Bill Text: MS HB1585 | 2026 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: School districts; require evaluation of and reporting on costs associated with technology acquisition.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2026-03-03 - Died In Committee [HB1585 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-HB1585-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Representative McCarty
House Bill 1585
(As Passed the House)
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES REQUIRING ALL SCHOOL BOARDS TO EVALUATE CERTAIN COST AND PERFORMANCE METRICS WHEN ACQUIRING TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTER HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE; TO REQUIRE EACH GOVERNING BOARD OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING THE OPERATION, REPAIR NEEDS AND REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT COSTS OF SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY DEVICE INVENTORY; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE SUMMARIZING THE REPORTS RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE BREAK/FIX RATES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings as defined in this subsection, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
(b) "Break/fix rate" means the percentage obtained by dividing the number of school technology devices reported as malfunctioning or needing repair due to physical damage, hardware failure or other breakage incidents before the stated life cycle period that are not covered by insurance or a policy plan period, by the total number of school technology devices in operation during that period.
(c) "Public school unit" means a school district or a charter school.
(d) "School board" means the governing board of a public school unit.
(e) "School technology device" means any electronic or computerized equipment provided for educational purposes in a public school unit, including computers, tablets, interactive whiteboards and similar devices.
(2) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules requiring all public school units to evaluate the following when acquiring technology, computer hardware, and software for use in public schools:
(a) The long-term cost of ownership, including costs of repairing the technology, computer hardware or software.
(b) Any flexibility for innovation during the life of the technology, computer hardware or software.
(c) Any anticipated resale or salvage value at the end of the target life cycle for the technology, computer hardware or software based on the average resale or salvage value of similar technology, computer hardware or software as a percentage of the initial cost of purchase.
(3) Each school board shall adopt a policy requiring the evaluation of technology costs considerations adopted by the State Board of Education.
(4) (a) Each school board shall submit an annual report on the following information to the State Board of Education by August 15 of each year:
(i) The break/fix rate of the school technology devices in the public school unit for the previous school year.
(ii) The total number of school technology devices currently in operation in the public school unit.
(iii) The total number of school technology devices in the public school unit requiring repair that:
1. Underwent repair; or
2. Were no longer in service during the previous school year.
(iv) The total amount of funds spent to repair or replace school technology devices during the previous school year.
(b) The first reports required by this subsection (3) shall be submitted no later than August 15, 2026, based on data collected during the 2025-2026 school year.
(4) The board shall report to the Education Committees of the House and Senate by November 15 annually on the break/fix rate of school technology devices across all public school units based on the reports submitted under subsection (3) of this section. This report shall include a summary of the data reported by each governing body and recommendations to reduce break/fix rates in the future.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
