Bill > HB94

This bill, the Youth and Community Safety Act, requires schools to annually report specific unlawful activities to their local school districts, which will then submit quarterly reports to the Mississippi Department of Education for at least two years starting July 1, 2026. The Department of Education will then publish an annual report, accessible through its Mississippi Achievement and Accountability Reporting System (MAARS) database, detailing this unlawful activity data, including the number of students referred to the juvenile justice system and their racial and ethnic classifications, separate from existing reporting requirements. Furthermore, by July 1, 2027, the Department of Education must develop and provide evidence-based training to school districts to foster safe and positive learning environments, focusing on reducing referrals to law enforcement, exploring alternatives to arrest, promoting cultural competency, improving law enforcement's role in discipline, and implementing positive behavior interventions and restorative justice principles. The Department will also create strategies for collaboration between schools, law enforcement, and community organizations to reduce student involvement in the juvenile justice system, emphasizing education on the negative consequences of arrest, proper notification procedures, identifying counterproductive arrests, and promoting positive interactions and de-escalation methods while discouraging zero-tolerance policies. The bill also updates Section 37-11-29 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, which outlines the existing requirements for reporting unlawful activity on school property or during school-related activities, including specific offenses that constitute "unlawful activity" and the reporting procedures for school personnel and law enforcement.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0094.xml