Sen. Mike Seymour

Maddy summaryThis resolution commends the life and service of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, a Mississippi native and Black Hawk helicopter pilot who died in a 2025 training mission crash near Washington, D.C. It expresses the Mississippi Legislature’s sympathy to his family and honors his memory as a fallen soldier. The resolution has no policy provisions or direct impact beyond ceremonial recognition.

Maddy summarySB 2197 changes Mississippi law to treat impersonating police officers as a felony instead of a misdemeanor. It increases penalties for falsely claiming to be a state highway patrolman or any law enforcement officer, raising potential jail time to up to three years and fines to $5,000 for both offenses. The bill repeals a duplicate law (Section 97-7-43) that previously covered similar offenses. This directly affects individuals who falsely pose as police officers or patrolmen, making such actions carry significantly harsher criminal consequences. The bill was approved by the Senate but died in committee in March 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2377 expands the oversight authority of Mississippi's Public Procurement Review Board, requiring the board to review all state agency contracts and emergency contracts for compliance. It mandates that the board approve purchasing regulations for state agencies (excluding computer equipment) and adopt rules for lease agreements, including requiring agencies to publicly post lease details like location, cost, and terms online before bidding. The bill also requires the board to set aside at least 5% of annual procurement spending for minority-owned businesses, defined as those owned by Black, Hispanic, Asian-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, or female individuals, with specific bidding rules for these contracts. This bill directly affects state agencies managing contracts, leases, and procurement processes across Mississippi.

Maddy summaryThe Pharmacy Benefit Prompt Pay Act requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to pay pharmacies promptly for medications and establishes a process for pharmacies to appeal if payments are below agreed rates. It also bans PBMs and pharmacy services organizations (PSAOs) from restricting patient choice of pharmacy, spreading pricing, or retaliating against pharmacists who exercise rights under the law. The bill mandates that PBMs, PSAOs, drug manufacturers, and health insurers report pricing and contract details to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, which will publish this information online for transparency. These changes directly affect pharmacies, pharmacists, PBMs, PSAOs, and health insurers operating in Mississippi.

Maddy summarySB 2605 would require all Mississippi public and charter schools to teach standalone civics courses starting in 8th grade and before students graduate high school, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. The courses must cover U.S. and Mississippi history, government structure (including federalism and the Constitution), civic skills like source analysis, and nonpartisan civic engagement, using historical and current examples. The Mississippi State Department of Education would develop the curriculum standards and update them to reflect current civics scholarship. Note: This bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2568 created a Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Enforcement Study Committee to examine whether requiring proof of insurance before issuing or renewing license tags would be feasible. The committee, composed of insurance officials, legislative committee chairs, and local tax officials, was tasked with studying enforcement methods and reporting findings to the legislature by October 1, 2025. It specifically considered if drivers must present insurance proof at the time of license tag transactions. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, meaning it did not advance to become law.

Maddy summarySB 2653 prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns for constitutional amendments, local ballot measures, or similar elections in Mississippi. It makes it unlawful for anyone to knowingly solicit, accept, or aid such contributions, with violations punishable by fines up to $10,000 or six months in jail. Campaigns unknowingly receiving foreign contributions must return the funds to the Secretary of State within 30 days, or face penalties. The law applies to all election-related contributions, including those for non-office races like ballot initiatives.

Maddy summarySB 2892 established the Mississippi-Ireland Trade Commission to strengthen economic ties between Mississippi and Ireland. The commission, composed of 10 appointed members (including state officials and Irish trade representatives) plus non-voting ex-officio members, aims to advance bilateral trade, promote business/academic exchanges, and encourage investment between the two regions. It is authorized to raise funds through donations, grants, and events to carry out these goals. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2444 establishes a scholarship program providing free tuition at Mississippi state universities and community colleges for eligible veterans. To qualify, veterans must be Mississippi residents, honorably discharged, qualify for in-state tuition, not receive federal education benefits, and either have served in a combat zone with a campaign medal or have a service-connected disability rated at 10% or higher. The program covers one month of tuition for each month of qualifying service, with a minimum of one academic year and maximum of four years of coverage. Funding is limited to $500,000 annually through the newly created Combat Veteran Scholarship Fund.

Maddy summarySB 2833 establishes new enforcement mechanisms for subpoenas issued by Mississippi's Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER). It creates a civil enforcement process allowing the PEER Committee to seek court orders compelling witnesses to comply with subpoenas, with failure to comply treated as contempt of court. The bill also adds criminal penalties (fines up to $1,000 or jail time up to 6 months) for non-compliance, while exempting PEER subpoenas from standard legislative subpoena rules that apply to other committees. This directly affects witnesses subpoenaed by PEER and clarifies the committee’s authority to enforce its requests through courts or the Attorney General’s office.