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HB17 • 2026

MS Childcare Teachers Shortage Task Force; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CHILDCARE TEACHERS SHORTAGE TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE TASK FORCE IS TO STUDY THE MISSISSIPPI CHILDCARE WORKER SHORTAGE AND HOW TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE SEATS WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING EDUCATORS FOR THEIR ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE SYSTEM; TO PROVIDE THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE WHAT THE TASK FORCE SHALL REVIEW; TO REQUIRE THE TASK FORCE TO REPORT TO CERTAIN OFFICIALS BY DECEMBER 1, 2026; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education Labor
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Scoggin, McLean, Anthony, Summers, Scott
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
Passage

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.

Mississippi Childcare Teachers Shortage Task Force

This bill creates a task force to study the shortage of childcare workers in Mississippi, suggest ways to increase affordable childcare seats, and recognize educators' efforts.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a task force to look into why there are not enough childcare workers in Mississippi.
  • Asks the task force to find out if giving more money to childcare teachers would help solve the problem.
  • Tells the task force to learn about what other states do for their childcare workers and how they handle shortages.
  • Requires the task force to write a report by December 1, 2026, with ideas on how to fix the shortage of childcare workers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Childcare providers in Mississippi
  • Educators working in early childhood education and care

Terms To Know

Task Force
A group of people chosen to work together on a specific job, like studying childcare worker shortages.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It does not provide funding for any programs or changes, only to study the issue.
  • The task force will end after submitting its report on December 1, 2026.

Bill History

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

    03/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-18 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/18 (S) Referred To Economic and Workforce Development

  3. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (H) Transmitted To Senate

  4. 2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/11 (H) Passed

  5. 2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/02 (H) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/07 (H) Referred To Youth and Family Affairs

Official Summary Text

MS Childcare Teachers Shortage Task Force; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 17 *HR43/R56* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R56
PAGE 1 (ELS\KP)

To: Youth and Family Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Scoggin, McLean,
Anthony, Summers, Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 17

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CHILDCARE TEACHERS SHORTAGE 1
TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE TASK FORCE IS TO STUDY THE 2
MISSISSIPPI CHILDCARE WORKER SHORTAGE AND HOW TO INCREASE THE 3
SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE SEATS WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING 4
EDUCATORS FOR THEIR ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S EARLY 5
EDUCATION AND CARE SYSTEM; TO PROVIDE THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK 6
FORCE; TO PROVIDE WHAT THE TASK FORCE SHALL REVIEW; TO REQUIRE THE 7
TASK FORCE TO REPORT TO CERTAIN OFFICIALS BY DECEMBER 1, 2026; AND 8
FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Childcare 11
Teachers Shortage Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to 12
study the Mississippi childcare worker shortage and how to 13
increase the supply of affordable childcare seats while also 14
recognizing educators for their ongoing efforts to improve 15
Mississippi's early education and care system. 16
(2) The Mississippi Childcare Teachers Shortage Task Force 17
shall be comprised of the following members: 18
(a) One (1) member of the Mississippi Senate, to be 19
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; 20
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(b) One (1) member of the Mississippi House of 21
Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; 22
(c) The Executive Director of Human Services, or a 23
designee, as an ex officio member; 24
(d) The Executive Director of the Mississippi 25
Department of Employment Services, or a designee, as an ex officio 26
member; 27
(e) One (1) representative of the childcare provider 28
community, to be appointed by the Executive Director of the 29
Mississippi Office of Workforce Development; 30
(f) One (1) representative of the economic development 31
community, to be appointed by the Executive Director of the 32
Mississippi Office of Workforce Development; and 33
(g) One (1) representative of business and industry, to 34
be appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Office 35
of Workforce Development. 36
(3) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after 37
the sine die adjournment of the 2026 Regular Session. At the 38
first meeting, the task force shall elect a chair and a vice 39
chair. The task force shall meet and organize fifteen (15) days 40
after all appointments have been made. The vice chair shall also 41
serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all 42
records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task 43
force shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers 44
and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative 45
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vote of a majority of the task force shall be required. All 46
members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices 47
to be mailed at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a 48
meeting is to be held. Members of the task force shall not be 49
compensated or reimbursed for travel expenses. 50
(4) The task force shall study and make a report on the 51
following: 52
(a) Whether a wage incentive program for childcare 53
teachers would yield positive results in Mississippi; 54
(b) The wage incentive programs offered to childcare 55
teachers in other states; 56
(c) How to address the childcare teacher shortage in 57
Mississippi; 58
(d) How other states have addressed their childcare 59
teacher shortages; and 60
(e) Other childcare related issues that the task force 61
deems necessary to review and study. 62
(5) The task force shall submit its report to the Governor, 63
Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, 64
Chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, 65
Chairman of the House Workforce Development Committee and Chairman 66
of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee by 67
December 1, 2026. After such report is submitted, the task force 68
shall be dissolved. 69
H. B. No. 17 *HR43/R56* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: MS Childcare Teachers Shortage Task Force;
create.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 70
and after its passage. 71