Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1248: Video surveillance cameras; require in certain areas of school facilities for protection of exceptional children.
Status: Failed, February 3, 2026
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INSTALL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS EQUIPPED WITH AUDIO RECEPTION TECHNOLOGY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF SCHOOLS FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS; TO LIMIT VIEWING ACCESS OF RECORDED SURVEILLANCE TO CERTAIN DISTRICT AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL-FACILITY LICENSED PERSONNEL; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND IDENTITY OF STUDENTS CAPTURED IN THE SURVEILLANCE WHO ARE NOT THE SUBJECT OF INCIDENTS GIVING RISE TO AN INVESTIGATION OR LITIGATION; TO AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CONTRACT WITH ANY COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL, INDEPENDENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE MONITORING; TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACTING THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, TO EMPLOY CERTAIN PROCEDURES PRIOR TO AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR MONITORING SERVICES; TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO EMPLOY SECURITY PERSONNEL OR REQUIRE THE IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON SCHOOL PREMISES EQUIPPED WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-3-83, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ESTABLISHES A SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to require school districts to install video surveillance cameras equipped with audio reception technology in certain areas of schools for the safety and well-being of exceptional students; to limit viewing access of recorded surveillance to certain district and individual school-facility licensed personnel; to require school districts to protect the privacy and identity of students captured in the surveillance who are not the subject of incidents giving rise to an investigation or litigation…
From the introduced text:
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INSTALL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS EQUIPPED WITH AUDIO RECEPTION TECHNOLOGY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF SCHOOLS FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS; TO LIMIT VIEWING ACCESS OF RECORDED SURVEILLANCE TO CERTAIN DISTRICT AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL-FACILITY LICENSED PERSONNEL; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND IDENTITY OF STUDENTS CAPTURED IN THE SURVEILLANCE WHO ARE NOT THE SUBJECT OF INCIDENTS GIVING RISE TO AN INVESTIGATION OR LITIGATION; TO AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CONTRACT WITH ANY COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL, INDEPENDENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE MONITORING; TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACTING THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, TO EMPLOY CERTAIN PROCEDURES PRIOR TO AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR MONITORING SERVICES; TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO EMPLOY SECURITY PERSONNEL OR REQUIRE THE IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON SCHOOL PREMISES EQUIPPED WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-3-83, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ESTABLISHES A SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) Each school district shall install video surveillance cameras equipped with audio reception technology into each self-contained classroom of school facilities which provides daily instruction to an exceptional child, as defined in Section 37-23-3, as well as …