"Released-Time Court Act; enact to require school districts to adopt policy to excuse students for religious study.

HB 1371 requires Mississippi school districts to adopt policies allowing students to miss up to 125 class periods annually (max 3 periods weekly) for religious instruction outside school. It mandates written parental consent, prohibits school funding or resources for these courses, and exempts instructors from teaching licenses. Students attending such courses remain counted in school attendance, may earn elective credit (evaluated neutrally for secular content), and assume responsibility for missed work. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not apply to charter or virtual schools.