HB 879: Issue teacher supply cards to teachers by August 1

House Bill 879, sponsored by Rep. Richard Bennett, would require procurement cards to be issued to teachers by August 1.

These cards are used to purchase classroom supplies, and currently, the requirement is that they are issued “at the beginning of the school year.” This often leads to teachers purchasing supplies for their classrooms out of their own pocket, as the cards often aren’t there before the start of school.

To ensure the process runs as it should, school districts are now required to determine and submit the number of teachers eligible to receive a procurement card by June 15 of the subsequent school year. The current law gives districts until September 1.

Empower Mississippi supports this bill.

It has been referred to Education. You can read the bill here.