Sen. Jeremy England

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 17 is a commemorative resolution recognizing Dorothy "Dottie" Armstrong of Newton, Mississippi, as the recipient of the 2026 Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Arts Education. The resolution formally extends the Mississippi Senate's recognition to Armstrong for her decades-long work as an art educator, including founding school art programs, creating public murals, and running a community art studio. This resolution has no policy impact - it solely serves to publicly honor her contributions to arts education in Mississippi, as she has been selected for an existing state award.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 21) formally commends the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College men's golf team for winning their second consecutive NJCAA Division II national championship. It specifically highlights their record-breaking season, including three national titles, 10 tournament wins, and multiple individual awards for players and coach Brad Thornton. The resolution also recognizes the team's academic achievements, including NJCAA Academic Team of the Year Honorable Mention. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - it serves only to express legislative praise and will be presented to college leadership.

Maddy summarySB 2301, the "Mississippi Open to Religion Act," would require Mississippi public school districts and charter schools to adopt policies allowing students and employees daily voluntary opportunities for prayer and Bible or religious text reading on school campuses. Key provisions mandate signed consent forms from students' parents/guardians or employees (including waivers of legal claims under the First Amendment), prohibit public address system use for such activities, and require separate spaces for those who opt out. Compliance would begin with the 2026-2027 school year. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and is not currently law.

Maddy summarySB 2305 would have required Mississippi public school boards to allow a Christian Bible provided by an external entity (not the school district) to be visible in all classrooms and libraries. It also mandated daily recitation of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance - including the phrase "under God" - and required teaching a new state pledge referencing "Almighty God." The bill aimed to enforce these provisions through school board compliance measures and reporting requirements. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.

Maddy summarySB 2514, the "Mississippi Open to Religion Act," would have required all Mississippi public school districts and charter schools to adopt a policy allowing daily voluntary prayer and Bible or religious text reading on school campuses starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The policy would mandate signed consent forms from students' parents/guardians or employees (including a waiver of legal claims related to religious expression), prohibit participation without consent, and require schools to avoid forcing non-consenting individuals to hear or participate. It also specifies that such activities cannot replace instructional time and must accommodate those who revoke consent. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2492 standardizes the requirements for dyslexia therapy training programs eligible for Mississippi's Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship Program. It defines "Department-approved Orton-Gillingham based dyslexia therapy training programs" as those accredited by IMSLEC, requiring 200 hours of coursework and 700 clinical hours under qualified instructors. The bill directly affects students with dyslexia (grades 1-12) who use the scholarship to access therapy and therapists seeking licensure to deliver approved services. It establishes clear, research-based standards for therapy training programs rather than creating new funding. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2554 would update Mississippi law to explicitly include "obesity medicine" as part of the "practice of medicine," allowing physicians certified in this specialty to treat obesity. It expands telemedicine rules to permit remote consultations using HIPAA-compliant technology (including video, apps, or store-and-forward systems) for obesity care. The bill specifically permits these physicians to prescribe weight-loss medications like GLP-1 therapeutics (e.g., Wegovy) via telehealth under defined conditions. This would directly affect obesity medicine providers and patients seeking remote treatment for obesity-related conditions.

Maddy summarySB 2576, titled the "Pharmacy Benefit Prompt Pay Act," would have regulated pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Mississippi by requiring them to provide pharmacies with a process to appeal disputed drug reimbursements. Key provisions include banning PBMs from spreading pricing differences (charging different rates for the same drug) or favoring affiliated pharmacies financially, prohibiting retaliation against pharmacists who challenge reimbursement issues, and mandating reporting requirements for PBMs, drug manufacturers, and health insurers. The bill also created a new grant program to assist independent pharmacists with reimbursement challenges. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted into law.

Maddy summarySB 2586 would have amended Mississippi law to clarify and expand the duties of county election commissioners. It required commissioners to complete a skills assessment every four years, obtain office space with specific supplies (including computers and storage), and perform detailed tasks like managing voter rolls via the SEMS system, training poll managers, and operating voting equipment. The bill directly affected county election commissioners, who would have needed to meet these new administrative and technical requirements to conduct elections. The legislation died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 2607 establishes a 7-year pilot program allowing Mississippi community and junior colleges to use performance-based contracts for facility improvements, operations, and maintenance. These contracts would let schools partner with contractors who guarantee cost savings (like reduced energy expenses or avoided future repairs), with payments tied to verified savings instead of upfront costs. The bill expands what counts as "savings" to include avoided capital expenses (e.g., skipping future equipment replacements) and removes the previous 20-year payback limit for such contracts. It requires specific contract terms, competitive procurement, and annual reporting to track savings and ensure accountability for participating institutions.