Senate Bill 2065

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "REINFORCING COLLEGE EDUCATION ON AMERICA'S CONSTITUTIONAL HERITAGE ACT" OR THE "REACH ACT"; TO REQUIRE THAT EACH INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING MUST PROVIDE INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE FEDERALIST PAPERS, THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, AND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL TO EACH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FOR THREE SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS; TO CREATE EXCEPTIONS TO THE REQUIREMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Each state institution of higher learning must provide undergraduate students instruction concerning the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. No state institution of higher learning may grant a diploma for a baccalaureate degree program to a student unless the student successfully completes the requirements described in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Each state institution of higher learning must require each undergraduate student, except a student eligible for the exemption provided in subsection (3) of this section, to complete no fewer than three (3) credit hours in the subject of American government or American history. The American Government or American History course must, at a minimum, require each undergraduate student to:

(a) Read the United States Constitution in its entirety;

(b) Read the Declaration of Independence in its entirety;

(d) Read a minimum of five (5) essays in their entirety from the Federalist Papers as selected by the course instructor;

(e) Read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in its entirety;

(f) Read the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in its entirety; and

(g) Pass a cumulative final examination at the conclusion of the course, testing for student proficiency in the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(3) A state institution of higher learning may exempt a student from the requirements of subsection (2) of this section who has successfully completed three (3) credit hours, or the equivalent, as follows:

(a) In an Advanced Placement course in the subject of American government or American history if the Advanced Placement course satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section;

(b) In a dual-enrollment course in the subject of American government or American history, if the dual-enrollment course satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section;

(c) In an associate degree program in a community or junior college if the completed three (3) credit hours, or their equivalent, in the associate degree program satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section; or

(d) In an International Baccalaureate (IB) course in the subject of American government or American history, if the International Baccalaureate course satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Each state institution of higher learning must ensure that the requirements of this subsection (2) of this section are incorporated into the degree requirements of all baccalaureate degree programs in a manner that does not add to the total number of credit hours for any baccalaureate degree program.

(5) The Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning must ensure the compliance of each state institution of higher learning with all the provisions of this section. The board annually must collect information and compile it into a report on the compliance status of each institution of higher learning. The report must contain copies of all syllabi from each section of each course that any institution of higher learning allows to fulfill the course requirements of subsection (2) of this section. This report must be submitted annually to the chairpersons of the following legislative committees: The Senate Appropriations Committee; the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee; the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee; and the House of Representatives Universities and Colleges Committee.

SECTION 2. This act applies to all freshman classes enrolled in baccalaureate degree programs after the effective date of this act. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent an undergraduate student enrolled in a state institution of higher learning on or before the effective date of this act from receiving a diploma.

SECTION 3. If any state institution of higher learning fails to enforce the provisions of this act for more than one (1) academic year, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall remove the head of that institution from his or her position.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025, and shall apply to freshman classes entering for the 2025-2026 school year and all subsequent freshman classes.