Legislative Updates – Week of February 23, 2026

The eighth week of the 2026 legislative session marked an important transition point as key committee deadlines approach. Overall, activity remained relatively measured and several education-related bills and board nominations advanced. With the March committee reporting deadline fast approaching, lawmakers are working to move priority legislation across chambers.

Senate Actions

The Senate Education Committee met once this week and advanced several nominations. The committee voted to confirm:

• Candace Hunt, Carol Gary, and Marcy Scoggins to the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board (note that Marcy Scoggins is already on the board and is being considered for a new term). 
• Cory Custer to the Mississippi Public Broadcasting Board
• Matt Mayo to the State Board of Education

These nominations will now move to the full Senate for consideration.

The committee also passed: 

• HB 1212, which would clarify funding allocations provided to university-based programs under the Mississippi Student Funding Formula.
• HB 1395, regarding charter schools’ first right of refusal to unused buildings in the school districts where they are located. Currently, charter schools have the first right of refusal, and there is no time limit on when they must decide whether to use the building. HB 1395 would require them to make this decision within 90 days of the property becoming available. 
• HB 1529, which, among various other provisions, would:
  • Require the PEER Committee to prepare a report on school district implementation of efficiency measures; 
  • Require the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to assist school districts in creating technology and disaster recovery plans; 
  • Require the MDE to conduct surveys every two years related to technology programs; 
  • Require the MDE to annually review its accounting manual; 
  • Revise the enrollment figures used in the pro rata ad valorem tax calculation; 
  • Create staggered terms of office for the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board; and
  • Revise the law so that the MCSAB received up to 3% of per-pupil allocations to charter schools (current law requires them to receive a full 3%). 

HB 1212 and HB 1395 will proceed to the full Senate for floor action. HB 1529 was referred to the Senate Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee before further consideration.The Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate passed SB 2867 with a committee substitute. The legislation caps the tax credit that employers can receive by providing a childcare stipend to employees at $3,000 per year per child. There are two employer childcare tax credit bills working their way through the legislative process. They have some key differences (see HB 4039 below). Read our analysis of SB 2867 here.

House Actions

The House Education Committee did not meet this week. During last week’s meeting, the committee chair indicated that he did not anticipate any additional committee meetings prior to the upcoming reporting deadline.

On the House floor, lawmakers passed SB 2294, which was amended in committee last week to incorporate the Adolescent Literacy Initiative and the Mississippi Math Act. The bill now returns to the Senate for concurrence. 

The House Ways and Means Committee and the full House passed several bills this week. 

• HB 1944 would expand the Children’s Promise Act, which provides tax credits for donations to select charitable organizations, including private schools. 
• HB 4065, known as the MS ROSS Act passed with a committee substitute. HB 4056 would authorize the Department of Public Safety to assist with the cost of employing school resource officers (SROs) at both public and private schools.
• HB 4039 passed with a committee substitute. HB 4039 would cap the tax credit that employers can receive by providing a childcare stipend to employees at $3,000 per year per child. You can read our analysis here. 

The House Workforce Development Committee passed SB 2419. The legislation now awaits action from the House Appropriations A Committee. The legislation would create a tri-share, childcare program at Accelerate MS. You can read an analysis of the bill here.

Legislative Tracker

As education legislation continues to advance and budget negotiations begin to take shape, we encourage readers to follow along using our legislative tracker, which is updated daily to reflect real-time developments. Be sure to use the filter to view bills that are still alive. We will continue to provide updates and deeper analysis as the session progresses.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

• Tuesday, March 3: Deadline for committees to report general bills and constitutional amendments originating in other chamber. 
• Wednesday, March 11: Deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in other chamber.