A bill that dies on Tuesday’s deadline does not necessarily mean it is dead. Another bill may still be alive and could be amended to address the issue that was addressed in the bill that died before that deadline. Tuesday’s deadline did not affect bills that increase or decrease revenue, nor those that make appropriations for state agencies. Below is a list highlighting key bills that made it to the Feb. 1 deadline or missed them. Click this link to search for bills by number. Click this link to search for bills by keyword. Senate Bill 2444 would raise teacher salaries by increasing years of experience and certification. The bill would increase teacher pay by an average of $4700 in two years. It also restructures the way teachers get paid so that they can earn higher long-term salaries. House Bill 530 would raise all teachers’ salaries by $4,000 to $6,000 per year, and increase starting teacher’s pay from $37,000 to $43,125 each year. This is higher than both the Southeastern average and national averages. Senate Bill 2634 would provide matching funds to assist recipients of TANF benefits in creating savings accounts. The savings would not affect eligibility for TANF benefit benefits. Similar programs are available in most other states. Mississippi has millions of unspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Family funds. Most other states also have similar savings programs. TANF funds would match private savings 2-1 up to a maximum of $4,000 for a family. Beneficiaries would receive financial literacy training. They would not be allowed to spend their savings on large purchases such as college education, home purchase, or a vehicle for work. Senate Bill 2113 supporters claim it would ban critical race theory from kindergarten to 12th grade and at the university. Officials from the State Department of Education have stated that critical race theory, which aims to examine the effects of racial discrimination in various aspects of society is not being taught at public schools. Some claim that the bill is too vague to be able to predict the legislative impact. House Concurrent Resolution 39 would reinstate the initiative process, allowing citizens to gather signatures and bypass the Legislature to place issues on the ballot. This proposal would amend the language that was ruled invalid by the Supreme Court in May. This legislation would allow the initiative to be used to amend state law rather than the Constitution, as the old process allows. Senate Bill 2095, which is awaiting the signature of the governor, would allow Mississippians with chronic illnesses to use medical marijuana. It would replace the 2020 program that was approved by voters but rejected by the state Supreme Court due to a technicality. Senate Bill 2451, House Bill 770 would ban Mississippi employers from paying different salaries for the same job. After Alabama’s 2019 passage of an equal pay law in 2019, Mississippi is the only state without one. House Bill 630 would allow people who have had their felony convictions expunged to regain their voting rights. Many bills were filed in an attempt to ensure that felonies-convicted people would be able to vote once their sentences are over, but none of them survived the deadline. Mississippi is the only state in which people convicted for certain felonies have to petition the Legislature to restore their voting rights. House Bill 769 would grant up to $225,000 to health care providers to combat COVID-19. House Bill 928 would grant grants to hospitals for the expansion of facilities to combat COVID-19. House Bill 1029 would grant grants to increase broadband access. House Bill 1510, a broad bill that gives Secretary of State Michael Watson the authority to audit election results and to hire outside assistance to help with this effort, is House Bill 1029. The bill would also set a time limit for purging voter rolls. It would also require social media companies file reports to the Secretary of State detailing reasons why candidates or elected officials are being removed from their platforms. The Real You Act, also known as Senate Bill 2356, would ban people convicted of crimes from changing names while in prison. Minors would need to have medical approval before they can legally change their sexual identity. Senate Bill 2273 would allow employees of persons convicted of crimes, to submit reports to probation officers. This will prevent the employee from having to leave work in order to report to a probation official. Senate Bill 2164 would establish a separate Department of Tourism and not a division of the Mississippi Development Authority. It would also establish the Mississippi Department of Tourism Fund, and redirect a portion of the sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels to MDA. To assist the department, it would establish a 12-member advisory board in marketing. House Bill 108 was one of many bills that would have expanded Medicaid, which is permitted under federal law to provide coverage for the most vulnerable. Despite the fact that the bills have been killed, there may be another way to expand Medicaid. However, this is unlikely to happen due to opposition from some legislative leaders. House Concurrent Resolution 16 would have made state elections (e.g. for governor, county offices, etc.) more presidential in years. House Bill 377 would have given voting rights to veterans who had been convicted of certain felonies. House Bill 893 would have banned public officials from changing political parties while they are in office. House Concurrent Resolution 19 would have placed term limits on legislators. House Bill 22 would have allowed early voting without excuse. House Bill 22 would have permitted online voter registration. Senate Bill 2244 would have made many people who were convicted of a crime to live in prison if they were younger than 18 years old eligible for parole after twenty years. House Bill 560 will make it easier to get supervised release for those convicted under 21 years old. House Bill 1467 would have amended Mississippi’s hate crime bill to increase the severity of penalties for violent attacks on people who are disabled, sexually or gender-identifiable. This would align state law with federal hate crime laws. This change has been advocated for many years, but it was not voted on by the House committee. Senate Bill 2695 would have required that state financial aid be determined primarily on the basis of need. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today.