HB 1255 would provide a $2,000 annual salary supplement to licensed teachers working in Mississippi public schools located in areas designated by the State Board of Education as having critical teacher shortages. This supplement would be added to base salaries starting with the 2026-2027 school year and would not affect teachers already receiving separate supplements for National Board Certification. The bill ensures teachers eligible for existing certification-based supplements could still receive both the $2,000 geographic supplement and their current certification bonus. It does not change base salary schedules but adds this targeted incentive to attract and retain educators in underserved school districts.
HB 1247 would have required the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) to provide a permanent 10% discount on state park admission fees to senior citizens aged 65 and older. This discount would apply to all state parks and be in addition to any existing promotional discounts offered at specific parks. The bill aimed to make state park access more affordable for seniors without altering the department's fee-setting authority. However, the bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.
This bill (HC 33) proposes amending Section 273 of the Mississippi Constitution to update signature requirements for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. It specifically revises the rule that no single congressional district can contribute more than one-fourth of the required signatures, aligning this limit with Mississippi's current four congressional districts. This change would directly affect citizens and groups seeking to place constitutional amendment proposals on the ballot via petition. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not advance further.
This bill would require large financial institutions (with over $10 billion in assets or annual transactions) to provide customers with specific written explanations when denying or restricting services like checking accounts, loans, or payment services. It prohibits discrimination based on religion, political speech, or lawful economic activities - such as donating to a cause or exercising free speech - while excluding insurance and securities. Customers could request these explanations within 90 days of an adverse action, and institutions would have 30 days to detail the specific reasons (not just generic policies) for the decision. The bill applies only to covered financial services and includes exceptions for standard account issues like inactivity or legal restrictions.
HB 1248 would require Mississippi school districts to install video surveillance cameras with audio in specific areas of school facilities, including self-contained classrooms for exceptional children, hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, and exterior perimeters, to enhance safety for exceptional students. The bill restricts access to recorded footage to district superintendents, principals, and licensed school personnel, and mandates privacy protections for students not involved in incidents captured by the cameras. School districts could contract with external companies for monitoring services through a public bidding process but would no longer need to employ daily security personnel or require immediate law enforcement presence in schools with the cameras installed.
HB 1121 authorizes Jackson State University to build a new standalone football stadium (separate from the current Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium site) and creates the "Jackson State University Stadium Construction Fund." The bill requires the university to raise at least $10 million in private or nonstate funds within five years before state funds can cover remaining construction costs, with naming rights and advertising revenue funding the stadium through the new fund. It also transitions ownership of the Veterans Memorial Stadium property to the university, assigns demolition costs to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (not state funds), and dissolves the existing stadium commission upon completion. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and has not advanced further.
HB 1222 would amend Mississippi's compulsory school attendance law to allow excused absences for students participating in roping and barrel horse racing events. This change would directly affect compulsory-school-age children (ages 6-17) who compete in these equestrian events, requiring parents to provide satisfactory evidence to school officials similar to other approved activities. The bill adds these events to the existing list of valid reasons for temporary absence, such as authorized school activities or illness, without altering general attendance requirements. It does not create new educational programs but modifies attendance policy for specific athletic competitions. The bill died in committee and did not become law.
HB 1238 (Mississippi) allows political party executive committees to disqualify candidates who do not meet the committee's specific qualifications. If a candidate is disqualified solely for not meeting the party's requirements, they would automatically appear on the ballot as an independent candidate. The bill requires ballots to include these automatically placed independent candidates and amends election code sections to implement this process. This is a procedural change affecting candidate eligibility and ballot access for party-affiliated candidates in Mississippi.
HB 1227 would allow Mississippi residents who support the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary to obtain a special license tag for their vehicles. Owners would pay a $30 annual fee (in addition to regular registration costs), with $24 of that fee going directly to the Coast Guard Auxiliary, $1 to the Mississippi Burn Care Fund, $2 to the State Highway Fund, and $1 to another state fund. The bill specifies that these tags would be issued by county tax collectors following a standard application process, and the regular license tag must be surrendered upon receiving the distinctive tag. This is part of a broader program authorizing similar tags for various organizations, but HB 1227 specifically adds the Coast Guard Auxiliary to the list. The bill died in committee in February 2026.
HB 1257 allows qualified heavy equipment rental businesses in Mississippi to charge renters a recovery fee of up to 2% of the rental charge for each item. This fee must be separately listed on invoices and can only be used to pay property taxes on the rental business’s equipment, not for other expenses. The bill defines "qualified businesses" as those primarily renting heavy equipment (like construction machinery) or operating under specific industry codes. It died in committee on February 3, 2026, and does not affect renters beyond the fee structure.
HB 1246 requires Mississippi school attendance officers to complete annual, 12-hour training on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This training, approved by the state Department of Education, ensures officers understand the legal rights of children with disabilities and proper procedures for reporting potential disabilities to school districts. The bill directly affects school attendance officers statewide, mandating certification within their first year of employment to carry out duties. Failure to obtain certification would prevent officers from performing their roles or receiving pay during the certification period. The law was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but died in committee before passage.
HB 1254, the Mississippi Math Act, proposes creating the "Moving Mathematics in Mississippi" (M3) program to improve math education in K-5 schools. It requires annual math screenings for all K-5 students starting in 2026-27, with personalized learning plans for students below benchmark, and establishes an Algebra readiness indicator based on 5th-grade test scores. The bill mandates math coaching in priority grades (2-6), professional development aligned with state standards, and data-driven interventions. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and has not become law.
