KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

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

Back to Mississippi

SB2514 • 2026

Mississippi Open to Religion Act; enact.

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-13-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI OPEN TO RELIGION ACT; TO REQUIRE THE GOVERNING BOARD OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY REQUIRING EVERY CAMPUS OF THE DISTRICT OR SCHOOL TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A PERIOD OF PRAYER AND READING OF THE BIBLE OR OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXT ON EACH SCHOOL DAY; TO PROVIDE THE TERMS OF THE POLICY; TO PROVIDE FOR CONSENT AND REVOCATION OF CONSENT BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS, OR THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS; TO SPECIFY THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR; 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
Sparks, England
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so it does not have an effective date or further implementation details.

Mississippi Open to Religion Act

This bill requires school districts and public charter schools to allow students and employees to pray or read religious texts during the school day, starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires school boards to create a policy allowing prayer and reading of religious texts each school day.
  • States that participation must be voluntary and cannot replace instructional time.
  • Requiring consent forms for students and employees who want to participate or hear the prayers/religious readings.
  • Allows schools to provide these activities before regular school hours or in specific areas where everyone has given permission.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School districts and public charter schools in Mississippi
  • Students and employees of those schools

Terms To Know

voluntary participation
People can choose whether to take part or not.
instructional time
The regular class time when teachers teach and students learn.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass in the current session of the Mississippi Legislature.
  • It is unclear how schools will implement this policy without violating existing laws about separation of church and state.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

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

    01/19 (S) Referred To Education

Official Summary Text

Mississippi Open to Religion Act; enact.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2514 *SS36/R585.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R585.1
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Sparks, England

SENATE BILL NO. 2514

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-13-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI OPEN TO RELIGION ACT; TO REQUIRE 2
THE GOVERNING BOARD OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 3
TO ADOPT A POLICY REQUIRING EVERY CAMPUS OF THE DISTRICT OR SCHOOL 4
TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO 5
PARTICIPATE IN A PERIOD OF PRAYER AND READING OF THE BIBLE OR 6
OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXT ON EACH SCHOOL DAY; TO PROVIDE THE TERMS OF 7
THE POLICY; TO PROVIDE FOR CONSENT AND REVOCATION OF CONSENT BY 8
SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS, OR THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF 9
STUDENTS; TO SPECIFY THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT SHALL BE 10
REQUIRED BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR; AND FOR RELATED 11
PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 14
37-13-61, Mississippi Code of 1972: 15
37-13-61. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited 16
as the "Mississippi Open to Religion Act." 17
(2) (a) The governing board of a school district or public 18
charter school shall adopt a policy described by paragraph (b) of 19
this subsection requiring every campus of the district or school 20
to provide students and employees with an opportunity to 21
participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or 22
other religious text on each school day in accordance with this 23
S. B. No. 2514 *SS36/R585.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R585.1
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)

section. Such period may involve opportunities for voluntary 24
participation in individual or group activities. 25
(b) A policy adopted under this subsection (2) shall 26
include the following statement: 27
"It is the policy of (insert name of school district or 28
charter school) that every campus of (insert name of district or 29
school) shall provide a period of prayer and reading of the Bible 30
or other religious text as provided by Section 37-13-61, 31
Mississippi Code of 1972. Such period may involve opportunities 32
for voluntary participation in individual or group activities." 33
(3) A policy adopted under subsection (2) of this section 34
must: 35
(a) Prohibit a student or employee of the school 36
district or charter school from being permitted to participate in 37
the period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious 38
text unless the employee on his own behalf or the parent or 39
guardian of the student submits to the district or school a signed 40
consent form that includes: 41
(i) An acknowledgment that the student or employee 42
has a choice as to whether to participate in the 43
school-policy-detailed period of prayer and reading of the Bible 44
or other religious text; 45
(ii) A statement that the employee on his own 46
behalf or parent or guardian of the student has no objection to 47
S. B. No. 2514 *SS36/R585.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R585.1
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)

participating in or hearing of the prayers or readings offered 48
during the period; and 49
(iii) An express waiver of the right to bring a 50
claim under state or federal law arising out of the adoption of a 51
policy under this section, including a claim under the 52
Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States 53
Constitution or a related state or federal law, releasing the 54
district or school and district or school employees from liability 55
for those claims brought in state or federal court; 56
(b) Specify that a period of prayer or reading of the 57
Bible or other religious text may not be a substitute for 58
instructional time. 59
(4) An employee on his own behalf or the parent or guardian 60
of a student may revoke consent provided under subsection (3)(a) 61
of this section by informing the appropriate school administrator, 62
as determined by the school district or charter school. An 63
employee or student for whom consent has been revoked under this 64
subsection: 65
(a) May not participate in the school-policy-detailed 66
period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text 67
until the employee or parent or guardian of the student submits to 68
the district or school a new consent form under subsection (3)(a) 69
of this section; and 70
(b) Remains bound by the waiver described by subsection 71
(3)(a)(iii) of this section. 72
S. B. No. 2514 *SS36/R585.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R585.1
PAGE 4 (icj\kr)

(5) A policy adopted under subsection (2) of this section: 73
(a) Must include provisions ensuring a prayer or 74
reading of the Bible or other religious text under this section is 75
not knowingly or intentionally provided in the physical presence 76
of, within the hearing of, or in another manner which would 77
constitute an injury in fact within the meaning of the United 78
States or Mississippi Constitution on a person for whom a signed 79
consent form has not been submitted under subsection (3)(a) of 80
this section or has been revoked under subsection (4) of this 81
section; and 82
(b) In order to comply with this subsection, may allow 83
that the period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other 84
religious text be provided: 85
(i) Before normal school hours; or 86
(ii) Only in classrooms or other areas in which a 87
consent form under subsection (3)(a) of this section has been 88
submitted for every employee and student, which may include an 89
entire school district or charter school campus if a consent form 90
has been submitted for each employee and student at the campus. 91
(6) The attorney general, on request from the governing 92
board of a school district or charter school, shall: 93
(a) Provide advice on best methods for a district or 94
school to comply with the requirements of this section; and 95
S. B. No. 2514 *SS36/R585.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R585.1
PAGE 5 (icj\kr)
ST: Mississippi Open to Religion Act; enact.
(b) Provide a model consent form that may be used for 96
purposes of providing consent under subsection (3)(a) of this 97
section. 98
(7) This section does not prohibit a student or employee of 99
the district or school from participating in prayer or reading the 100
Bible or other religious text during a period of the school day 101
that is not designated as a period of prayer and reading of the 102
Bible or other religious text. Nothing in this act shall be 103
construed to conflict with Article 8, Section 208 of the 104
Mississippi Constitution. Nothing in this act shall be construed 105
to restrict or limit a student's right to pray or engage in other 106
religious activities or religious expression as provided in 107
Mississippi Code Annotated, Sections 11-6-1, 37–12–1 to 37–12–15, 108
37-13-4, 37-13-4.1, 37-13-8, inclusive, or provided by the Free 109
Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States 110
Constitution. 111
(8) Compliance with this section shall be required beginning 112
with the 2026-2027 school year. 113
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 114
and after July 1, 2026. 115