Sen. Joel Carter

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 2231 defines which energy sources count as "clean" for local government requirements on public utilities. It explicitly lists 18 permissible sources, including solar, wind, nuclear, natural gas, hydrogen, waste-to-energy, and geothermal, ensuring local governments (like cities or counties) cannot restrict utilities to only specific types. The bill applies to any political subdivision imposing clean energy rules on utilities, requiring them to accept any of the listed sources. It would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee in February 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2226 amends Mississippi law to allow rate-regulated public utilities (like electric and gas providers) to exercise specific legal rights under Sections 11-27-81 through 11-27-89 when managing facilities for public utility service. This directly affects utilities operating under state regulation by clarifying their ability to use these rights for infrastructure, without requiring additional permits for certain operations. The bill specifies that this applies to facilities providing utility services but excludes joint municipal electric agencies from needing commission approval for such facilities. The bill is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2025, and died in committee in February 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2841 proposes that blocking access to a manufactured or mobile home to prevent tax notices or occupancy checks would be considered strong evidence of tax evasion. This would allow county tax collectors to immediately seize the property without a court order. The bill directly affects homeowners who attempt to avoid property taxes by obstructing access to their homes. It also references existing rules for classifying these homes as real property (for tax purposes) if permanently anchored, but does not change those rules. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and was never enacted.

Maddy summarySB 2369 would require annual third-party audits of municipally owned water, electricity, and sewer systems in Mississippi. The bill mandates that independent firms conduct these audits and report results to the Public Service Commission and Public Utilities Staff by December 1 each year, with violations subject to civil fines. It directly affects city-run utilities by expanding oversight under Section 77-3-5 of Mississippi Code. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summarySB 2367 is a procedural bill that reorganizes existing sections of Mississippi's utility law (specifically Sections 77-3-10, 11, 13, 35, 37, 39, 41, 93, and 95) related to certificates of public convenience and necessity. It does not change the substance of these laws but moves them to a different location in the Mississippi Code for administrative clarity. The bill directly affects public utilities (like gas, water, and electricity providers) and the Mississippi Public Service Commission, which oversees utility operations and rates. Its key mechanism is simply reordering the referenced sections to facilitate future potential amendments, without altering current requirements for utility contracts, certificate applications, or service standards. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summarySB 2404 extends cancer coverage benefits under Mississippi's First Responders Health and Safety Act to certain retired first responders. It specifically adds retired first responders who retired between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025, to the eligible group, and grants retired responders who retired after July 1, 2025, coverage for up to five years following retirement. The bill maintains the existing benefit structure: active responders receive lump-sum payments of $35,000 or $6,250 per cancer diagnosis (with a lifetime cap of $50,000), while retired responders do not qualify for disability benefits under this section. This change directly affects retired firefighters and police officers meeting the specified retirement dates.

Maddy summarySB 2230 would exempt electric power generation companies from providing advance notice to Mississippi 811 for excavation or demolition on their own facility property. This exemption applies only when work is confined to the facility's secured area and does not occur on marked utility rights-of-way, easements, or permitted use areas. The bill removes the standard 3-10 day notice requirement for these specific projects under the existing utility notification law. It directly affects power companies conducting construction or maintenance on their own sites for power generation activities.

Maddy summarySB 2365 updates Mississippi's excavation safety rules to include underwater utility lines (submerged facilities). It requires new marking standards for submerged lines (accurate within 15 feet), expands notice requirements for all excavations, and prohibits digging within protected zones without meeting specific conditions. The bill also creates special rules for large projects and sets deadlines for utility operators to fulfill their responsibilities. These changes directly affect construction crews, utility companies, and Mississippi 811 (the "call before you dig" service).

Maddy summarySB 2228 would have required all public and private K-12 schools in Mississippi (excluding home schools) to conduct annual pressure tests on natural gas piping systems before each school year begins. The bill mandates tests be performed by qualified plumbers to check for leaks, with schools required to notify gas suppliers in writing about test results and report any identified leaks to school boards. If hazardous leaks are found or tests aren't done, gas suppliers would have been required to cut off service. The Mississippi Public Service Commission would have created implementing rules by 2025, but the bill died in committee in February 2025 and never became law.