The appropriation process began in earnest this week with both the House and Senate adopting several appropriation bills that originated in their respective chambers. While no education or higher education committees met this week, we expect them to meet next week as committees must pass general bills that originated in the other chamber by Tuesday, March 4.
MPE has shared our concerns with Senate Education Chairman DeBar regarding several House bills, including the following:
HB 1078 removes changes made during the 2024 Legislative Session to increase accountability of the ESA voucher program for special needs students. The bill also removes current law’s cap of 500 new enrollees each year and expands the voucher program to kids in foster care who do not have special needs.
HB 1431 creates a task force to study consolidation, but the 20-member task force only includes one K-12 educator.
HB 1432 expands opportunities for charter schools and allows charters in C districts.
HB 1435 allows a public school student in any public school district to transfer to another public school district.
HB 1617 allows homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities.
The majority of respondents in our Fall 2024 Member Survey did not support school choice legislation that would allow students to transfer from one public school district to another district of their choosing regardless of their residency. It is critical that MPE members and other educators throughout our state share their thoughts on school choice with members of the Senate Education Committee, as well as their senator and Lt. Governor Hosemann (601-359-3200). Click here for contact information for legislators by school district.
Click here for our latest bill tracking spreadsheet which reflects action on those bills we are tracking as of noon yesterday. Here is an update on several other bills we are monitoring that have been assigned to non-education committees:
SB 2439 a new Tier 5 for employees who become members of PERS on or after March 1, 2026. As MPE’s 2025 legislative priorities state, “A new Tier 5 that provides reduced guaranteed benefits will negatively impact teacher recruitment and retention.” SB 2439 is double referred to both the House State Affairs Committee and the House Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee. Click here to review the House members who serve on both of those committees.
SB 2438 was amended on the Senate floor last Thursday to provide six weeks of paid parental leave to state employees, including public school and community college employees. SB 2438 has been referred to the House Public Health and Human Services Committee.HB 1063 provides eight weeks of paid parental leave to state employees but gives discretion for any such leave for public school and community college employees to their respective local boards. HB 1063 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary A committee.
We had a scare Wednesday morning when Lt. Governor Hosemann collapsed due to dehydration while presiding in the Senate. He recovered within minutes and returned to the Senate yesterday where he jokingly shared he was going to ask the Rules Committee to declare February 19 as Hydration Awareness Day. We are certainly thankful Lt. Governor Hosemann is feeling better!
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