Sen. Dennis DeBar

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 summarySR 27 is a ceremonial resolution extending the Mississippi Senate's sympathy to the family of Jeanne Carter Luckey, a National Republican Committee Woman and community leader from Louisville, Mississippi, following her death on November 7, 2024. The resolution commends her service, including her work as Mississippi Federation of Republican Women President, her advocacy for disability access on the Institutions of Higher Learning board, and her decades of community involvement. This resolution has no policy effect - it solely expresses the Senate’s condolences and acknowledges her life’s contributions. It was adopted by the Senate on February 17, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2838 revises Mississippi's fee schedules for publishing legal notices and tax sale advertisements. It increases the fee for public bodies to $0.12 per word for first newspaper insertions (up from $0.10) and sets non-public notices at $0.25 per word first insertion, with annual adjustments based on inflation starting July 2026. The bill also sets a $3.00 fee for each publication advertising land for tax sale and clarifies correction procedures for publishing errors. These changes directly affect newspapers publishing legal notices, tax collectors handling tax sales, and county/municipal governments requiring publications. The bill was introduced in 2025 but died in committee.

Maddy summarySB 2670 (Mississippi) would allow licensed podiatrists to perform ankle surgery only if they meet specific requirements: completing a 24-month CPME-approved surgical residency, holding ABFAS certification for rearfoot/ankle surgery, and performing procedures listed in CPME guidelines. It requires all ankle surgery to occur in accredited Mississippi hospitals with appropriate surgical privileges. The bill directly affects podiatrists seeking to perform these specific ankle procedures within the state. The legislation died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summarySB 2622 amended Mississippi Code sections 37-73-7 and 37-153-15 to revise which industry certifications qualify for state funding. It required the State Workforce Investment Board to update a list of nationally recognized certifications tied to high-demand occupations or critical economic needs, ensuring only these certifications would qualify for a $600 annual grant per student. The bill aimed to direct career and technical education funding toward certifications linked to occupations meeting wage or demand criteria, with grants covering exam fees and program support. However, the bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2604 would have prohibited Mississippi school districts from using public funds to support existing nonprofit organizations regulating high school athletics and extracurricular activities after July 1, 2027. It required creating a 7-member committee (3 from the State Board of Education and 4 legislative appointees) to study oversight options by January 1, 2026, and decide whether to establish a new transparent nonprofit or adopt an existing one with strict reporting requirements. Key provisions included mandating open policymaking, regular financial disclosures to schools, and preventing nonprofits from blocking member schools from competing against nonmembers. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 2593) is procedural - it renumbers existing sections of Mississippi's charter school law (specifically sections 37-28-1 through 37-28-61) without changing any policy content. It does not create new rules or affect schools, students, or educators directly. The renumbering is intended to prepare the law for potential future amendments. As a technical adjustment, it has no substantive policy impact.

Maddy summarySB 2764 would update Mississippi's school funding formula to include students in grades 7 and 8 in the career and technical education (CTE) funding multiplier, which previously applied only to grades 9-12. This change would provide additional state funding for school districts offering CTE courses to middle school students, directly affecting districts with CTE programs in grades 7-8. The bill, which died in committee on February 4, 2025, was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025. It does not change other funding mechanisms but specifically expands the CTE multiplier to cover middle school grades.