Did not become law. It stopped in the House of Representatives's Education Committee on February 3, 2026.
2026 Regular Session
House Bill 176
School districts; require drug testing of students suspended for disciplinary infractions.
What it does
The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.
AN ACT TO REQUIRE DRUG TESTING OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE WHO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED; TO DECLARE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS RELATING TO STUDENT DRUG USAGE AND THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS USED UNDER THE ACT; TO REQUIRE EACH LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD TO ADOPT A POLICY REQUIRING DRUG TESTING STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE WHO ARE SUSPENDED FOR DISCIPLINARY INFRACTIONS AND TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN COMPONENTS THAT MUST BE IN THE POLICY, INCLUDING A PROVISION REQUIRING A STUDENT'S PARENT TO PAY THE COST OF THE DRUG TEST; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN WHEN A STUDENT'S DRUG TEST IS POSITIVE; TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENT DRUG TESTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND TO PRESCRIBE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE TESTING MUST BE PERFORMED; TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISCLOSURE OF POSITIVE TEST RESULTS AND TO REQUIRE INFORMATION RELATING TO A STUDENT'S DRUG TEST TO BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND SEPARATE FROM THE STUDENT'S CUMULATIVE FOLDER; TO AUTHORIZE A STUDENT TO PRESENT EVIDENCE OF THE PROPER USE OF A PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION AS AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE TO A POSITIVE DRUG TEST; TO AUTHORIZE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER IN-SCHOOL COUNSELING OR REFERRAL INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS TESTING POSITIVE FOR DRUGS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH AND DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PREPARE A MODEL DRUG TESTING POLICY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-15-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; 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
Its course
January 7 to February 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 action2 actions on 2 days
In the House of RepresentativesJan 7 to Feb 3 · stopped27 days
EducationJan 7 to Feb 3 · stopped27 days
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.