Today was the deadline for bills to pass the chamber in which they originated. See how your legislators voted on education bills that survived today’s deadline and which bills died without a vote:
Teachers & Instruction
HB 730 – VOTE YES Passed full House – see House vote, goes to Senate committee(s) – expands eligibility for the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program to alternate route teachers, adds graduate level loans to program, no longer limited to first-year teachers
HB 1365 – VOTE YES Passed full House – see House vote, goes to Senate committee(s) – prohibits school districts from paying assistant teachers less in local contribution funds than was paid in such funds in the immediately preceding year, amended on House floor to provide a $3,000 annual salary increase for assistant teachers
HB 1373 – NO POSITION ON AMENDED BILL Passed full House, goes to Senate committee(s) – was amended to make it optional for school districts to adopt a policy allowing excused absences for weekly religious or moral instruction, classroom instruction will proceed for students who do not elect to participate in off-campus religious instruction
HB 1489 – VOTE NO DIED WITHOUT A VOTE – anti-teacher bill would have burdened teachers with massive amounts of bureaucratic paperwork, diminishing instructional time
SB 2585 – VOTE YES Passed full Senate – see Senate vote, goes to House committee(s) – expands eligibility for the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program to alternate route teachers, adds graduate level loans to program, no longer limited to first-year teachers
SB 2811 – VOTE YES Passed full Senate – see Senate vote, goes to House committee(s) – prohibits school districts from paying assistant teachers below statewide minimum salary, specifically prohibits salary reductions in the school year following a state-funded salary increase, any district violating this provision will have MAEP funds reduced
Pre-k
HB 817 – VOTE YES Passed full House – see House vote, goes to Senate committee(s) – increases per-student funding for Early Learning Collaboratives to minimum of $2,500 for full day and $1,250 for half day
HB 1175 – VOTE YES DIED WITHOUT A VOTE – increases funding for preschool exceptional children in approved programs to 100%
School Funding
SB 2367 – VOTE YES DIED WITHOUT A VOTE – amends Education Facilities Revolving Loan Program to grants that do not have to be repaid, maximum grant of $2-million per school district per fiscal year
Thank you for reaching out to your legislators about these important bills! Your voice is making a difference. The surviving bills now will swap chambers for the second round of committee and floor votes.
The most impactful thing that we can do for our children this year is to get public schools fully funded. With an extra $1-billion to spend, it is entirely possible, but it will happen only if legislators believe that is how you want your tax dollars spent.
Please keep reaching out to your legislators, Speaker Gunn, and Lt. Gov. Hosemann with this message:
1. Fully fund public schools
2. Keep public funds in PUBLIC schools
3. Let teachers teach
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Find contact information for legislators who represent your school district
Speaker Philip Gunn: 601.359.3300
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
We’ve been traveling the state, meeting with public school supporters about ensuring that our schools get their fair share of the extra $1-billion the Legislature has to spend this session. We have four more gatherings scheduled. Please join us at the one nearest you. (All events 6:00 to 6:45 p.m.)
- Thurs., Feb. 16 – Oak Grove High School Performing Arts Center, Hattiesburg
- Mon., Feb 20 – Greater Grove Street M. B. Church, Vicksburg
- Thurs., Feb. 23 – Northeast Middle School Library, Meridian
- Thurs., March 9 – Cleveland Central High School Auditorium, Cleveland
WIN $1,000 FOR YOUR SCHOOL
Our promotion will run throughout the month of February and will award $1,000 to the school with the greatest percentage of supporters signing up to receive email notifications from The Parents’ Campaign. Find contest details and the link to participate here.
We will post the progress of the bills we are following on the Bill Tracker page of our web site and continue to update you via our social media pages and email. Please reach out to your legislators about votes on these bills in the next round, and be sure to ask that they fully fund the MAEP. Your input is key, and together, we’ve got this!
