Did not become law. It stopped in the Senate's Education Committee on March 3, 2026.
2026 Regular Session
House Bill 1126
Teacher pay; increase for teachers and assistant teachers.
What it does
The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A $5,000 INCREASE TO THE TEACHER SALARY SCALE; TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $3,000 ANNUAL SALARY SUPPLEMENT TO LICENSED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS EMPLOYED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT ON A FULL-TIME BASIS TO PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTION; TO PROVIDE AN $6,000.00 ANNUAL SALARY SUPPLEMENT TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AND LICENSED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST EMPLOYED BY A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL CERTIFICATION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE CERTIFYING ENTITY, AND SERVING IN THE CAPACITY FOR WHICH THE CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN ISSUED; TO ESTABLISH A CAP ON THE MAXIMUM SALARY A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT MAY EARN WHICH IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO HIS OR HER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, CREDENTIALS AND CLASSIFICATION OF LICENSURE ENDORSEMENT IN RELATION TO 250% OF THE SALARY OF TEACHER WITH EQUIVALENT QUALIFICATIONS, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT LOCAL SUPPLEMENT PAY; TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A $5,000 SALARY INCREASE FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-103, 25-11-109, 25-11-111, 25-11-112, 25-11-114, 25-11-115, 25-11-117, 25-11-123 AND 25-11-147, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS WHO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM ON OR AFTER MARCH 1, 2026, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE AFTER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE REGARDLESS OF AGE; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE CRITERIA AND SCALE OF COMPENSATION FOR ELIGIBLE RETIRED TEACHERS WHO RETURN TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION AS A CONTRIBUTIONS BUT NONBENEFIT ACCRUING MEMBER OF PERS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-203, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE BASE STUDENT COST; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 37-151-201, 37-151-203, 37-151-205, 37-151-207, 37-151-211, 37-151-213, 37-57-104, 37-57-105, 37-57-107, 37-61-33, 7-7-211, 19-9-157, 19-9-171, 27-39-317, 37-3-83, 37-15-38, 37-16-3, 37-17-6, 37-22-5, 37-28-55, 37-61-3, 37-61-5, 37-61-7, 37-61-35, 37-61-37, 37-151-81, 37-151-85, 37-151-95, 37-151-97, 41-79-5, 43-17-5, 27-104-351, 37-159-7, 37-23-31, 37-23-33, 37-23-35, 37-151-209, 37-151-215, 37-57-1, 27-65-75, 1-3-26, 25-4-29, 27-25-706, 27-33-3, 29-3-47, 29-3-49, 29-3-113, 29-3-137, 31-7-9, 31-7-10, 37-1-3, 37-3-11, 37-7-208, 37-7-301, 37-7-302, 37-7-303, 37-7-307, 37-7-319, 37-7-333, 37-7-419, 37-9-17, 37-9-23, 37-9-25, 37-9-33, 37-9-35, 37-9-37, 37-9-77, 37-11-11, 37-13-63, 37-13-64, 37-13-69, 37-23-1, 37-23-15, 37-23-69, 37-23-109, 37-23-179, 37-27-55, 37-27-57, 37-28-5, 37-28-53, 37-29-1, 37-29-272, 37-29-303, 37-31-13, 37-31-75, 37-35-3, 37-37-3, 37-41-7, 37-45-49, 37-47-9, 37-47-25, 37-47-33, 37-61-19, 37-61-29, 37-68-7, 37-131-7, 37-131-9, 37-131-11, 37-151-9, 37-151-87, 37-151-89, 37-151-91, 37-151-93, 37-151-99, 37-151-101, 37-151-103, 37-151-105, 37-151-107, 37-173-9, 37-173-13, 37-175-13, 37-179-3, 37-181-7 AND 65-26-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-13-80, 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87, 37-13-89, 37-13-91 AND 37-13-107, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE NAMES OF THE OFFICES OF DROPOUT PREVENTION AND COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE TO REFLECT NEW DESIGNATIONS AS THE OFFICE OF STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION AND THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL PARTICIPATION, RESPECTIVELY; TO ASSIGN THE NEW TITLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN THE ROLE OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS, TO NOW BEING REFERRED TO AS STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES, AND THEIR DISTRICT SUPERVISORS' TITLE BEING CHANGED TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION REGIONAL COORDINATORS; TO REVISE THE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES BASED ON EDUCATION AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE; TO REVISE EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES; TO REVISE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-92, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT GIVE CONSENT TO A STUDENT BEING PLACED IN AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEN REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM BY A DISPOSITIVE ORDER OF A CHANCELLOR OR YOUTH COURT JUDGE; TO ESTABLISH THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT AND TEACHER STABILIZATION SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE-BASED AND NEED-BASED SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO CERTAIN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO PRESCRIBE DETAILED PROGRAM STRUCTURE, ADMINISTRATION, OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS; TO ESTABLISH CLEAR ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS, MEASURABLE BENCHMARKS AND PROPORTIONAL DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS; TO RESTRICT AND GOVERN THE USE OF FUNDS; TO REQUIRE TRANSPARENCY, REPORTING AND AUDIT CONTROLS; TO PROVIDE FOR A SUNSET AND LEGISLATIVE REVIEW; TO AMEND SECTION 37-9-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE TIME IN DECEMBER WHEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL PROCESS PAYROLL FOR ALL EMPLOYEES FROM THE LAST WORKING DAY TO A TIME CONSISTENT WITH OTHER MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING THE 45-DAY GAP BETWEEN TEACHER PAY PERIODS FROM THE DECEMBER PAY DATE TO JANUARY PAY DATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Sponsors
Who carried the bill in each chamber, and who signed on. Each name leads to the member's page.
In the House of Representatives
Sponsor
23 co-sponsors
Kevin Felsher, Kent McCarty, Celeste Hurst, Rob Roberson, Jonathan McMillan, Joseph Tubb, Steve Lott, Clay Mansell, Lester Carpenter, Jeffery Harness, Earle S. Banks, William Tracy Arnold, Jeffrey Hulum III, Charles Blackwell, Kabir Karriem, John G. Faulkner, Oscar Denton, Kenji Holloway, Zakiya Summers, Fabian Nelson, Stephanie Foster, Daryl Porter, Kimberly Remak
Its course
January 19 to March 3, 2026, on one scale. In the top row each mark is a day something happened; taller marks are busier days.
Each committee stop sits inside its chamber.
Every action10 actions on 6 days
In the House of RepresentativesJan 19 to Feb 416 days
EducationJan 19 to Feb 315 days
Appropriations AFeb 3 to Feb 30 days
EducationFeb 3 to Feb 30 days
In the SenateFeb 4 to Mar 3 · stopped27 days
EducationFeb 17 to Mar 3 · stopped14 days
Amendments
Each amendment offered, and what became of it.
House of Representatives floor amendmentAdopted
Adopted Feb 4
Text
Each version as the Legislature printed it.
l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.
What happened
In l9n's words, one line for each step. Every action as the Legislature published it is below.
In the House of Representatives Jan 19 – Feb 4
- Jan 19Referred to the House committees on Education and on Appropriations A
- Feb 3Reported as a committee substitute from ED to AP in the House: title sufficient, do pass
- Reported as a committee substitute from AP to ED in the House: title sufficient, do pass
- Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
- Feb 4Committee substitute adopted in the House
- Amended in the House
- Passed the House as amended
In the Senate Feb 6 – Mar 3
- Feb 6Sent to the Senate
- Feb 17Referred to the Senate committees on Education and on Appropriations
- Mar 3Died in committee in the Senate
All 10 actions, as published
- Jan 19Referred To Education;Appropriations AHouse of Representatives
- Feb 3DR - TSDPCS: ED To APHouse of Representatives
- Feb 3DR - TSDPCS: AP To EDHouse of Representatives
- Feb 3Title Suff Do Pass Comm SubHouse of Representatives
- Feb 4Committee Substitute AdoptedHouse of Representatives
- Feb 4AmendedHouse of Representatives
- Feb 4Passed As AmendedHouse of Representatives
- Feb 6Transmitted To SenateHouse of Representatives
- Feb 17Referred To Education;AppropriationsSenate
- Mar 3Died In CommitteeSenate