Mississippi Professional Educators (MPE): 2018 Legislative Bill Tracker

Bills signed by the Governor Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018)

Bills Under Consideration HB 405 "Mississippi Career-Tech Scholars Rep. Nolan Mettetal Establishes the Mississippi Career-Tech Scholars Program to serve as a last dollar Amended and Passed Program"; establish to provide free scholarship program (i.e., other financial aid/scholarship sources are exhausted) to House U & C; Passed tuition at community and junior provide free tuition at community and junior colleges for eligible students enrolled in House; Transmitted to colleges. career and technical programs. Senate; Referred to Senate Appropriations and Universities and College committees; Strike All amendment adopted and passed Senate Appropriations; Passed Senate Universities and Colleges committee

HB 1083 Firearms; authorize those with enhanced Rep. Andy Gipson Authorizes any person who has an enhanced firearms license to carry such firearm on Amended and passed carry to bring onto public property public property. Amended in Senate Judiciary A to allow teachers and professors Judiciary B; Amended and who receive enhanced law-enforcement training of 12 hours every two years, and who passed House; Transmitted have enhanced concealed carry training and permits to carry concealed weapons in to Senate; Referred to schools and colleges. It would not be mandatory for teachers to carry guns; rather, Senate Judiciary A; Strike local school boards would have to approve a policy allowing for such. All amendment passed Senate Judiciary A

HB 1550 Income tax; authorize deduction for Rep. Trey Lamar Allows college graduates to receive a deduction on their state income taxes within a Amended and Passed certain income earned by recent college year of graduating from a four-year institution. Graduates would be eligible to receive House Ways and Means; graduates. the credit for up to three years if they continue living and working in the state. Amended and Passed Graduates who remained in state and purchased property, could receive tax breaks for House; Transmitted to an additional two years. Senate Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) HB 1592 Appropriation; Education, Department Rep. John Read Provides FY 2019 funding for K-12 education, including funding for MDE and the Passed House of Mississippi Uniform Per Student Funding Formula Program. The bill provides level Appropriations; Amended funding, as well as $8 million to hold districts harmless. The bill was amended on and Passed House; Motion the House floor to withhold funding from MDE until the State Board eliminates to Reconsider entered; passage of SATP exams as a requirement for graduation. The amendment provides Motion to Reconsider that MDE administer tests as mandated by federal law, but a student who has failed Tabled; Transmitted to an exam may not be prohibited from graduating if such student has fulfilled the Senate; Referred to Senate requirements for a standard Mississippi high school diploma. Appropriations committee

SB 2170 Consolidation of Lumberton School Sen. John A. Polk Ratifies the consolidation agreement between Lumberton and Lamar County school Passed Senate Education; District with Lamar County School districts. Passed Senate; District; ratify agreement between Transmitted to House; districts. Passed House Education; Amended and Passed House; Immediate Release; Returned for Senate Concurrence; Motion to Reconsider entered; Recalled from Senate

SB 2194 Debts; authorize community and junior Sen. Josh Harkins Defines Community and Junior Colleges as a “claimant agency” and allows them to Passed Senate U & C, colleges to collect through setoff against collect certain debts through setoff against a debtor’s income tax refund. Passed Senate Finance; a debtor's income tax return. Passed Senate; Transmitted to House; Referred to House Universities and College and Ways and Means committees; Passed House Universities and Colleges; sent to House Ways and Means committee; Passed House Ways and Means; referred back to House Universities and Colleges; Passed House Universities and Colleges Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) SB 2220 Community colleges; county taxes Sen. David Parker Provides that the Tax Collector of each county belonging to a community college Amended and Passed collected for shall be transmitted directly district shall transmit revenues from taxes levied by the county for the community Senate U & C; Passed to instead of to chancery clerk. college district directly to the community college district, rather than to the Chancery Senate; Transmitted to Clerk. House; Referred to House Universities and Colleges and Ways and Means committees; Passed Universities and Colleges committee; sent to House Ways and Means committee; Amended and Passed House Ways and Means referred back to House Universities and Colleges; Passed House Universities and Colleges

SB 2579 Provision of educational services to Sen. W. Briggs Provides that the sponsoring school district or private provider agreed upon by the Passed Senate Education; detained students while school is in Hopson III Youth Court shall be responsible for providing instructional services to youth court Passed Senate; session; clarify. detainees while they are in detention during the academic school year when school is Transmitted to House; in session. Strike All amendment adopted and Passed House Education; Amended and Passed House; Returned to Senate for Concurrence Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) SB 2609 State Department of Education to Sen. Sally Doty Authorizes the MDE to provide central business services for the Mississippi School Amended and Passed provide central business services for for the Arts, as well as the Mississippi School for the Deaf and the Mississippi School Senate Education; MSA and MSB/MSD; authorize. for the Blind. Amended and Passed Senate Appropriations; Passed Senate; Transmitted to House; Referred to House Education and Appropriations committees; Strike All amendment entered and Passed House Education; sent to House Appropriations; Amended and Passed House Appropriations; Amended and Passed House

SB 2763 HB 1037 Mississippi Virtual Public School Sen. Gray Tollison Provides that the provider of the Mississippi Virtual Public School Program be chosen Passed Senate Education; Program; provider chosen by districts by local districts from a list of vendors approved via the Mississippi Online Course Passed Senate; under Mississippi Online Course Application Process. Transmitted to House; Application Process. Passed House Education; Amended and Passed House; Returned to Senate for Concurrence

SB 2944 Appropriation; IHL - General support. Sen. Eugene Clarke Reduces funding for university operations by approximately 4%. Passed Senate Appropriations; Passed Senate; Motion to Reconsider Entered; Motion to Reconsider Tabled; Transmitted to House; Referred to House Appropriations committee Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) SB 2946 Appropriation; IHL - Student Financial Sen. Eugene Clarke Provides level funding (i.e., same as last year) for the Mississippi Office of Student Passed Appropriations, Aid. Financial Aid. Passed Senate, Motion to Reconsider Entered; Motion to Reconsider Tabled; Transmitted to House; Referred to House Appropriations committee

SB 2954 Appropriation; Community and Junior Sen. Eugene Clarke Reduces funding for community colleges by approximately 1.25%. Passed Senate Colleges Board - Support for Appropriations; Passed community and junior colleges. Senate; Motion to Reconsider Entered; Motion to Reconsider Tabled; Transmitted to House; Referred to House Appropriations committee

Bills That Have Died HB 320 Education Enhancement Fund; delete Rep. John Read Deletes the requirement that $25 million of Education Enhancement Funds be Passed House requirement to deposit certain sum from deposited into the Working Cash Stabilization Fund from the balance of Education Appropriations; Passed into Working Cash-Stabilization Enhancement Funds after such funds have been distributed for educational purposes. House; Transmitted to Reserve Fund. Senate; Referred to Senate Education and Appropriations committees; Died in Committee

HB 409 Public School Donation Tax Deduction Rep. Jay Hughes Allows a state income tax deduction for contributions to a public school district. Referred to House and Dedicated Use Act; create. Education and House Ways and Means committees; Died in Committee Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) HB 526 Mississippi Workforce Development Rep. Donnie Bell Creates the 11-member Mississippi Workforce Development Study Committee to Amended and Passed Study Committee; create. review current K-12 workforce development curriculum and to develop/design a House Workforce curriculum to the legislature by November 30, 2018 Development; Amended and Passed House Education; Passed House; Transmitted to Senate; Referred to Senate Finance committee; Died in Committee

HB 715 Appropriation; Mississippi Community Rep. William Tracy Makes an appropriation to the Mississippi Community College Board to provide mid- Referred to House College Board to provide mid-level Arnold level funding for community and junior colleges. (NOTE: Mid-level funding was Appropriations; Died in funding for community colleges. unanimously passed by the 2007 Legislature and brings per-student support at a mid- Committee point between per-student spending for K-12 and regional public universities.)

HB 829 "Mississippi Vision for Better Learning Rep. Richard Bennett Recommends comprehensive eye exams for all students prior to their entering or Amended and Passed Program"; implement to require enrolling in any public, private or parochial school. Parents may opt their child out of House Education; Sent to comprehensive eye examination for first- such exam. House; Died on Calendar time students.

HB 896 State and School Employees Health Rep. Jason White Extends the repealer from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2021, on the requirement that the Passed House Insurance Plan; extend repealer on state pay certain amounts toward the cost of the State and School Employees Health Appropriations; Passed requirement that state pay certain Insurance Plan. House; Transmitted to amounts toward cost of. Senate; Referred to Senate Insurance and Appropriations committees; Died in Committee HB 938 Commission on College Accreditation; Rep. Nolan Mettetal Clarifies the powers of the Commission on College Accreditation and transfers the Passed House U & C; enumerate certain powers and transfer regulatory authority over correspondence courses to the Commission. Passed House; Transmitted authority over correspondence courses to Senate; Referred To to. Senate Universities and Colleges and Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committee; Passed Senate Universities and Colleges sent to Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committee; Died in Committee Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) HB 957 Education; establish Mississippi Rep. Philip Gunn Eliminates the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) and replaces it with Amended and Passed Uniform Per Student Funding Formula the new Mississippi Uniform Per Student Funding Formula. House Appropriations; Act of 2018. Amended and Passed House; Transmitted to Senate: Referred to Senate Education Committee; Amended and Passed Senate Education; Recommitted to Committee by Senate; Died in Committee

HB 1035 Mississippi Dyslexia Education Rep. Richard Bennett Amends current law to provide that repayment of the Mississippi Dyslexia Education Amended and Passed Forgivable Loan Program; clarify Forgivable Loan Program may also be rendered in two years’ part-time service for one House Education; Passed repayment and conversion terms. year’s loan amount, rather than one year’s service as provided for in current law. House; Transmitted to Senate; Referred to Senate Education and Appropriations committees; Died in Committee HB 1036 Mississippi Compulsory School Rep. Richard Bennett Amends current law to conform to federal law by providing that a student must be Amended and Passed Attendance Law; clarify student considered absent for the entire school day if he/she misses more than 50% (NOTE: House Education; Passed participation in authorized school Current law specifies 37%) of the instructional day. The bill also clarifies that a House; Transmitted to activities student is considered present for average daily attendance reporting purposes when Senate; Referred to Senate the student is participating in authorized school activities (i.e., field trips, athletic Education committee; contests, choral competition, robotics competition, etc.…) approved by a district’s Died in Committee superintendent. HB 1037 SB 2763 MS Virtual School Program; require Rep. Richard Bennett Provides that the provider of the Mississippi Virtual Public School Program be chosen Passed House Education; private provider of services to be by local districts from a list of vendors approved via the Mississippi Online Course Passed House selected through the MS Online Application Process. The bill was double referred to the House Appropriations Appropriations; Passed Learning Application Process. Committee. House; Transmitted to Senate; Referred to Senate Education committee; Died in Committee SB 2003 Natchez-Adams Special Municipal Sen. Bob Dearing Provides that all members of the Natchez-Adams School Board be elected. Passed Senate Education; Separate School District; elect members Passed Senate; of school board. Transmitted to House; Referred to House Education committee; Tabled Subject to Call; Died in Committee SB 2397 Appropriation FY19; University of Sen. Deborah Dawkins Appropriates $2,000,000 in grant funds to the University of Mississippi School of Referred to Senate Mississippi School of Education grant Education to recruit, enroll and educate AP teachers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Appropriations; Died in funds for AP teachers on the Mississippi Committee Gulf Coast. Bill Companion Short Title Author of Bill Description Action (as of 9:00 a.m. Bill 3/2/2018) SB 2400 School board members; uniform Sen. Kevin Blackwell Provides for school board members to be elected in nonpartisan elections beginning Amended and Passed nonpartisan school board election with the November 2023 general election. Senate Education; beginning with the November 2023 Amended and Passed general election. Senate Election; Amended and Passed Senate; Motion to Reconsider entered; Motion to Reconsider Tabled lost; Died on Calendar SB 2623 Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Sen. Gray Tollison Amends current law to allow any student in our state to apply for a voucher to use Amended and Passed program; revise. state funds to pay for tuition at private schools. Current law only allows these Senate Education; Sent to vouchers to be used by a student who has had an IEP within the past five years. The Senate; Died on Calendar bill prohibits holding private schools accountable for state funds or services to students who use these vouchers.