l9n/ Mississippi

2026 Regular Session

Senate Bill 2003

Retired educators; revise provisions regarding return to work as teachers.

Did not become law. It stopped in the House of Representatives's Education Committee on March 3, 2026.

What it does

The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE REQUIRED SEPARATION PERIOD FOR RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THE SECTION FROM 90 DAYS TO 45 DAYS; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT OF A MINIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE FOR SUCH A RETIREE TO RETURN TO WORK AS A TEACHER; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT SUCH A RETIREE RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER BE HIRED TO TEACH ONLY IN A DISTRICT HAVING A CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE OR CRITICAL SUBJECT-AREA SHORTAGE; TO ADJUST THE PENSION LIABILITY PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT AND SUCH RETIREE'S SALARY FOR RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER, AS DETERMINED IN SECTION 37-19-7; TO ALLOW LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES TO PAY, FROM LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING, ALL OR A PORTION OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR SUCH RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS; TO ALLOW A MEMBER TO CONTINUE AS A LICENSED TEACHER IN AN INSTRUCTIONAL POSITION IF THE PERSON HAS REACHED THE AGE AND/OR SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION AS DEFINED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, PROVIDED THAT THE PERSON ELECTS TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION AS PROVIDED FOR OTHER RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THIS SECTION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-127 AND 25-9-120, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY PAY NO MORE THAN 65% OF A RETIRED TEACHER'S COMPENSATION AS SALARY, AND THE DISTRICT SHALL PAY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF MISSISSIPPI A PENSION LIABILITY PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REGULAR COMPENSATION FOR THE POSITION HELD BY THE RETIRED TEACHER; 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 Senate

15 co-sponsors

Kevin Blackwell, Nicole Boyd, Gary Brumfield, Kathy L. Chism, Johnny DuPree, Joey Fillingane, Hillman Terome Frazier, Theresa Gillespie Isom, Philman Ladner, Tyler McCaughn, Michael McLendon, Chad McMahan, Kamesha Mumford, Benjamin Suber, Joseph Thomas

Its course

January 6 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 action8 actions on 5 days

In the SenateJan 6 to Jan 71 day

EducationJan 6 to Jan 60 days

In the House of RepresentativesJan 7 to Mar 3 · stopped55 days

EducationFeb 6 to Mar 3 · stopped25 days

Amendments

Each amendment offered, and what became of it.

  • Senate floor amendmentAdopted

    Adopted Jan 7

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 Senate Jan 6 – Jan 7

  1. Jan 6Referred to the Senate committee on Education
  2. Reported from committee in the Senate: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
  3. Jan 7Committee substitute adopted in the Senate
  4. Amended in the Senate
  5. Passed the Senate as amended

In the House of Representatives Jan 8 – Mar 3

  1. Jan 8Sent to the House
  2. Feb 6Referred to the House committees on Education and on Appropriations A
  3. Mar 3Died in committee in the House
All 8 actions, as published
  1. Jan 6Referred To EducationSenate
  2. Jan 6Title Suff Do Pass Comm SubSenate
  3. Jan 7Committee Substitute AdoptedSenate
  4. Jan 7AmendedSenate
  5. Jan 7Passed As AmendedSenate
  6. Jan 8Transmitted To HouseSenate
  7. Feb 6Referred To Education;Appropriations AHouse of Representatives
  8. Mar 3Died In CommitteeHouse of Representatives