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Read. Follow. Verify.Mississippi Bill Reduces Teacher Retirement Wait Time for Rehire to 30 Days
Last action · February 3, 2026: 02/03 (S) Died In CommitteeSponsor: Chris Johnson
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What This Bill Proposed
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW RETIRED TEACHERS TO RETURN TO WORK, AND TO CONTINUE RECEIVING A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE, AFTER HAVING BEEN RETIRED FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-127, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
School districts facing staffing shortages gain faster access to experienced educators by cutting the post-retirement wait time, while returning teachers work under capped salary schedules for a maximum of five years without accruing additional pension benefits.
- The Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) administers retirement benefits for state and public school employees, governed by statutory restrictions on post-retirement employment. context
- State legislatures frequently adjust statutory waiting periods and reemployment exemptions for retired public educators to address ongoing teacher shortages in critical subject areas. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Retired public school teachers
Qualified retired teachers with 30 or more years of service face a shortened 30-day wait time to return to work in critical shortage districts while keeping their pension and receiving a static salary for up to five years.
Public school districts
School districts in critical shortage areas gain expanded authority to hire retired teachers, manage salary allocations up to 125% of the schedule, and make direct pension liability assessment payments to PERS.
Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
PERS receives direct pension liability participation assessments from school districts hiring returning retirees and tracks the employment status reported by the State Superintendent.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a retired teacher wait before returning to work under this bill?
Can a returning retired teacher continue collecting their retirement pension while working?
Do returning retired teachers continue to earn additional retirement benefits while working?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died in committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 3, 2026Senate02/03 (S) Died In Committee
- Jan 19, 2026SenateCommittee01/19 (S) Referred To Education
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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Reduction of Rehire Waiting Period
The legislation directly cuts the required post-retirement separation period from 90 days down to 30 days specifically to accelerate teacher recruitment in critical shortage districts.
Connected Entities
Sources
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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