The twelfth week of the 2022 Mississippi Legislative session saw an important milestone for teacher pay in Mississippi. On Thursday, March 17, the full Senate voted on and adopted the Conference Report to HB 530, however, the House concluded the week without taking up the report. On Tuesday, March 22, House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett addressed the full House and urged them to adopt the Conference Report for HB 530. Chairman Bennett stated that this pay raise is a fiscally responsible and reoccurring expense that would be the largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history. The Chairman stated that it is time to compensate teachers accordingly because the teachers of today are different from those in the past as now there is more pressure to perform. Chairman Bennett commended the teachers of Mississippi for rising to the challenge of increasing student achievement towards the national average.
After a few comments from other members of the House, the Conference Report for HB 530 passed with a vote of 117-5. HB 530 will now head to Governor Reeves’ desk to be signed into law. The Governor stated in the past that he would sign a teacher pay raise if presented with one from legislators. The bill is due from him by March 30.