 creates the Mississippi Veterans PTSD Ibogaine Research Pilot Program within the State Department of Health to support clinical research using ibogaine for volunteer Mississippi veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The bill reclassifies ibogaine from Mississippi's Schedule I to Schedule II controlled substance for research purposes only, requiring strict research protocols, institutional review board approvals, and annual reports to the legislature. It limits participation to Mississippi-resident veterans with documented PTSD who volunteer without compensation, prohibits prescribing ibogaine outside the research, and mandates the program expire on July 1, 2028. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.
Maddy summarySB 2591 would require that only voters registered with a specific political party can vote in that party's primary election. Unaffiliated voters (those not registered with any party) would be allowed to vote only in nonpartisan elections held on the same day as a party primary. The bill establishes a uniform statewide voter registration form to designate party affiliation and sets a 30-day deadline for updating this information before an election. It also specifies that voting in a primary for a party you are not registered with would constitute vote fraud under Mississippi law.
Maddy summarySB 2608, the "Charlie Kirk Campus Free Speech and Safety Act," would require Mississippi public colleges and universities to treat outdoor campus areas as public forums, banning "free speech zones" and mandating that noncommercial expressive activities - like protests, speeches, and distributing literature - be permitted unless unlawful or substantially disruptive. The bill requires institutions to publish free speech policies in student handbooks, on websites, and during orientation, and to post annual compliance reports online detailing their adherence to the law. It permits reasonable, content-neutral restrictions on time, place, and manner of expression but prohibits discrimination and allows legal remedies for violations with a one-year statute of limitations. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and was never enacted.
Maddy summarySB 2669 prohibits anyone from charging fees for assisting veterans with benefits claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or Mississippi’s State Veterans Affairs Board. It directly affects veterans seeking benefits and individuals or organizations offering such assistance, banning compensation for preparing, presenting, or advising on these claims. The bill requires these helpers to follow the same ethical standards as licensed attorneys (covering confidentiality, honesty, and client duty), and violations would be treated as deceptive trade practices under Mississippi law, allowing the Attorney General to pursue enforcement. This aims to prevent exploitation of veterans navigating complex benefits systems.
Maddy summarySB 2670 would create a special "Veterans' Assistance Lottery" using paper-based instant tickets sold through Mississippi's existing lottery system. Proceeds from ticket sales would fund veterans' programs by depositing money into a dedicated state fund managed by the Mississippi Veterans' Affairs Board. The Mississippi Lottery Corporation would operate the game, set ticket prices and payouts, and market it to clearly show buyers their purchases support veterans. The bill specifies the game must be paper-based (not video lottery) and requires ticket labeling to indicate funds benefit veterans.