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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HB1685 • 2026

Book fairs; require school districts to adopt policy regulating content of books for sale.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL BOARD OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ADOPT A POLICY REGULATING THE CONTENT OF BOOKS MADE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE BY STUDENTS AT SCHOOL BOOK FAIRS; TO REQUIRE THE POLICY TO INCLUDE CERTAIN PROVISIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Varner
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included 'students' as affected parties, but the official source material does not specify that students are directly impacted by this bill. The bill affects school districts and vendors primarily.

School Book Fair Content Policy

This bill requires school districts to create rules about the books sold at book fairs held in schools.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires each school district's board to make a policy for book fairs.
  • The policy must stop books with sexual themes, characters, or references from being sold.
  • Schools need a list of all book titles before the fair starts.
  • A librarian or another teacher checks the list and decides if any books should not be in the fair.
  • If a vendor does not remove books that are not allowed, the school can cancel the fair without paying.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School districts
  • Book vendors and sponsors

Terms To Know

Policy
A set of rules that a group follows to make decisions or solve problems.
Vendor
A company or person who sells goods, in this case books for book fairs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and will not become a law.
  • It is unclear how schools would enforce the rules about book content.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Education

Official Summary Text

Book fairs; require school districts to adopt policy regulating content of books for sale.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1685 *HR43/R2166* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R2166
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Varner

HOUSE BILL NO. 1685

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL BOARD OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO 1
ADOPT A POLICY REGULATING THE CONTENT OF BOOKS MADE AVAILABLE FOR 2
PURCHASE BY STUDENTS AT SCHOOL BOOK FAIRS; TO REQUIRE THE POLICY 3
TO INCLUDE CERTAIN PROVISIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. The school board of each school district shall 6
adopt a policy regulating the content of books made available for 7
purchase by students at book fairs hosted by schools within that 8
district. The policy must include, but need not be limited to, 9
provisions addressing the following: 10
(a) Restrictions prohibiting the inclusion of books 11
containing themes, characters or any references relating to 12
matters sexual in nature, sexual orientation or gender identity; 13
(b) A requirement that the vendor or sponsor of a book 14
fair provide to the school a list of the titles that will be 15
offered to students; 16
(c) A requirement that the school principal designate 17
the school librarian or another licensed employee to review the 18
H. B. No. 1685 *HR43/R2166* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R2166
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)
ST: Book fairs; require school districts to
adopt policy regulating content of books for
sale.
list to identify books that, due to their content, may not be 19
included in the book fair; 20
(d) A requirement that the agreement to host the book 21
fair include a provision that if the vendor or sponsor of the book 22
fair refuses to exclude those titles identified by the school 23
employee, the school may not host the fair and will not incur any 24
penalty or charges for cancellation of the event; and 25
(e) A requirement that the agreement between a school 26
hosting a book fair and the vendor or sponsor of the book fair 27
include such other provisions as may be necessary to ensure 28
compliance with this section. 29
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 30
and after July 1, 2026. 31