Public Hearings Set About Miss. School Funding Initiatives

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippians will get to express opinions about school funding initiatives during public hearings.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann announced hearings Tuesday.

They are Aug. 11 in Jackson, Aug. 13 in Hernando, Aug. 17 in Tupelo, Aug. 20 in Meridian, Aug. 27 in Cleveland, Sept. 1 in Hattiesburg, Sept. 3 in Biloxi and Sept. 8 in Brookhaven.

Citizen-led Initiative 42 would require lawmakers to fund “an adequate and efficient system of free public schools.” People could sue if funding falls short.

The Legislature put an alternative, Initiative 42-A, on the ballot. It originally said lawmakers must fund “an effective system of free public schools.”

There’s a court dispute about a judge’s rewriting the title of 42-A to say the Legislature should fund “effective public schools” but specify there’s no court appeal.