Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB494: Ten Commandments; permit display in every public school and charter school classroom.
Status: Failed, February 3, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-163, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PERMIT EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD AND CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD TO DISPLAY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN A PROMINENT LOCATION WITHIN EACH SCHOOL OR CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITY UNDER ITS JURISDICTION BY NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2027; TO PRESCRIBE ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND TEXTS THAT SCHOOL BOARDS GOVERNING AUTHORITY MAY CHOOSE TO DISPLAY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT TO ENSURE THE PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT THAT ARE FREE OF CHARGE, AND ONCE IDENTIFIED, TO LIST THE FREE RESOURCES ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-28-45, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to amend section 37-13-163, mississippi code of 1972, to permit each public school board and charter school governing board to display the ten commandments in a prominent location within each school or charter school facility under its jurisdiction by not later than january 1, 2027; to prescribe additional historical documents and texts that school boards governing authority may choose to display in their classrooms; to require the state board of education to adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the administrative procedure act to ensure the proper implementation of this act…
From the introduced text:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-163, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PERMIT EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD AND CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD TO DISPLAY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN A PROMINENT LOCATION WITHIN EACH SCHOOL OR CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITY UNDER ITS JURISDICTION BY NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2027; TO PRESCRIBE ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND TEXTS THAT SCHOOL BOARDS GOVERNING AUTHORITY MAY CHOOSE TO DISPLAY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT TO ENSURE THE PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT THAT ARE FREE OF CHARGE, AND ONCE IDENTIFIED, TO LIST THE FREE RESOURCES ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-28-45, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) In 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677, (2005); (2) In 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States further recognized that the Ten Commandments "have historical significance *HR26/R8* H. B. …