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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Blackwell
HOUSE BILL NO. 1309
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS 1
OR OTHER PERSONNEL OF THE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION 2
TO THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF ANY STUDENT PUBLICLY 3
IDENTIFYING AT SCHOOL AS A GENDER OR PRONOUN THAT DOES NOT ALIGN 4
WITH THE CHILD'S SEX ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SEX ASSIGNED AT 5
BIRTH OR USING SEX-SEGREGATED SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OR 6
SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE CHILD'S SEX 7
ASSIGNMENT AT BIRTH, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF BECOMING AWARE OF SUCH 8
CONDUCT OR REQUEST BY THE AFFECTED STUDENT; TO PROVIDE THAT NO 9
SCHOOL PERSONNEL SHALL BE DISCIPLINED OR SUFFER ANY UNLAWFUL 10
REPRISAL FOR REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE A STUDENT BY A PREFERRED 11
GENDER, OR PRONOUN THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CHILD'S SEX 12
ASSIGNMENT AT BIRTH; TO PROVIDE THAT NO NOTICE SHALL BE MADE TO 13
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS FOR COMMUNICATIONS MADE CONFIDENTIALLY TO 14
SCHOOL COUNSELORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND OTHER PERSONNEL OF 15
THE SCHOOL; TO PRESCRIBE THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT; AND FOR RELATED 16
PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. (1) (a) The parents and guardians of students 19
enrolled in the public schools of the State of Mississippi have 20
the right and should have the opportunity, as mutually supportive 21
and respectful partners in the education of their children within 22
the public schools, to be informed by the school, and to 23
participate in the education of their children. Notwithstanding 24
any other provision of law to the contrary, both parents, unless a 25
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parent's rights have been judicially terminated, or legal guardian 26
of a student enrolled in a public school shall be notified in 27
writing within seven (7) days from the date any school 28
administrator, teacher, counselor or other personnel of the school 29
becomes aware that their child is doing either of the following: 30
(i) Publicly identifying at school as a gender or 31
pronoun that does not align with the child's sex on their birth 32
certificate, sex assigned at birth; or 33
(ii) Using sex-segregated school programs and 34
activities, including athletic teams and competitions, or using 35
facilities that do not align with the child's sex on their birth 36
certificate, other official records or sex assigned at birth. 37
(b) In those instances where, due to a divorce decree, 38
parents are required to share joint custody of a child, both 39
parents shall receive individual notice from the school, and for 40
the parent who is not in physical custody of the child, the school 41
shall provide written notice to the last address of record for 42
said parent. 43
(2) No school administrator, teacher, counselor or personnel 44
of the school shall be disciplined, suffer any reprisal or be 45
otherwise punished for his or her refusal to acknowledge a student 46
by a preferred gender or pronoun that is inconsistent with the 47
child's sex on their birth certificate or other official records 48
which reflect the child's sex assigned at birth. 49
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(3) Until such time that written notice has been provided, 50
no administrator, teacher, counselor or other school personnel 51
shall address the student by their preferred pronoun until the 52
parents, parent in physical custody, legal guardian or person in 53
loco parentis has provided the school with written approval for 54
his or her child to be addressed by their pronoun of choice. 55
(4) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the 56
contrary, no school counselor, administrator, teacher or personnel 57
of the school shall be obligated to notify parents or guardians of 58
a student who, in the confidentiality of privacy, has discussed 59
any behaviors, identifications or associations of gender or 60
personality with such counselor, administrator, teacher or other 61
personnel of the school. 62
(5) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting 63
subsection (1) of this section, to do all of the following: 64
(a) Provide procedures designed to maintain and, in 65
some cases, restore trust between school districts and parents and 66
guardians of students; 67
(b) Bring parents and guardians into the 68
decision-making process for mental health and social-emotional 69
issues of their children at the earliest possible time in order to 70
prevent or reduce potential instances of self-harm; 71
(c) Promote communication and positive relationships 72
with parents and guardians of students that promote the best 73
outcomes for students' academic and social-emotional success; and 74
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ST: Gender dysmorphia; require school personnel
to notify parents of students who request to be
referred to as different gender.
(d) Ensure timely notification to parents or guardians 75
if, during the school day or at school-related activities, their 76
student is being referred to by school employees as a gender or 77
pronoun that is different than the gender listed on the student's 78
birth certificate. 79
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 80
and after July 1, 2026. 81