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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Owen
HOUSE BILL NO. 1298
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-6-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE EACH SCHOOL BOARD TO REPORT AND PUBLISH A FISCAL 2
ACCOUNTING REPORT, SPECIFICALLY DETAILING THE AMOUNTS OF 3
COMPENSATION RECEIVED BY EACH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AS WELL AS ALL 4
SALARIED AND NON-SALARIED, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF AND 5
OTHER AUXILIARY PERSONNEL EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND FOR 6
RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 37-6-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
37-6-13. (1) Each person serving as a member of the school 11
board of any school district shall receive per diem in the amount 12
of One Hundred Twelve Dollars ($112.00) for no more than 13
thirty-six (36) meetings of the school board during any one (1) 14
fiscal year or, in his or her discretion, irrevocably may choose 15
to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual 16
salary, subject to the following provisions: 17
(a) For a person serving as a member of the school 18
board of a school district with less than five thousand (5,000) 19
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students enrolled in the school district, the person shall receive 20
an annual salary of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00); 21
(b) For a person serving as a member of the school 22
board of a school district with at least five thousand (5,000) 23
students but less than ten thousand (10,000) students enrolled in 24
the school district, the person shall receive an annual salary of 25
not less than Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) but not more than 26
Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00); and 27
(c) For a person serving as a member of the school 28
board of a school district with greater than ten thousand (10,000) 29
students enrolled in the school district, the person shall receive 30
an annual salary of not less than Four Thousand Dollars 31
($4,000.00) but not more than Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00). 32
This choice shall remain in force for all successive terms or 33
periods of service of that member. The receipt of the 34
compensation shall not entitle any member of a school board to 35
receive or be eligible for any state employee group insurance, 36
retirement or other fringe benefits. Each member shall be 37
reimbursed for the necessary expenses and mileage in attending 38
meetings of the school board. In addition to the foregoing, all 39
members may be reimbursed for mileage and actual expenses incurred 40
in the further performance of their duties, including attendance 41
at any mandatory school board training session or at regional and 42
national education meetings, when such mileage and other expenses 43
are authorized by the board prior to the date on which they occur. 44
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Detailed vouchers shall be submitted for reimbursement for all 45
expenses authorized by this section. Such reimbursement shall be 46
in accordance with Section 25-3-41. 47
Such expenses shall be paid on order of the school board by 48
pay certificates issued by the superintendent of the school 49
district involved against the funds available for payment of the 50
administrative expense of the district. 51
(2) (a) If a member of a school board misses twenty percent 52
(20%) or more of the meetings of the school board during a 53
calendar year, except for absences caused by required military 54
duty, the member must reimburse the school district that portion 55
of the total salary paid to the member that year which is 56
proportionate to the number of meetings missed by the member in 57
relation to the total number of school board meetings held during 58
that year. For purposes of this subsection, consideration may be 59
given only to meetings of which public notice is required. 60
(b) Before February 1 of each year, the president of 61
each local school board shall submit a report to the State Board 62
of Education containing the names of any members of the school 63
board who missed twenty percent (20%) or more of the school board 64
meetings during the preceding calendar year. 65
(3) In a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 66
114 of House Bill No. 2, 2026 Regular Session, each school board 67
shall report and publish a fiscal accounting report which 68
specifically details the amounts of compensation received by each 69
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ST: School boards; require to report and
publish a fiscal accounting report of
compensation received by board members and all
employees of the school district.
school board member, including per diems, travel and 70
reimbursements paid for expenses incurred in carrying out the 71
official duties as school board member, and the compensation 72
received by salaried and non-salaried, teachers, administrators, 73
staff and other auxiliary personnel employed by the school 74
district. 75
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 76
and after July 1, 2026. 77