Mental Health Day; authorize as excused absence from school.

HB 1462, the "Mississippi Mental Health Days Act," allows students in Mississippi public and private schools to take up to two consecutive days off for mental health reasons as an excused absence under compulsory attendance laws. Schools must adopt policies by the 2026-2027 school year with procedures for recording these absences, staff outreach for students using multiple days, and referrals to mental health resources while protecting student privacy. The Mississippi Department of Education will develop model guidelines and collect annual, de-identified data on usage to support schools and inform policy improvements. The bill does not create new funding but directs schools to use existing resources and community partnerships for implementation.