HB 2: Mississippi Educational Freedom Program Act of 2026

Essentially, HB 2 is another big, beautiful bill (nearly 600 pages), but this one is an attack on Mississippi’s public schools. HB 2 directs state funding to private and/or religious schools while simultaneously prohibiting the state from regulating: curriculum, religious instruction, and admissions policies. In addition HB 2 has serious discrimination implications due to the lack of anti-discrimination regulatory language for federally protected classes such as: age, race, religion, sex, gender identity, disabilities, and pregnancy.

The Mississippi Constitution requires the state legislature to maintain a uniform system of FREE public schools. House Bill 2 severely undermines the legislature’s Article 8 obligation in addition to directing state taxpayer dollars from public institutions fueling private institutions with minor regulatory guidance.