Maddy summaryHB 101 would convert three existing restitution centers in Mississippi (Madison County, Flowood, and Pascagoula) into post-release reentry centers. These centers would provide up to 90 days of support - including housing assistance, job skills training, counseling, and healthcare - to individuals eligible for release (including parole and early release) who lack immediate housing upon incarceration. The bill also amends state law to remove residence restrictions that would otherwise apply to these centers, allowing them to operate without location-based limitations. The Department of Corrections would be required to administer these services and help residents secure essential reentry resources like driver's licenses and employment support.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2768 would establish a $1 million "First-Time Homebuyers Home Upgrade Revolving Fund" administered by Mississippi’s Home Corporation to provide short-term loans for repairs to single-family rental homes. The fund would help first-time homeowners (prioritizing income-qualified buyers) cover costs like roof, plumbing, or HVAC repairs, enabling them to sell homes as owner-occupied properties after upgrades. Loans would be limited to six months with below-market interest rates, require contractor quotes and a six-month real estate listing, and cap loan amounts based on local median income. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and would have operated as a pilot program starting July 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 47 established the "Robert G. Clark, Jr., Educational Scholarship Program" at Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, and Mississippi Valley State University. It provides tuition scholarships for up to four years to education students who commit to teaching full-time in Mississippi public school districts designated as having severe teacher shortages. Recipients must agree to teach in these areas for four years after graduation, with scholarships covering in-state tuition rates. The program would be administered by deans of each university's education college, requiring annual reports to the legislature on scholarship recipients and funding sources. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.
Maddy summarySB 2373 would have allowed Mississippi county boards of supervisors to increase justice court filing fees by 10% each year. It required clerks to publicly post updated fee schedules both in physical copies and online if fees changed. This bill directly affected county justice courts and people filing cases (like civil disputes, marriage licenses, or criminal matters) by changing how fees could be adjusted annually. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law, so these changes were never implemented.
Maddy summaryHB 109 modifies Mississippi's habitual offender sentencing laws by preventing drug offenses and nonviolent crimes from counting toward the "two prior convictions" required for enhanced penalties. Specifically, it amends Sections 99-19-81 and 99-19-83 to exclude such convictions when determining eligibility for mandatory maximum sentences or life imprisonment under habitual offender statutes. The bill defines "nonviolent crime" as any offense not classified as violent under Section 97-3-2 of the Mississippi Code. This change directly affects individuals with prior drug or nonviolent offense convictions who might otherwise face harsher sentencing under habitual offender laws. The law would have taken effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee before passing.
Maddy summarySB 2299 would change Mississippi law to allow retired teachers with at least 30 years of service (or 25 years as of July 1, 2024) to return to public school teaching and continue receiving their retirement allowance after only 30 days of retirement, instead of the current 90-day waiting period. The bill restricts this return to work to school districts with critical teacher shortages and requires teachers to hold valid teaching licenses for the subject area. School districts would pay 50% of the retired teacher's salary directly to the retirement system (PERS) as a pension liability assessment, while the teacher receives the other 50% as salary, with a total limit of five years of reemployment. This change aims to address teacher shortages while offsetting costs to the retirement system through the PERS assessment mechanism.
Maddy summarySB 2705 proposes significant changes to Mississippi's civil litigation rules. It establishes a strong presumption that standard attorney fee calculations (lodestar method) are sufficient in cases where fees are awarded, requiring courts to justify overriding this rule. The bill also sets a two-year statute of limitations for negligence claims (with exceptions for latent injuries discovered later), adds rules for insurance coverage disputes after a denial, and clarifies how medical billing costs can be proven in personal injury cases. Additionally, it modifies landlord liability protections for multifamily properties and specifies conditions for recovering medical expenses in injury claims.
Maddy summaryHB 104 would require Mississippi's Joint Legislative PEER Committee to review how organizations spending Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds use those resources. Every two years, the committee would examine subcontracts and subgrants awarded by the Department of Human Services, checking if funds were spent as intended to support families in need. The committee would then prepare a report detailing its findings and submit it to the legislature, with the first report due by February 1, 2027. This bill, which died in committee in February 2026, aimed to improve oversight of TANF spending without changing eligibility or benefit levels.
Maddy summaryHB 116, "The Juvenile Offender Parole and Rehabilitation Act," updates Mississippi's parole rules for individuals convicted of crimes as juveniles (under 18 at the time of offense). It specifically states that such offenders become eligible for parole after serving 20 years of their sentence, unless earlier parole eligibility applies. The bill also revises definitions in the law to clarify terms like "juvenile" (under 18) and "adult" to align with these new parole provisions. These changes directly affect juvenile offenders sentenced as adults who were under 18 when they committed their offenses.
Maddy summarySB 2074 would create a new criminal offense for sexual contact with a minor aged 16-18 by someone 24 or older, adding subsection (1)(e) to Mississippi's sexual battery statute (Section 97-3-95). It sets a 2-15 year prison term for this offense and requires mandatory criminal sexual assault protection orders with strict registry rules (Section 97-3-101(6)). The bill directly affects minors aged 16-18 and adults in authority roles (like teachers or coaches) who commit such acts. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.