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Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 1787 Requires Public Schools and Charter Schools to Close on Election Days
Last action · March 3, 2026: Public Hearing Completed (H)Sponsor: Jamie Ray Gragg
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What This Bill Would Do
Public school districts and charter schools in Missouri must establish s and s as school holidays starting in the 2026-27 school year. School is not in session on these designated election holidays.
Students and school staff receive mandatory days off on election days starting in the 2026-27 school year, altering the instructional calendar and potentially impacting childcare arrangements for working families.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
public school districts
Public school districts must modify their annual calendars starting in the 2026-27 school year to designate general municipal and general election days as non-attendance holidays.
charter schools
Charter schools are required to set general municipal election days and general election days as school holidays on which school is not in session.
Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education
The department retains authority to enforce calendar compliance and withhold state funding for violations.
Key Facts
- Starting with the 2026-27 school year, every school district and charter school must set the general municipal election day and the general election day as school holidays on which school is not in session.
- Section 171.051 is amended to explicitly include the general municipal election day and the general election day as official school holidays alongside Thanksgiving, Christmas, February's third Monday, and Independence Day.
- School districts must continue to provide a minimum term of at least 1,044 hours of actual pupil attendance annually.
- Districts located in charter counties or cities with more than 30,000 inhabitants must maintain a minimum of 169 school days, unless operating a four-day week with 142 days.
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- The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must withhold one quarter of state funding generated under section 163.031 for each date a district violates school calendar timing restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do schools have to start closing for elections?
Which schools are affected by this requirement?
Are election days considered official school holidays?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
5 actions- Mar 3, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Feb 19, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Elections(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 1, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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