SB 2596 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force; extend operation of.

SB 2596 extends the operation of Mississippi's K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force for one additional year, moving its final report deadline from October 1, 2024, to October 1, 2025. The task force, established to study student mental health challenges across schools and colleges, will continue analyzing data, assessing current resources and training programs, and developing recommendations to improve mental health services. This extension does not change the task force's composition or responsibilities but provides additional time for its work. The task force, made up of education officials, mental health experts, and school personnel, will dissolve after submitting its final report to the legislature.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 7, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Current version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill extends the Mississippi K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force by one year, requiring it to report findings by October 1, 2025, and dissolve after presenting that report. The current version adds new task force members including a school nurse and modifies the reporting deadline from 2024 to 2025, while also expanding the task force's duties to include workforce landscape reviews and multi-tiered wellness program evaluations.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on student mental health across K-12 and postsecondary education, but the task force's operational timeline was extended and its membership composition was modified to include additional stakeholders.

TIMELINE

The task force reporting deadline was changed from October 1, 2024 to October 1, 2025, extending the task force's operation by one additional year.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement was added for the task force to review workforce landscapes for mental health professionals (psychologists, nurses, counselors, behavior interventionists) and consider recruitment strategies.

New requirement added to explore the effect of multi-tiered wellness programs that promote growth, resilience, motivation, and culturally sensitive personal development.

A new task force member position was added: one school nurse employed in a Mississippi public school, to be appointed by the Superintendent of Education.

The task force dissolution provision was clarified to occur upon presentation of the report due on or before October 1, 2025.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2025

How they voted

51–0

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 6, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

35 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor