Public schools; allow to employ or accept the service of chaplains.

HB 659 would allow Mississippi public school districts and charter schools to hire or accept chaplains as volunteers to provide student support services, without requiring chaplains to hold teaching certifications. Schools employing chaplains must conduct criminal background checks and prohibit individuals required to register as sex offenders from serving. The bill also mandates that school boards adopt chaplain policies by December 2026, requires schools to fund chaplain-related safety programs, and integrates chaplains into state crisis response teams under amended education codes. This bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and has not advanced.