Sen. Dennis DeBar

Maddy summarySB 2176 modifies the role of interim school superintendents in Mississippi after a state of emergency ends. It requires that during the first year a school board fully administers a district following an emergency declaration lift or board reconstitution, the interim superintendent must continue serving alongside the newly appointed superintendent in an advisory and oversight capacity. The interim leader must also make regular reports to the State Board of Education. This bill directly affects school districts transitioning from emergency management to normal governance.

Maddy summarySB 2083 would have allowed Mississippi vehicle owners to purchase distinctive license tags supporting Mississippi College School of Law, requiring an additional $30 annual fee per tag. The bill specified that $24 of each fee would go directly to Mississippi College School of Law, $1 to the Mississippi Burn Care Fund, $2 to the State Highway Fund, and $1 to another special fund. It applied only to owners who voluntarily chose to pay the fee for the specialty tag, with the tags needing annual renewal. The bill was referred to committee but ultimately "died in committee" on March 4, 2025, meaning it did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2450 would allow Mississippi counties to use court fee funds for technology at public law libraries and courtrooms. Specifically, it permits spending on computers, software, legal research tools, internet access, and courtroom equipment like audio systems or digital evidence displays. Funding would come from additional court fees: $2.50 per case in chancery/circuit courts and $1.50 per case in justice courts. The bill aims to modernize legal resource access and court operations through technology, expanding existing library funding rules. (Note: This bill died in committee in March 2025 and did not become law.)

Maddy summarySB 2616 updates Mississippi's education funding formula to include students in grades 7 and 8 in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) multiplier previously applied only to grades 9-12. This change increases state funding for school districts offering CTE programs to middle school students by aligning their per-pupil funding with high school CTE students. The bill directly affects public school districts with CTE courses in grades 7-8, providing them with additional resources through the revised funding formula. This policy adjustment reflects current educational program structures without altering eligibility requirements or adding new administrative processes.

Maddy summarySB 2601 would revise Mississippi's Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program by allowing parents to seek reimbursement for qualifying education expenses after a student returns to their home public school district, with unused ESA funds then transferred to that district. It removes the annual enrollment cap of 500 new students, funds accounts at the same level as public school funding, and requires participating students to take standardized assessments at the start and end of the school year. The bill also adds requirements for nonpublic schools to prove eligibility to participate and mandates schools to inform parents about alternative scholarship programs. However, the bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, so these changes have not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2178 allows Mississippi school boards to vote on providing health insurance coverage for their members and eligible dependents, using only locally raised funds (not state funds). This amendment to Section 37-7-301 of Mississippi law adds the provision to school boards' existing authority over personnel benefits. The bill specifically requires that any insurance paid for by the school district must come from local revenue sources, such as property taxes, and cannot use state appropriations. It directly affects school board members across all Mississippi school districts who choose to adopt this benefit.

Maddy summarySR 65 is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Mississippi Senate to honor Hinds County Deputy Sheriff Martin Shields, Jr., who died in the line of duty on February 23, 2025. The resolution extends the Senate's "sincerest sympathy" to his surviving family - including his wife, daughter, and parents - and commends his law enforcement career. It has no policy provisions or financial impact; it is purely symbolic, expressing condolences and acknowledging his service. The Senate formally adopted the resolution on February 27, 2025, and will present it to his family and the Hinds County Sheriff's Office.

Maddy summarySB 2570 exempts from Mississippi's state sales tax grocery items eligible for purchase with federal food stamps (like SNAP benefits). This directly affects low-income households using food stamps, as they would pay no state tax on qualifying groceries. The bill also allows municipalities to impose a separate 1% local tax on the *same* food items - but only when purchased *without* food stamps, giving cities flexibility to choose between a resolution or public vote to implement it. Municipalities can adjust or remove this local tax using the same process.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SC 502), not a policy bill. It formally expresses the Mississippi Senate's condolences to the family of John J. Fraiser, Jr., a former state senator, presiding judge of the Mississippi Court of Appeals, and WWII veteran who died in July 2024. The resolution commends his decades of public service, including establishing the Mississippi Court of Appeals and authoring education-related legislation. It has no policy impact or effect on any individuals or laws.

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.