Appropriation; IHL to increase university faculty salaries closer to the SREB average.

HB 1797 proposed appropriating $64,055,883 from Mississippi's general fund to increase salaries for faculty at public universities, aiming to bring their pay closer to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) average. The bill directly affected Mississippi's public university faculty by providing funding for salary adjustments during fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). Key provisions included the specific appropriation amount and a requirement that the funds be used solely to adjust faculty compensation toward the SREB benchmark. The bill died in committee on February 26, 2025, and never became law.