Mississippi
Holding unlicensed personal care homes accountable, Disability Rights Mississippi calls for new legislation
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Disability Rights Mississippi is calling for a bill to be passed to crack down on unlawful practices that take advantage of vulnerable people regarding housing.
The group says for far too long, those with disabilities have not been protected under a law when it comes to housing.
Through their investigation, they have gathered evidence of neglect, abuse, and manipulation.
“The longer this is unmitigated, the more vulnerable citizens will suffer and have their safety and well-being threatened,” said Polly Tribble, the Disability Rights Mississippi Director.
Members of Disability Rights Mississippi stood in solidarity on the steps of the State Capitol Thursday voicing their concerns as well as demands.
“We are hopeful that our leaders will take the findings in this report seriously and act with the urgency we believe that this issue requires,” said Tribble.
The agency is funded by the state to provide legal and advocacy services for people with disabilities across the state.
They say over the past decade, DMRS has conducted extensive investigations into unlicensed personal care homes. Those investigations uncovered a crisis of widespread misconduct, unsafe living conditions, and discriminatory practices.
“The conditions outside of the home are often deplorable. The inside is only worse. Inoperable plumbing, improper cooling, and heating. Windows nailed shut and covered with plastic instead of a window,” said Raven LeSure with Disability Rights Mississippi.
The group also provided photos from their findings of homes in harsh conditions.
Some clients were even living in sheds and tents.
Those on hand tell us people with severe mental illness, veterans, and those without family are staying in these facilities.
“It’s a life-or-death issue. We have seen people who have had to go to hospitals because they haven’t been taken care of. So, it’s a big deal. It’s a big deal to us because we want people to be treated with dignity and we want people to be treated humanely,” said Tribble.
Now the organization is demanding that lawmakers establish meaningful penalties for those operating unlawful, unlicensed facilities.
“Close loopholes in occupancy that allow operators to avoid regulation. Next, define personal care homes clearly in our state laws to ensure all facilities fall under regulatory oversight,” said Tribble.
The group has now passed its proposal along to lawmakers in both chambers.
They now hope legislation will get passed on this issue during this year’s legislation.
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Mississippi
It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife
The Mississippi River flows for around 2,350 miles through the heart of the US. It drains an area of 1.2 million square miles – that’s roughly 40% of the country – and at certain points is 11 miles wide. It is North America’s second longest river, behind the Missouri River.
Rising from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the Mississippi winds southwards through a range of environments, draining water from 31 US states before reaching its delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
The sheer size of the river and the diversity of habitats it passes through make it a refuge for a huge range of animal species, including more than 260 fish, 326 birds, 50 mammals and at least 145 amphibians and reptiles, according to the National Park Service.
There are many weird and wonderful animals living within the Mississippi’s vast waters, but surely one of the strangest is the alligator snapping turtle.
This prehistoric-looking reptile is massive. It can weigh up to 100kg and males can grow well over half a metre long, making it the largest freshwater turtle in North America.
And as if its size wasn’t enough, the alligator snapper has a host of other characteristics that make it one of the Mississippi’s most striking creatures, including a dark, spiky shell (known as carapace), a brick-like head and a sharp, hooked beak. With such a formidable appearance, it’s easy to see how the turtle got its ‘alligator’ name.
But perhaps the turtle’s most curious feature is a worm-like appendage found on its tongue, which it uses as a lure to catch prey, such as fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Alligator snappers are also quite happy scavenging for food.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.
The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.
Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.
It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.
Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.
NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.
The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.
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