SB 2598 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Public schools; allow retired administrators to return to work as teachers.

SB 2598 would allow retired Mississippi public school teachers or administrators (who retired at least 90 days ago, hold a valid teaching license, and receive retirement pay) to return to work as teachers while continuing to receive their retirement allowance. It removes the previous 30-year service requirement and permits school districts to pay up to 150% of the standard salary for returning retirees, with 50% of that amount paid directly to the retirement system to offset pension costs. The bill restricts hiring to districts with critical teacher or subject-area shortages, requires district certification of qualifications, and limits total reemployment to five years. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

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 · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill's title was updated to reflect that it has passed the Senate, indicating progress in the legislative process. No substantive policy changes were made to the bill's content; only the status designation was altered from Committee Substitute to As Passed the Senate.

TECHNICAL

The bill's title was updated from 'Committee Substitute' to 'As Passed the Senate' to reflect its current legislative status.

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill amends Mississippi law to allow retired public school teachers and administrators to return to work while continuing to receive their retirement allowance. The changes expand eligibility by removing the 30-year service requirement and adding a provision for those with 25 years of service as of July 1, 2024. The bill also clarifies how districts can fund these positions, requiring them to pay a pension liability assessment to PERS while allowing districts to pay up to 150% of the salary schedule amount.

Scope change

The bill expands the program to include retired librarians and counselors in addition to teachers and administrators, and removes the previous 30-year service requirement while adding a 25-year service threshold for those retiring after July 1, 2024.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the requirement that retirees must have at least 30 years of creditable service to return to work while receiving retirement benefits.

Added eligibility for teachers who retired with at least 25 years of creditable service as of July 1, 2024, if they otherwise qualify for the program.

Expanded eligible positions to include librarians and counselors, not just teachers and administrators.

FISCAL

Changed the salary allocation formula to allow school districts to allocate up to 150% of the salary schedule amount, split between salary paid to the teacher and a pension liability assessment paid to PERS.

Authorized school districts to pay all or a portion of health insurance premiums for retired employees returning to work from local education funding.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that retired employees must be hired to teach in critical shortage areas or critical subject-matter areas designated by the Department of Education.

Added requirement that retired employees must have a satisfactory performance review for the most recent period before retirement.

Added requirement that retired employees must have been retired at least 90 days before being rehired.

Added requirement that retired employees may only work for a total of five years after retirement under this program, whether consecutively or intermittently.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to July 1, 2025, and specified that provisions apply to hires on or after July 1, 2024.

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 14, 2025

Committee

Referred To ED,AC,AP

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 Comm Sub

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

upper

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors