l9n/ Mississippi

2026 Regular Session

House Bill 1310

"Mississippi Open to Religion Act"; establish.

Did not become law. It stopped in the Senate's Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee on March 3, 2026.

What it does

The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.

AN ACT TO CREATE AND CODIFY NEW SECTION 37-13-4.2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE GOVERNING BOARD OF EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NONSECTARIAN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY PROVIDING A DAILY OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES IN A PERIOD OF PRAYER AND THE READING OF THE BIBLE OR OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXT; TO REQUIRE SUCH POLICIES TO INCLUDE MANDATORY WRITTEN CONSENT, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF VOLUNTARINESS AND AN EXPRESS WAIVER OF STATE AND FEDERAL CLAIMS, INCLUDING ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE CLAIMS; TO PROHIBIT PARTICIPATION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT AND TO PROVIDE FOR REVOCATION OF CONSENT WHILE MAINTAINING THE ENFORCEABILITY OF EXECUTED WAIVERS; TO PROHIBIT THE BROADCAST OF PRAYER OR RELIGIOUS READINGS OVER PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS AND TO REQUIRE THAT SUCH PERIODS NOT SUPPLANT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME; TO REQUIRE SAFEGUARDS ENSURING THAT PRAYER OR RELIGIOUS READINGS ARE NOT KNOWINGLY OR INTENTIONALLY CONDUCTED IN THE PRESENCE OR HEARING OF NONCONSENTING INDIVIDUALS AND TO AUTHORIZE COMPLIANCE THROUGH SCHEDULING BEFORE NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS OR IN FULLY CONSENTED CLASSROOMS OR CAMPUSES; TO REQUIRE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UPON REQUEST, TO PROVIDE ADVISORY GUIDANCE, MODEL CONSENT FORMS, AND LEGAL DEFENSE TO PARTICIPATING DISTRICTS OR SCHOOLS AND TO PROVIDE FOR STATE LIABILITY FOR COSTS, JUDGMENTS OR SETTLEMENTS WHEN SUCH DEFENSE IS UNDERTAKEN; TO CLARIFY THAT THE ACT DOES NOT PROHIBIT INDIVIDUAL PRAYER OR RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION DURING OTHER PERIODS OF THE SCHOOL DAY AND DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH ARTICLE 8, SECTION 208 OF THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890 OR EXISTING STATUTORY PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENT RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 37-12-7, 37-13-4, 37-13-4.1 AND 37-13-8, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; 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

3 co-sponsors

William Tracy Arnold, Rodney Hall, Elliot Burch

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 action7 actions on 6 days

In the House of RepresentativesJan 19 to Feb 1123 days

EducationJan 19 to Jan 289 days

In the SenateFeb 11 to Mar 3 · stopped20 days

Accountability, Efficiency, TransparencyFeb 17 to Mar 3 · stopped14 days

Amendments

Each amendment offered, and what became of it.

  • House of Representatives floor amendmentAdopted

    Adopted Feb 11

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 11

  1. Jan 19Referred to the House committee on Education
  2. Jan 28Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass
  3. Feb 11Amended in the House
  4. Passed the House as amended

In the Senate Feb 13 – Mar 3

  1. Feb 13Sent to the Senate
  2. Feb 17Referred to the Senate committee on Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
  3. Mar 3Died in committee in the Senate
All 7 actions, as published
  1. Jan 19Referred To EducationHouse of Representatives
  2. Jan 28Title Suff Do PassHouse of Representatives
  3. Feb 11AmendedHouse of Representatives
  4. Feb 11Passed As AmendedHouse of Representatives
  5. Feb 13Transmitted To SenateHouse of Representatives
  6. Feb 17Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, TransparencySenate
  7. Mar 3Died In CommitteeSenate