JACKSON, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Several bills that would have raised pay for Mississippi teachers died in the Legislature on Tuesday after key education committees failed to meet before a critical deadline.
The House and Senate Education Committees did not convene on the deadline day, preventing multiple proposals — including House Bill 1126 — from advancing and securing funding.
House Bill 1126, which passed the Mississippi House on Feb. 4, would have provided a $5,000 pay raise for all teachers and teacher assistants. The bill also included a $3,000 annual salary increase for licensed special education teachers. Despite clearing the House, the proposal died in the Senate after the committee did not take it up.
Another proposal, Senate Bill 2001, also failed to advance. That bill passed the Senate on Jan. 7 and would have given teachers a $2,000 pay raise. It later died in the House after not receiving committee action.
Lawmakers also saw the failure of House Bill 2, often referred to as the school choice bill. The proposal narrowly passed the House with a 61-59 vote on Jan. 15 but was killed in the Senate on Feb. 4.
In addition, Senate Bill 2099 — which would have prohibited or restricted students from possessing cell phones in classrooms — also died in the legislative process.
In total, more than 30 education-related bills failed Tuesday after missing the committee deadline, effectively ending their chances of becoming law this legislative session.
