MS Senate passes funding for Public Employees’ retirement system
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi State Senate has passed substantial funding for the Public Employees’ Retirement System, along with multiple bills to help the state’s education system.
This includes a teacher pay raise, reducing restrictions on retired teachers returning to work, and making public-to-public transfers easier for students.
According to a press release, the bills passed include: Senate Bill 2001 which provides a minimum $2,000 pay raise for all K–12 teachers, assistant teachers, community college instructors, and university instructors and professors statewide.
Senate Bill 2002 expands education portability by removing a sending district’s veto power that currently allows it to prevent a student from transferring after being accepted into another district.
Receiving districts would control all admissions decisions.
Senate Bill 2003 addresses Mississippi’s teacher shortage by making it easier for retired educators to return to the classroom.
It increases retired teachers’ take-home pay from 50% to 65% of their retirement, reduces the sit-out period from 90 days to 45 days, allows any retired state employee to teach with at least a temporary teaching certificate, and expands eligibility from only critical shortage areas to all districts statewide.
Senate Bill 2004 commits funding to stabilize PERS, including a $500 million infusion on July 1st, followed by annual $50 million appropriations through 2036.
The legislation now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.
