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Bill > HB494
MS HB494
MS HB494Ten Commandments; permit display in every public school and charter school classroom.
summary
Introduced
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
In Committee
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/03/2026
02/03/2026
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Amend Section 37-13-163, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Permit Each Public School Board And Charter School Governing Board To Display The Ten Commandments In A Prominent Location Within Each School Or Charter School Facility Under Its Jurisdiction By Not Later Than January 1, 2027; To Prescribe Additional Historical Documents And Texts That School Boards Governing Authority May Choose To Display In Their Classrooms; To Require The State Board Of Education To Adopt Rules And Regulations In Accordance With The Administrative Procedure Act To Ensure The Proper Implementation Of This Act; To Require The State Department Of Education To Identify Appropriate Resources To Comply With The Provisions Of This Act That Are Free Of Charge, And Once Identified, To List The Free Resources On The Department's Website; To Amend Section 37-28-45, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity Thereto; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill permits each public school board and charter school governing board in Mississippi to display the Ten Commandments in a prominent location within each school facility under its jurisdiction by January 1, 2027, with the text of the Ten Commandments to be displayed on a poster or framed document at least eleven by fourteen inches, and it also allows for the display of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance alongside the Ten Commandments. The bill emphasizes that school boards are not required to spend their own funds for these displays and encourages them to accept donated funds or displays, with the State Department of Education tasked with identifying and listing free resources for compliance on its website. Additionally, the State Board of Education must create rules to ensure the proper implementation of these provisions, and the bill amends existing law to include charter schools under these display requirements, ensuring they are subject to the same provisions as public schools regarding the Ten Commandments.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Died In Committee (on 02/03/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0494.xml |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0400-0499/HB0494IN.htm |
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