HB 1474

An act to create the "released-time moral instruction act of 2026"; To authorize local school boards to permit the released-time moral instruction of pupils; To permit school boards to complete a survey to determine pupils within the school district who desire released-time moral instruction and who have received consent from their parent OR legal guardian for such instruction; To require school boards to allow those students desiring released-time moral instruction to participate IN off-site for at least one hour, one day each week; To prohibit the school district from providing OR facilitating released-time moral instruction on school premises; To permit local school boards to make arrangements with the persons IN charge of the released-time moral instruction as the board deems necessary and advisable; To provide that students shall not be penalized OR considered absent from the school for purposes of attending released-time moral instruction; To provide that students who do not participate IN released-time moral instruction shall continue IN the regular course of daily instruction; To provide that released-time moral instruction shall be given without expense to any local school board beyond the cost of the original survey; To amend section 37-13-91, mississippi code of 1972, IN conformity to the preceding provisions; And for related purposes.