Mississippi Legislative Analysis

An Act To Amend Section 41-7-191, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise Certain Provisions Relating To A Hospital That Has A Certificate Of Need For A Forty-bed Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility In Desoto County; To Provide That There Shall Be No Prohibition Or Restrictions On Participation In The Medicaid Program For Such Facility That Would Not Otherwise Apply To Any Other Such Facility; To Require The Issuance Of A Certificate Of Need For Additional Beds In A Community Living Program For Developmentally Disabled Adults Located In Madison County; To Revise The Conditions For A Certificate Of Need Issued For A Long-term Care Hospital In Harrison County To Allow The Hospital To Participate In The Medicaid Program As A Crossover Provider; To Provide That The University Of Mississippi Medical Center Need Not Obtain A Certificate Of Need For Any Hospital Beds, Services, Health Care Facilities, Or Medical Equipment That Have Been Approved And Continuously Operated Under A Certificate Of Need Exemption For A Teaching Hospital, Or That Are Approved Or Applied For Before The Effective Date Of This Act, Relocation; To Provide That From And After The Effective Date Of This Act, The University Of Mississippi Medical Center Shall Have An Academic Exemption From The Certificate Of Need Requirements Only Within A Certain Area Of Jackson, Mississippi; To Clarify That In Order For The University Of Mississippi Medical Center To Qualify For Such An Academic Exemption, The State Health Officer Must Determine That The Proposed Equipment Or Facility Fulfills A Substantial And Meaningful Academic Function; To Direct The State Department Of Health To Conduct A Study And Report By December 1, 2026, On The Feasibility Of Exempting Small Hospitals From The Requirement For A Certificate Of Need For The Placement Of Dialysis Units To Reduce The Number Of Transfers For Patients Requiring Dialysis, The Feasibility Of Exempting Small Hospitals From The Requirement For A Certificate Of Need To Operate Geriatric Psychiatric Units, And The Feasibility Of A New Requirement That Acute Adult Psychiatric Units Treat A Certain Percentage Of Uninsured Patients Or Pay A Periodic Fee In Lieu Thereof; To Amend Section 41-7-173, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Increase The Minimum Dollar Amounts Of Capital Expenditures And Major Medical Equipment That Require The Issuance Of A Certificate Of Need; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• Relates to A Hospital That Has A Certificate Of Need For A Forty-bed Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility In Desoto County
• Sponsored by Sam Creekmore (Republican)
• Voted 50-0 in the Senate
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Create The "mississippi Education Freedom Act"; To Create New Section 37-190-1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Establishes The Name Of The Act; To Create New Section 37-190-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prescribe The Legislative Findings And Intent; To Create New Section 37-190-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide Terms And Definitions Used In The Act; To Create New Section 37-190-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Office Of The State Treasurer Shall Administer The Program As The Fund Manager; To Authorize The Fund Manager To Contract With Certified Educational Assistance Organization(s) (ceao) And To Delegate Certain Functions To State Agencies, Including The State Department Of Education; To Prescribe The Powers And Duties Of The Fund Manager, Including Application Administration, Eligibility Verification, Residency And Income Verification, Account Establishment And Payment Processes, Prioritization And Lottery Administration, Audit And Compliance Enforcement, Reporting And Rulemaking Authority; To Define And Regulate Certified Educational Assistance Organization(s) (ceao), Including Permitted Administrative Retention; To Authorize Federal Verification Of Immigration Status For Lawful Presence Purposes; To Provide A One-year Exemption From Certain State Personnel Board Rules For Program Implementation Staffing; To Provide That The Fund Manager Shall Not Regulate Curriculum, Instructional Methods, Admissions, Hiring Practices Or Religious Instruction, Except As Expressly Authorized; To Create New Section 37-190-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Establish Magnolia Student Accounts; To Prescribe Eligibility, Participation Categories, Annual Participation Caps, Eligibility Pools With Automatic Rollover Between Pools, A Separate Homeschool Category; To Provide For The Continued Eligibility For Participating Students Who Remain In Compliance Without Reapplication; To Provide For Income-based Prioritization Using Area Median Income Thresholds; To Prescribe Lottery Procedures When Demand Exceeds Supply, And Reapplication Requirements When Accounts Are Unavailable; To Create New Section 37-190-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prescribe Annual Funding Amounts For Magnolia Student Accounts Based On Student Category; To Provide Household Caps; To Authorize Carryforward Of Unused Funds; To Authorize Postsecondary Use After Graduation Or Equivalency; To Provide That Msa Funds Are Not Taxable Income And May Not Be Claimed As A Tax Benefit; To Create New Section 37-190-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Equal Opportunity Scholarship For Students With Special Needs Program Shall Operate As A Separate Categorical Component Of The Program; To Transfer Administrative Oversight Of The Equal Opportunity Scholarship For Students With Special Needs Program From The State Department Of Education To The Office Of The State Treasurer Effective July 1, 2027, While Maintaining Governing Law Under Provisions Of Law Creating That Program And Prohibiting Simultaneous Funding Under Multiple Program Components; To Create New Section 37-190-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Annual Assessments For Msa Participants; To Authorize Assessment Options And Parent Selection; To Authorize Payment Of Assessment Costs As An Eligible Expense; To Require Reporting Of Results To The Fund Manager; To Provide Exemptions For Certain Students With Disabilities And For Students In Legitimate Home Instruction Programs; To Require A Statewide Program-level Report Without Identifiable Student Information; To Create New Section 37-190-17, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Establish Approval Requirements For Education Service Providers And Participating Schools, Including Health And Safety Compliance And Nondiscrimination Requirements; To Provide Grounds And Procedures For Suspension Or Disqualification For Participation In The Program; To Provide Maximum Flexibility For Public Schools Serving As Education Service Providers; To Prohibit State Regulation Of Curriculum, Admissions Or Religious Instruction; To Clarify That Participation Does Not Create State-actor Status; To Create New Section 37-190-19, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit Misuse Of Msa Funds; To Authorize Account Suspension And Closure, Repayment And Referral For Enforcement; To Provide Notice And An Opportunity To Respond Before Permanent Closure Of Msas; To Provide For Reversion Of Remaining Funds To The Education Freedom Fund; To Preserve Student Athletic Eligibility; To Create New Section 37-190-21, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize Postsecondary Education And Industry Credential Expenses Payable From Remaining Msa Funds; To Prescribe Allowable Expenses, Payment Requirements And Time Limits For Which Remaining Msa May Be Used; To Create New Section 37-190-23, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Create The Education Freedom Fund In The State Treasury And Prescribe Its Funding Sources, Appropriation Requirements, Permissible Uses For The Program's Categorical Components, Required Accounting And Subaccounting, And Nonlapsing Status; To Amend Section 37-15-31, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Remove The Requirement For The School Board Of The School District Of A Child's Residence Consent To The Release Of The Student For Transfer To Another School District; To Only Require That The Transferee School Board Approve Or Refuse The Transfer Of A Student Upon Receiving Notice And Official Meeting Of The Board To Act On Such Transfer; To Authorize The Siblings Of A Lawfully Transferred Student To Enroll In The Transferee School District At The Discretion Of Their Parent(s) Or Legal Guardian(s); That A Transfer Student's Athletic Eligibility Shall Be Determined In Accordance With Rules And Regulations Promulgated By Mhsaa Governing Student Eligibility To Provide For The Allocation And Disbursement Of Funds To A Receiving School District Upon The Completion And Certification Of A Student Transfer Request; To Stipulate That A School Or District May Not Accept Or Deny Students For Transfer Based On The Student's Ability Or Disability; To Require School Districts To Publish The Number Of Available Seats Open To Transfers Within The District And Individualized By School Facility; To Require The District To Publish Such Information At A Reasonable Time Before The Start Of The School Year; To Require Districts To Adopt And Publish The Processes Used To Choose Students For Transfer; To Require The State Department Of Education To Collect And Publish Student Transfer Data, Categorized By Acceptance, Denials And Reasons For Denials; To Provide That Transfer Authority Of A District To Receive Or Deny The Acceptance Of A Student Requesting Transfer Into The District Shall Not Supersede Any Provision Of An Enforceable Desegregation Order Or A Court-approved Desegregation Plan; To Create The Education Freedom Fund As A Special Fund In The State Treasury; To Provide That Monies In The Fund Shall Be Expended By The State Department Of Education, Upon Appropriation Of The Legislature, For The Purpose Of Paying The Cost Of The State Portion Of Total Funding Formula Base-student Cost For The Transferring Student At The Transferee District's Rate; To Establish The "tim Tebow Act"; To Define Certain Terms; To Authorize Students Enrolled In A Homeschool To Participate In Public School Interscholastic Extracurricular Activities; To Prescribe The Requirements For A Student Enrolled In A Homeschool To Participate In Interscholastic Extracurricular Activities; To Prohibit Discrimination Against Homeschool Student Selection Or Participation In Such Activities; To Provide That Participation In An Extracurricular Activity Is A Privilege And Not A Right; To Amend Section 37-28-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise Definitions Related To The Mississippi Charter School Act Of 2013; To Amend Section 37-28-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Allow Applications To Be Approved For Charter Schools In All School Districts; To Amend Section 37-28-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Charter School Authorizer Board To Amend Charter School Contracts In Order To Approve Mergers, Consolidations And Reconfigurations And Contract Reorganizations Without Closing A Charter School; To Amend Section 37-28-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit The Authorizer From Retaining A Portion Of Per-pupil Allocations For Its Support And Provide That The Legislature May Fund The Authorizer Through Specific Appropriation; To Amend Section 37-28-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Authorizer To Publish A Pamphlet, By August 1 Of Each Year, Informing Charter Schools And Charter Applicants Of All Educational Statutes Applicable To The Operation And Administration Of Charter Schools; To Amend Section 37-28-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Charter School Authorizer To Limit The Information Initially Submitted By A Charter School Applicant To That Which The Authorizer Deems Essential; To Amend Section 37-28-19, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize Certain Applicants That Are Denied A Charter To Remedy The Application's Deficiencies And Reapply Before The Next Regular Application Process; To Amend Section 37-28-21, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Authorizer To Allow A Charter Management Organization To Hold A Single Contract And To Reorganize Under A Single Contract Without Reapplying For Each School; To Provide That Charter Schools Shall Be Granted A Two-year Delay Start Date For Commencement Of Instruction Of Students; To Further Provide That If The Charter School Fails To Start After Two Years Of Being Approved, It Must Reapply For Authorization To Open A Charter School To The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board; To Amend Section 37-28-23, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Manner In Which A Charter School's Underserved Population Is Compared To That Of The Local School District And To Authorize An Enrollment Preference For Children Transferring To A Charter School From Another School Whose Contract Is Held By The Same Governing Board; To Amend Section 37-28-29, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Achievement Gaps Comparisons For Proficiency Between Applicable Subgroups; To Amend Section 37-28-31, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Authorizer To Annually Monitor The Performance And Legal Compliance Of Charter Schools It Has Authorized; To Allow Charter Schools Under The Same Charter Contract To Submit A Single Annual Performance Report; To Amend Section 37-28-33, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize Charter Schools That Receive A Renewal Contract Of Less Than Five Years To Appeal The Decision In The Same Manner That Nonrenewals And Revocations Are Appealed; To Amend Section 37-28-35, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prescribe The Timeline And Procedures To Be Followed By The Authorizer In Its Decision To Close A Charter School; To Amend Section 37-28-37, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Streamline Reports From A Charter School Authorizer; To Amend Section 37-28-39, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That A Nonprofit Entity That Is Party To A Charter Contract, Including A Charter Management Organization, Is A Nongovernmental Entity; To Require The Governing Board Of A Nonprofit Entity Holding A Charter Contract For Multiple Schools To Determine Whether Each School Listed In The Charter Contract Will Function As A Local Education Agency Or If The Nonprofit Will Function As Such For All Schools Included In Its Charter Contract; To Amend Section 37-28-41, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Nonprofit Entity Holding A Charter Contract To Contract For Transportation Services, Special Education Services And Virtual Courses For Students Enrolled In The Charter School Under Its Contract; To Amend Section 37-28-43, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Charter Schools To Provide Appropriate Services To Students Designated As English Language Learners Who Are Enrolled In Its Schools; To Amend Section 37-28-45, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Charter Schools To Receive Performance Classifications From The State Department Of Education; To Provide That Charter Schools Are Not Subject To Any Rule, Policy, Regulation Or Procedure Adopted By The State Board Of Education Unless Such Was Adopted Pursuant To Law Applicable To Charter Schools; To Amend Section 37-28-47, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Increase The Total Number Of Nonlicensed Teachers Employed In An Instructional Capacity To 50% And To Exclude Provisionally Licensed Teachers And Licensed Teachers Teaching Out Of Field From The 50% Limitation On Charter School Teachers Exempt From Licensure Requirements; To Provide That Charter School Employees Having Satisfied All The Requirements For National Board Certification In Their Respective Professional Disciplines, Shall Be Entitled To A $6,000.00 Annual Salary Supplement; To Amend Section 37-28-49, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Insert Reference To The Mississippi Code Of Educator Ethics; To Amend Section 37-28-53, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Each Charter School Or Charter Management Organization To Annually Certify Information Necessary To Calculate The Charter School's State Share Of And Local Contribution To The State Public School Funding Formula To The State Department Of Education; To Amend Section 37-28-55, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Manner In Which The Pro Rata Share Of Local Funds For Charter Schools Is Calculated; To Amend Section 37-28-57, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require Charter Schools To Adhere To Generally Accepted Accounting Principles As Determined By The Financial Accounting Standards Board; To Require The State Auditor To Develop Financial Rules And Regulations, Including A Financial Accounting Manual Specific For Charter Schools; To Provide For The Annual Audit Of Records Of Nonprofit Entities Holding A Charter Contract For Charter Schools; To Require The State Department Of Education And Each Authorizer To Develop A Process Of Sharing Relevant Information To Avoid Duplication Of Effort; To Bring Forward Sections 37-28-1, 37-28-3, 37-28-17, 37-28-25, 37-28-27, 37-28-51, 37-28-59 And 37-28-61, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendments; To Amend Sections 31-7-1, 37-3-51, 37-17-1, 37-21-3, 37-41-1, 37-17-6, 37-28-55, 37-173-13 And 37-175-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity To The Preceding Provisions; To Bring Forward Sections 37-28-5, 37-28-53 And 37-173-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendments; To Require The State Board Of Education To Incorporate Components Within The Existing Financial Literacy Curriculum For Students In Grades 6 Through 8 Beginning With The 2026-2027 School Year; To Require Passage Of A One-half Carnegie Unit Course In Financial Literacy As A Graduation Requirement For All Public School Students, Including Those In Charter Schools, Beginning With The 2031 Graduating Class; To Establish The Financial Literacy Trust Fund In The State Treasury To Support Financial Literacy Education; To Require The State Board Of Education To Administer The Fund; To Amend Sections 37-7-301 And 37-16-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity Thereto; To Establish A School Accountability Dashboard For Mississippi Public Schools To Promote Transparency And Provide Parents With Critical Student Performance Data; To Require School Districts To Publish The School Accountability Dashboard Beginning With The 2026-2027 Academic School Year; To Specify The Timeline By Which The Initial And Subsequent Updates To The Dashboard Are Required To Be Published; To Grant The Department A One-year Period To Identify Any Relevant Data Not Currently Collected To Determine What Said Data Is And Include It In The Dashboard Beginning With The 2027-2028 School Year; To Require The Information In The Dashboard To Be Compiled Into An Easily Accessible, User-friendly Single-page Graphic And Published On The Main Page Of The School District's And The Department's Website; To Require The State Department Of Education To Issue Guidance And The Standardized Dashboard Template To All School Districts By August 1, 2026; To Require The School Accountability Dashboard To Be Aligned With The State's Performance-based Accreditation System And Prescribe The Minimum Data Metrics To Be Included; To Amend Section 37-17-8, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity Thereto; To Amend Section 25-11-126, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Criteria And Scale Of Compensation For Eligible Retired Teachers Who Return To The Teaching Profession As Contributing But Non-benefit Accruing Members Of The Pers; To Amend Section 37-19-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Remove The 50/50 Split Of Employer's Contribution Of Retired Teachers As Pension Liability Participation Assessment; To Amend Sections 37-181-3, 37-181-5, 37-181-7, 37-181-9, 37-181-11, 37-181-15, 37-181-17 And 37-181-19, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Remove Overly Restrictive Language Which Required The Parent Or Guardian Of An Eligible Student Receiving Esa Funds To Certify To The State Department Of Education That The Student Has Been Accepted Into An Eligible School Qualified To Provide Services For The Participating Student's Disability Or Special Education Needs, Or Provide Services Addressing A Participating Student's Iep; To Remove The Requirement That An Eligible School That Fails To Comply With The Certification Requirements Of Its Ability To Provide Services For The Participating Student's Disability Or Special Education Needs, Or Provide Services Addressing A Participating Student's Iep Shall Be Ineligible To Participate In The Esa Program The Following Year; To Remove The Waitlist Requirement For Students Eligible To Receive An Educational Scholarship Account Under The "equal Opportunity For Students With Special Needs Act"; To Provide That, Subject To Appropriation, Each Student's Esa Shall Be Funded At The Student Base Amount As Determined Under The "mississippi Student Funding Formula"; To Restructure The Frequency By Which Reimbursement Payments Shall Be Made To Service Providers And Parents From Quarterly To Monthly; To Authorize The Department To Enter Into A Contractual Agreement With A Certified Educational Assistance Organization(s) (ceao) To Administer The Esa Program; To Create The "aeronautics, Geospatial, Engineering, Nursing, And Technical Skills (agents) Of Excellence Program Act"; To Establish Specialized Academic Programs For High School Students In Grades 9 Through 12 In Disciplines Such As Aeronautics, Geospatial Studies, Engineering, Nursing, And Technical Skills; To Improve Workforce Readiness And Postsecondary Outcomes For Students Attending Agents Of Excellence Host Institutions; To Define Terminology; To Provide That The Program Shall Be Jointly Administered By The State Board Of Education And The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning; To Provide For Implementation Of The Program Contingent Upon Funding Being Appropriated For That Reason; To Prescribe The Mechanism By Which Host Institutions Shall Be Paid For Participating Students; To Require Annual Reports On Enrollment, Outcomes And Finances To Be Submitted To The Governor And The Chairperson Of The Education And Universities And Colleges Committees Of The House And Senate; To Require Comprehensive Evaluations Of The Program Every Three Years To Assess Effectiveness; To Bring Forward Sections 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87, 37-13-89, 37-13-91 And 37-13-107, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendment; To Require The State Board Of Education And The State Department Of Education To Apply To The United States Department Of Education For A Waiver From The Assessment Requirements For Grades 3 Through 8; To Amend Section 25-11-103, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Definition Of "average Compensation" For Members In The New Tier To Mean The Average Of The Four Highest Consecutive Years Of Earned Compensation, Or Of The Last 48 Consecutive Months Of Earned Compensation, Whichever Is Greater; To Bring Forward Section 25-11-109, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Amendment; To Amend Section 25-11-111, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That Members In The New Tier Who Have Completed At Least Eight Years Of Membership Service Shall Be Entitled To Receive A Retirement Allowance Upon Withdrawal From Service At The Age Of 60, And Members Who Have Completed At Least 30 Years Of Creditable Service Shall Be Entitled To Receive A Retirement Allowance Upon Withdrawal From Service Regardless Of Age; To Provide That Members In The New Tier Who Withdraw From Service Before Age 60 And Have Completed At Least Eight Years Of Membership Service And Have Not Received A Refund Of Their Contributions Shall Be Entitled To Receive A Retirement Allowance Upon Attaining The Age Of 60; To Provide That The Annual Retirement Allowance Of A Member Who Has Attained The Age Of 60 But Has Not Completed At Least 30 Years Of Creditable Service Shall Be Reduced By An Actuarial Equivalent Factor For Each Year Of Creditable Service Below 30 Years Or The Number Of Years In Age That The Member Is Below Age 65, Whichever Is Less; To Bring Forward Section 25-11-112, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Amendment; To Amend Section 25-11-114, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform To The Provisions Of This Act With Respect To Retirement Allowances For Death Before Retirement Or Death Or Disability In The Line Of Duty; To Bring Forward Sections 25-11-115, 25-11-117 And 25-11-147, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendments; To Amend Section 25-11-123, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity To The Proceeding Provisions; To Amend Section 37-21-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Increase The Minimum Assistant Teacher Salary To $20,000.00; To Amend Sections 25-9-127 And 7-9-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Exempt The Personnel Actions Of The Office Of The State Treasurer From The Applicability Of The Rules And Regulations Of The State Personnel Board With Regard To The Administration Of The Mississippi Education Freedom Act For One-year Period; To Bring Forward Sections 31-7-401, 31-7-403, 31-7-405 And 31-7-407, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendment; To Authorize Local Law Enforcement Agencies With Primary Law Enforcement Authority Of All Public And Nonpublic Schools Within Their Jurisdiction To Enter Into Memorandums Of Understanding With Independent Nonpublic Schools To Employ Law Enforcement Officers As School Resource Officers (sros) At Such Schools; To Specify The Training Requirements For Individuals Serving As Sros At Independent Nonpublic Schools And Consequences For Noncompliance With Training Requirements; To Amend Sections 21-19-49 And 17-25-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity Thereto; To Establish The National Defense Cadet Corps (ndcc) Pilot Program Grant For The Purpose Of Expanding Jrotc Programs In Schools Throughout The State; To Require The State Department Of Education And The Adjutant General Of The Mississippi National Guard To Promulgate Rules And Regulations For The Administration Of The Pilot Program, And To Establish Qualifying Criteria To Be Used In Determining The Priority Of Issuance Of Grants Under The Pilot Program; To Bring Forward Section 37-15-29, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For The Purpose Of Possible Amendments; To Codify Section 37–7–104.10, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That In The Copiah County And Hazlehurst City School Districts There Shall Be An Administrative Restructuring Into One School District To Be Designated As The Copiah County School District Effective July 1, 2028; To Provide For The Composition And Selection Of The Board Of Trustees Of The New Copiah County School District; To Direct The State Board Of Education To Administratively Consolidate Any School District Which Does Not Voluntarily Follow The Restructuring Order; To Abolish The Former School Districts Following The Administrative Restructuring And Provide For The Transfer Of School District Assets And Liabilities; To Provide For Execution Of Teacher And School District Employee Contracts And The Preparation Of A School District Budget In The New School District; To Direct The State Board Of Education To Promulgate Regulations To Implement Such Administrative Restructuring; To Amend Sections 37-7-103 And 37-5-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity; To Amend Section 37-13-8, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Permit Local School Boards To Designate A Period Of Reflection At The Beginning Of Each School Day To Provide For Student-initiated Prayer On A Voluntary Basis; To Bring Forward Section 37-13-4, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For The Purpose Of Possible Amendment; To Amend Section 37-13-4.1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Permit Local School Boards To Designate A Period Of Prayer Or Reflection At School Events; To Amend Section 7-9-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Power And Duties Of The State Treasurer To Include The Authority Granted Under The Mississippi Education Freedom Program For The Treasurer To Administer The Program And To Ensure Fidelity Of Such Through The Promulgation Of Rules And Regulations For The Administration Thereof; To Amend Section 37-15-30, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Use Of Automobile Registrations As Proof Of Residency When Enrolling Students In School; To Require Parents Or Legal Guardians Who Do Not Own A Vehicle To Submit A Signed Affidavit, Attesting That No Motor Vehicle Is Owned And Affirming The Student's Actual Residence At The Stated Address Within The Enrolling School District; To Require The State Department Of Education To Develop And Submit A Unified Allocation Plan To The United States Department Of Education On Or Before December 31, 2026; To Request Waivers Of Specific Federal Statutory Or Regulatory Requirements Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act Of 1965, As Amended By The Every Student Succeeds Act, Pursuant To Section 8401(a)(1), In Order To Increase State And Local Flexibility; To Align Federal Education Programs And Resources With Mississippi's Approved Essa State Plan Priorities; To Strengthen School Improvement Efforts Informed By Statewide Accountability, Assessment And Data Systems; To Support Local School Districts In Prioritizing Services For Students Most In Need Of Academic And Nonacademic Support; To Establish A Three-phase Unified Allocation Plan Framework Consisting Of State-level Flexibility, Local Educational Agency Flexibility And Equitable Services Opt-in Options; To Require Continued Compliance With Federal Accountability, Equity And Civil Rights Protections; To Authorize Rulemaking By The State Department Of Education; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• Sponsored by Jason White (Republican)
• Voted 61-59 in the House
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 9-5-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Number Of Chancellors For The Third Chancery Court District In The "from And After January 1, 2027" Tier; To Condition The Qualifying Deadline For The "place Three" Chancellorship For The Third Chancery Court District Upon The Governor's Approval Of This Act; To Amend Section 23-15-977, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform To The Preceding Section; To Bring Forward Section 9-5-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Provides The County Composition Of The Third Chancery Court District, For Purposes Of Amendment; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• Sponsored by Kevin Horan (Republican)
• Voted 116-0 in the House
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 21-1-27, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide For An Election On The Question Of Municipal Annexation In Both The Municipality And The Territory Proposed To Be Annexed When The Governing Authorities Of A Municipality Desire To Enlarge Its Boundaries; To Amend Sections 21-1-29, 21-1-31, 21-1-33, 21-1-35, 21-1-37 And 21-1-39, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Remove The Question Of Municipal Annexation From Chancery Court Proceedings; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Manly Barton (Republican)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 41-7-173, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Remove End-stage Renal Disease Facilities From The Application Of The Health Care Certificate Of Need Law; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Bryant Clark (Democrat)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Establish A Procedure For A Victim Of Identity Theft To Have The Debt Forgiven And Credit Reports Purged; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Bryant Clark (Democrat)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 25-31-10, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Add Two Additional Criminal Investigators To The 22nd Circuit Court District; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Bryant Clark (Democrat)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Authorize The Issuance Of A Hardship Driver's License To A Person Whose License Has Been Suspended As A Result Of Being Out Of Compliance With An Order For Support; To Require A Person To Establish Proof Of Hardship; To Amend Section 63-1-43, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Establish A Fee For A Hardship License And Provide That A Person Holding A Hardship License May Only Drive To Work And Religious Services; To Amend Section 63-1-47, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Term Of A Hardship License Shall Be Four Years; To Amend Sections 63-1-5 And 93-11-157, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity With The Provisions Of This Act; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Omeria Scott (Democrat)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 41-7-191, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The State Department Of Health To Issue A Certificate Of Need For The Construction Or Expansion Of Nursing Facility Beds Or The Conversion Of Other Beds To Nursing Facility Beds In Jones County, Not To Exceed Sixty Beds; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by Omeria Scott (Democrat)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action

An Act To Amend Section 89-27-7, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide The Department Of Agriculture With Oversight For "the Mississippi Foreign Land Ownership Act"; To Provide Additional Penalties For Violation Of This Act; To Provide For The Distribution Of Proceeds From The Sale Of The Agricultural Land; To Amend Section 89-27-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Clarify The Authority Of The Department Of Agriculture To Manage The Act; To Bring Forward Section 89-7-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Provides Definitions For The Act, For Purposes Of Amendment; To Bring Forward Section 89-7-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Provides Real Estate Disclosure Requirements, For Purposes Of Amendment; To Bring Forward Section 89-7-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Provides Limitation Of Liability For Duty To Investigate Whether Land Is Purchased By A Nonresident Alien; And For Related Purposes.

Key Points

• This bill has been introduced and is in early stages of consideration
• Sponsored by William Arnold (Republican)
• Review the full bill text for complete details before taking action