Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi SB2003: Retired educators; revise provisions regarding return to work as teachers.
Status: Failed, March 3, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE REQUIRED SEPARATION PERIOD FOR RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THE SECTION FROM 90 DAYS TO 45 DAYS; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT OF A MINIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE FOR SUCH A RETIREE TO RETURN TO WORK AS A TEACHER; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT SUCH A RETIREE RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER BE HIRED TO TEACH ONLY IN A DISTRICT HAVING A CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE OR CRITICAL SUBJECT-AREA SHORTAGE; TO ADJUST THE PENSION LIABILITY PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT AND SUCH RETIREE'S SALARY FOR RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER, AS DETERMINED IN SECTION 37-19-7; TO ALLOW LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES TO PAY, FROM LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING, ALL OR A PORTION OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR SUCH RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS; TO ALLOW A MEMBER TO CONTINUE AS A LICENSED TEACHER IN AN INSTRUCTIONAL POSITION IF THE PERSON HAS REACHED THE AGE AND/OR SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION AS DEFINED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, PROVIDED THAT THE PERSON ELECTS TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION AS PROVIDED FOR OTHER RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THIS SECTION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-127 AND 25-9-120, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY PAY NO MORE THAN 65% OF A RETIRED TEACHER'S COMPENSATION AS SALARY, AND THE DISTRICT SHALL PAY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF MISSISSIPPI A PENSION LIABILITY PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REGULAR COMPENSATION FOR THE POSITION HELD BY THE RETIRED TEACHER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to amend section 25-11-126, mississippi code of 1972, to reduce the required separation period for retirees returning to work as teachers under the section from 90 days to 45 days; to remove the requirement of a minimum number of years of creditable service for such a retiree to return to work as a teacher; to remove the requirement that such a retiree returning to work as a teacher be hired to teach only in a district having a critical teacher shortage or critical subject-area shortage…
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE REQUIRED SEPARATION PERIOD FOR RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THE SECTION FROM 90 DAYS TO 45 DAYS; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT OF A MINIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE FOR SUCH A RETIREE TO RETURN TO WORK AS A TEACHER; TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT SUCH A RETIREE RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER BE HIRED TO TEACH ONLY IN A DISTRICT HAVING A CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE OR CRITICAL SUBJECT-AREA SHORTAGE; TO ADJUST THE PENSION LIABILITY PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT AND SUCH RETIREE'S SALARY FOR RETURNING TO WORK AS A TEACHER, AS DETERMINED IN SECTION 37-19-7; TO ALLOW LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES TO PAY, FROM LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING, ALL OR A PORTION OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR SUCH RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS; TO ALLOW A MEMBER TO CONTINUE AS A LICENSED TEACHER IN AN INSTRUCTIONAL POSITION IF THE PERSON HAS REACHED THE AGE AND/OR SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION AS DEFINED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, PROVIDED THAT THE PERSON ELECTS TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION AS PROVIDED FOR OTHER RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK AS TEACHERS UNDER THIS SECTION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-127 AND 25-9-120, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO …
Sponsors
- DeBar, Dennis (R, 43) · primary sponsor
- Blackwell, Kevin (R, 19)
- Boyd, Nicole (R, 9)
- Brumfield, Gary (D, 38)
- Chism, Kathy L. (R, 3)
- DuPree, Johnny L. (D, 45)
- Fillingane, Joey (R, 41)
- Frazier, Hillman Terome (D, 27)
- Gillespie-Isom, Theresa (D, 2)
- Ladner, Philman A. (R, 46)
- McCaughn, Tyler (R, 31)
- McLendon, Michael (R, 1)
Latest actions
- : Died In Committee
- : Referred To Education;Appropriations A
- : Transmitted To House
- : Passed As Amended
- : Amended
- : Committee Substitute Adopted
- : Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub
- : Referred To Education
Subjects: Retired educators
Common questions
- What is SB2003?
- SB2003 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Retired educators; revise provisions regarding return to work as teachers.
- What does SB2003 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend section 25-11-126, mississippi code of 1972, to reduce the required separation period for retirees returning to work as teachers under the section from 90 days to 45 days; to remove the requirement of a minimum number of years of creditable service for such a retiree to return to work as a teacher; to remove the requirement that such a retiree returning to work as a teacher be hired to teach only in a district having a critical teacher shortage or critical subject-area shortage…
- What is the status of SB2003?
- Failed as of March 3, 2026. Latest action: Died In Committee (March 3, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB2003?
- DeBar, Dennis (R, 43), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB2003?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2003.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.