Teaching Honesty, Respect, Integrity, Virtue, and Excellence (THRIVE) Act; enact.

SB 2302, the THRIVE Act, would require all Mississippi public elementary and secondary schools to implement age-appropriate character education courses teaching specific values like honesty, respect for family, responsibility, and marriage. It mandates the state education department to approve compliant courses by June 2026, list required character traits (including "sexual abstinence outside marriage" and "respect for lifelong marriage"), and provide parent opt-out options. Schools would need to publicly share course materials, allow parental withdrawal, and report compliance annually to the legislature. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.