Maddy summarySB 2668 would have authorized dental hygienists to provide certain oral health services under general supervision of dentists in Mississippi nursing homes, correctional facilities, and similar institutions. To qualify, hygienists would have needed four years of experience, specific continuing education, CPR certification, and adherence to protocols, while dentists would have been limited to supervising no more than six hygienists per facility. The bill restricted hygienists to performing cleanings, fluoride treatments, and oral education - explicitly prohibiting diagnosis - and required dentists to examine patients before treatment and at nine-month intervals. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2602 required Mississippi school districts to report detailed information about student transfer requests to the state education department annually, including transfer criteria, fees, school capacity by grade and program, and reasons for rejections. Districts would have had to submit these reports by June 15 each year, starting in 2025. The state would then compile and share this data with all districts to increase transparency in how transfers are processed. This bill aimed to provide clearer information for families seeking to move students between districts under existing transfer rules.
Maddy summarySB 2603 creates the Securities Investor Education Fund in Mississippi, funded by late filing penalties on certain securities notices. The fund uses 50% of annual balances for investor education programs (focusing on fraud prevention and personal finance), while the other 50% lapses into the state general fund each year. The Mississippi Securities Administrator directs fund spending, collaborating with public or nonprofit groups for initiatives. This bill died in committee in February 2025 and never became law.
Maddy summarySB 2173 requires Mississippi school boards to obtain written approval from their local levying authority (e.g., county commission) *before* publishing any notice of a public election on a school tax increase exceeding 4% of the previous year's ad valorem tax revenue. This change applies specifically to school districts seeking to raise taxes beyond the 4% threshold, directly affecting school boards and their levying authorities. Previously, school boards could publish election notices first; this bill mandates approval from the levying authority as a prerequisite step. The bill does not alter the requirement for voter approval of the tax increase itself, only the timing of the election notice publication.
Maddy summaryThe Tim Tebow Act would allow homeschooled students in Mississippi to participate in public school sports and extracurricular activities (like sports teams or clubs) within their assigned school district. To join, homeschooled students must provide academic documentation (such as test scores or a portfolio), pay the same fees as public school students, and meet all behavioral and academic standards set by the school. Parents would cover transportation costs, and schools would be prohibited from discriminating against homeschooled students in team selections. The state would reimburse school districts $2,250 per participating homeschooled student annually through a new fund, though participation is explicitly defined as a privilege - not a right - and the law does not create legal claims for denied access.
Maddy summarySB 2385 clarifies that fantasy contest operators in Mississippi are not violating gambling laws when they run contests based on athletes' statistical performance (not team scores or single events), directly affecting operators and players. Key provisions require operators to: prevent employee competition, verify player age (18+), segregate player funds, limit entries based on contest size, disclose average winnings, and prohibit contests involving youth sports. The bill defines "fantasy contest" and mandates operational safeguards like restricting entry limits and identifying "highly experienced players." The bill was referred to the Gaming Committee but died there in February 2025.
Maddy summarySB 2175 would require Mississippi's JROTC statewide coordinator position to be classified at the same level as an education program administrator or supervisor. The bill specifies that the coordinator (to be hired by the State Department of Education or contracted through the Mississippi Military Department) would handle key duties like training JROTC instructors, coordinating between schools, developing curriculum, and promoting scholarships for participants. It directly affects all public high schools offering JROTC programs across Mississippi. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.
Maddy summarySB 2155 extends the expiration date of the Energy Academy Act, which allows Vicksburg-Warren and Claiborne County school districts to partner with a nuclear facility and state agencies to operate an energy-focused high school academy. The bill would have kept the program active beyond its original 2029 expiration, directly affecting students in Warren and Claiborne counties who could access career-focused curricula and internships in the energy industry. Key provisions included establishing a Partnership Council with representatives from school districts, nuclear facilities, chambers of commerce, and local government to oversee the academy. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 2241 would allow Mississippi's State Parole Board to reduce an incarcerated person's parole eligibility date by the number of days they earned through the state's earned-time allowance program. This applies specifically to nonviolent offenders who participate in the program and have completed their sentence term (excluding those sentenced after June 30, 1995). The bill amends existing law to require the Parole Board to consider earned time when setting parole eligibility dates, starting July 1, 2025. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not change the existing earned-time program rules or eligibility requirements.
Maddy summarySB 2172 (Mississippi) would have required all public schools and postsecondary institutions receiving state funds to display the Ten Commandments, Mayflower Compact, and Declaration of Independence in conspicuous locations by January 2026, along with Mississippi-specific historical facts. The bill mandated a historical context statement for the Ten Commandments display and specified that schools could use donated materials or free resources to avoid costs. It cited Supreme Court rulings (Van Orden v. Perry, American Legion v. American Humanists Association) to justify the display requirements. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.