Miss. Code Ann. § 37-22-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 22-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-22-25
Status: in_force

(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi School District Emergency Bridge Loan Act.”

(2)(a) There is established a bridge loan program to be administered by the State Department of Education for the purpose of assisting local school districts that suffer revenue losses as a result of an economic downturn that substantially impacts the state and local revenues available to school districts. Loan proceeds distributed to school districts shall be specifically for school district operations identified as essential by the department.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department endeavor to ensure that the costs of the administration of this section are as low as possible.

(3)(a) There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to be designated as the “Mississippi School District Emergency Bridge Loan Fund,” referred to in this section as the “fund.” The fund shall consist of money designated for deposit in the fund from any source including, but not limited to, appropriations, bond proceeds, grants, gifts, donations or funds from any source, public or private. The fund shall be credited with all repayments of principal and interest derived from loans made from the fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the State General Fund. Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

(b) The department shall establish a loan program by which loans may be made available to school districts to assist those school districts. Any school district that demonstrates for the current fiscal year a projected revenue loss equal to or exceeding one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of its revenues in the preceding fiscal year may qualify for a loan. The interest rate on loans made under this section may vary from time to time and from loan to loan and shall be at or below market interest rates as determined by the department. The department shall act as quickly as is practicable and prudent in deciding on any loan request that it receives.

(c) The aggregate amount of any loans received under this section by a school district shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the revenue received by the school district to fund essential operations in the preceding fiscal year and the estimated revenue from those sources in the current fiscal year plus sixteenth section principal funds that may be expended under law, cash reserves or fund balances at the fiscal year end, as determined by the department. The State Board of Education shall set the maximum amount of any loan made under this section at an amount that will ensure the equitable distribution of the amounts available for loans to the eligible school districts.

(d) A school district that receives a loan from the fund shall pledge for repayment of the loan any part of the homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement to which it may be entitled under Section 27-33-77 , as may be required by the department. Each recipient of a loan shall establish a dedicated source of revenue for repayment of the loan. Before any school district shall receive a loan, it must execute with the department a loan agreement evidencing the loan, a copy of which must be filed by the department with the State Tax Commission. The loan agreement may not be construed to prohibit any recipient from prepaying any part or all of the funds received. The repayment schedule in each loan agreement shall provide for: (i) monthly payments; (ii) semiannual payments; or (iii) other periodic payments. The loan agreement shall provide for the repayment of all funds received from the fund within not more than ten (10) years. At the request of the department, the State Tax Commission shall withhold semiannually from the amount to be remitted to a school district the sum necessary to pay all or a portion of the periodic payments for the loan.

(e) A school district that receives a loan from the state which is not eligible to pledge for repayment of the loan under paragraph (d) of this subsection shall repay the loan by making payments each month to the State Treasurer through the Department of Finance and Administration for and on behalf of the department according to Section 7-7-15 , to be credited to the fund in lieu of pledging homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement.

Loan repayments shall be according to a repayment schedule contained in each loan agreement as required under paragraph (d) of this subsection.

(f) Evidences of indebtedness that are issued under this section may not be deemed indebtedness within the meaning specified in Section 37-59-5 .

(g) The State Auditor, upon the request of the department, shall audit the receipts and expenditures of a school district if loan repayments appear to be in arrears. If the Auditor finds that the school district is in arrears in the repayments, the Auditor immediately shall notify the State Superintendent of Public Education, who may take any action necessary to enforce the terms of the loan agreement. The superintendent, in his discretion, may notify the State Tax Commission to withhold all future payments to the school district of homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursements under Section 27-33-77 until such time that the school district is again current in its loan repayments, as certified by the department.

(h) All monies deposited in the fund may be used only for providing the loans authorized under this section. In addition, any amounts in the fund may be used to defray the reasonable costs of administering the fund. The department is authorized to use amounts available to it from the fund to contract for those facilities and staff needed to administer and provide routine management for the funds and loan program.

(4) In administering this section, the State Department of Education shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To supervise the use of all funds made available under this section;

(b) To promulgate rules and regulations and to establish procedures in accordance with this section for the implementation of the loan program;

(c) To requisition monies in the fund and distribute those monies in accordance with this section;

(d) To maintain, in accordance with generally accepted government accounting standards, an accurate record of all monies in the fund made available to school districts under this section; and

(e) To file annually with the Legislature a report detailing how monies in the fund were spent during the preceding fiscal year in each school district.

(5) The State Bond Commission, at one time or from time to time, may declare the necessity for general funds for the purposes provided in this section, including the costs incident to the administration of the loan program. Upon approval by the State Bond Commission, the Department of Finance and Administration may transfer the necessary amount from the General Fund to the fund in ample time to discharge such loans and incidental costs.

(6) The Department of Finance and Administration, without further process of law, may certify the necessity for warrants and issue those warrants in such amounts as may be necessary to make loans under the program authorized by this section.

(7) After any state funds in the fund are no longer needed for the particular purpose for which they were appropriated, deposited or transferred into the fund, the Department of Finance and Administration shall transfer those state funds back to the particular fund or funds in the State Treasury from which they were appropriated or transferred into the fund, upon certification of the State Superintendent of Public Education that the state funds currently are not needed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 25-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-21
Status: in_force

In any case where any person, convicted of any violation punishable by fine and the levy of the penalty assessment specified in this chapter, is imprisoned until the fine is satisfied, the judge may waive all or any part of the penalty assessment where, in his opinion, the payment of said penalty assessment would work a hardship on the person convicted or his immediate family.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-119-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 119-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-119-9
Status: in_force

The University of Southern Mississippi, with the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, is hereby granted the legal authority to borrow funds for the purpose of establishing and operating a certified registered nurse anesthetist educational and training program within the university's existing School of Nursing on its Hattiesburg campus. The purposes for which the funds from the loan may be utilized shall include, but not be limited to, any and all start-up costs, operation costs, personnel costs, equipment and educational materials.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-89 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 13-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-89
Status: in_force

(1) In each school district within the state, there shall be employed the number of school attendance officers determined by the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement to be necessary to adequately enforce the provisions of the Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law; however, this number shall not exceed one hundred fifty-three (153) school attendance officers at any time. From and after July 1, 1998, all school attendance officers employed pursuant to this section shall be employees of the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education shall employ all persons employed as school attendance officers by district attorneys before July 1, 1998, and shall assign them to school attendance responsibilities in the school district in which they were employed before July 1, 1998. The first twelve (12) months of employment for each school attendance officer shall be the probationary period of state service.

(2)(a) The State Department of Education shall obtain current criminal records background checks and current child abuse registry checks on all persons applying for the position of school attendance officer after July 2, 2002. The criminal records information and registry checks must be kept on file for any new hires. In order to determine an applicant's suitability for employment as a school attendance officer, the applicant must be fingerprinted. If no disqualifying record is identified at the state level, the Department of Public Safety shall forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a national criminal history record check. The applicant shall pay the fee, not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00), for the fingerprinting and criminal records background check; however, the State Department of Education, in its discretion, may pay the fee for the fingerprinting and criminal records background check on behalf of any applicant. Under no circumstances may a member of the State Board of Education, employee of the State Department of Education or any person other than the subject of the criminal records background check disseminate information received through any such checks except insofar as required to fulfill the purposes of this subsection.

(b) If the fingerprinting or criminal records check discloses a felony conviction, guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere to a felony of possession or sale of drugs, murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, rape, sexual battery, sex offense listed in Section 45-33-23(h) , child abuse, arson, grand larceny, burglary, gratification of lust or aggravated assault which has not been reversed on appeal or for which a pardon has not been granted, the applicant is not eligible to be employed as a school attendance officer. Any employment of an applicant pending the results of the fingerprinting and criminal records check is voidable if the new hire receives a disqualifying criminal records check. However, the State Board of Education, in its discretion, may allow an applicant aggrieved by an employment decision under this subsection to appear before the board, or before a hearing officer designated for that purpose, to show mitigating circumstances that may exist and allow the new hire to be employed as a school attendance officer. The State Board of Education may grant waivers for mitigating circumstances, which may include, but are not necessarily limited to: (i) age at which the crime was committed; (ii) circumstances surrounding the crime; (iii) length of time since the conviction and criminal history since the conviction; (iv) work history; (v) current employment and character references; and (vi) other evidence demonstrating the ability of the person to perform the responsibilities of a school attendance officer competently and that the person does not pose a threat to the health or safety of children.

(c) A member of the State Board of Education or employee of the State Department of Education may not be held liable in any employment discrimination suit in which an allegation of discrimination is made regarding an employment decision authorized under this section.

(3) Each school attendance officer shall possess a college degree with a major in a behavioral science or a related field or shall have no less than three (3) years combined actual experience as a school teacher, school administrator, law enforcement officer possessing such degree, and/or social worker; however, these requirements shall not apply to persons employed as school attendance officers before January 1, 1987. School attendance officers also shall satisfy any additional requirements that may be established by the State Personnel Board for the position of school attendance officer.

(4) It shall be the duty of each school attendance officer to:

(a) Cooperate with any public agency to locate and identify all compulsory-school-age children who are not attending school;

(b) Cooperate with all courts of competent jurisdiction;

(c) Investigate all cases of nonattendance and unlawful absences by compulsory-school-age children not enrolled in a nonpublic school;

(d) Provide appropriate counseling to encourage all school-age children to attend school until they have completed high school;

(e) Attempt to secure the provision of social or welfare services that may be required to enable any child to attend school;

(f) Contact the home or place of residence of a compulsory-school-age child and any other place in which the officer is likely to find any compulsory-school-age child when the child is absent from school during school hours without a valid written excuse from school officials, and when the child is found, the officer shall notify the parents and school officials as to where the child was physically located;

(g) Contact promptly the home of each compulsory-school-age child in the school district within the officer's jurisdiction who is not enrolled in school or is not in attendance at public school and is without a valid written excuse from school officials; if no valid reason is found for the nonenrollment or absence from the school, the school attendance officer shall give written notice to the parent, guardian or custodian of the requirement for the child's enrollment or attendance;

(h) Collect and maintain information concerning absenteeism, dropouts and other attendance-related problems, as may be required by law or the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement; and

(i) Perform all other duties relating to compulsory school attendance established by the State Department of Education or district school attendance supervisor, or both.

(5) While engaged in the performance of his duties, each school attendance officer shall carry on his person a badge identifying him as a school attendance officer under the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement of the State Department of Education and an identification card designed by the State Superintendent of Public Education and issued by the school attendance officer supervisor. Neither the badge nor the identification card shall bear the name of any elected public official.

(6) The State Personnel Board shall develop a salary scale for school attendance officers as part of the variable compensation plan. The various pay ranges of the salary scale shall be based upon factors including, but not limited to, education, professional certification and licensure, and number of years of experience. School attendance officers shall be paid in accordance with this salary scale. The minimum salaries under the scale shall be no less than the following:

(a) For school attendance officers holding a bachelor's degree or any other attendance officer who does not hold such a degree, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

24,528.29

5--8 years

26,485.29

9--12 years

28,050.89

13--16 years

29,616.49

Over 17 years

31,182.09

(b) For school attendance officers holding a license as a social worker, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

25,558.29

5--8 years

27,927.29

9--12 years

29,822.49

13--16 years

31,717.69

17--20 years

33,612.89

Over 21 years

35,415.39

(c) For school attendance officers holding a master's degree in a behavioral science or a related field, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

26,382.29

5--8 years

29,008.79

9--12 years

31,109.99

13--16 years

33,211.19

17--20 years

35,312.39

Over 21 years

37,413.59

(7)(a) Each school attendance officer employed by a district attorney on June 30, 1998, who became an employee of the State Department of Education on July 1, 1998, shall be awarded credit for personal leave and major medical leave for his continuous service as a school attendance officer under the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. The credit for personal leave shall be in an amount equal to one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the maximum personal leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Section 25-3-93 during his employment with the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. The credit for major medical leave shall be in an amount equal to one-half ( 1 / 2 ) of the maximum major medical leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Section 25-3-95 during his employment with the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. However, if a district attorney who employed a school attendance officer on June 30, 1998, certifies, in writing, to the State Department of Education that the school attendance officer had accumulated, pursuant to a personal leave policy or major medical leave policy lawfully adopted by the district attorney, a number of days of unused personal leave or major medical leave, or both, which is greater than the number of days to which the school attendance officer is entitled under this paragraph, the State Department of Education shall authorize the school attendance officer to retain the actual unused personal leave or major medical leave, or both, certified by the district attorney, subject to the maximum amount of personal leave and major medical leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Sections 25-3-93 and 25-3-95 .

(b) For the purpose of determining the accrual rate for personal leave under Section 25-3-93 and major medical leave under Section 25-3-95 , the State Department of Education shall give consideration to all continuous service rendered by a school attendance officer before July 1, 1998, in addition to the service rendered by the school attendance officer as an employee of the department.

(c) In order for a school attendance officer to be awarded credit for personal leave and major medical leave or to retain the actual unused personal leave and major medical leave accumulated by him before July 1, 1998, the district attorney who employed the school attendance officer must certify, in writing, to the State Department of Education the hire date of the school attendance officer. For each school attendance officer employed by the youth or family court or a state agency before being designated an employee of the district attorney who has not had a break in continuous service, the hire date shall be the date that the school attendance officer was hired by the youth or family court or state agency. The department shall prescribe the date by which the certification must be received by the department and shall provide written notice to all district attorneys of the certification requirement and the date by which the certification must be received.

(8)(a) School attendance officers shall maintain regular office hours on a year-round basis; however, during the school term, on those days that teachers in all of the school districts served by a school attendance officer are not required to report to work, the school attendance officer also shall not be required to report to work. (For purposes of this subsection, a school district's school term is that period of time identified as the school term in contracts entered into by the district with licensed personnel.) A school attendance officer shall be required to report to work on any day recognized as an official state holiday if teachers in any school district served by that school attendance officer are required to report to work on that day, regardless of the school attendance officer's status as an employee of the State Department of Education, and compensatory leave may not be awarded to the school attendance officer for working during that day. However, a school attendance officer may be allowed by the school attendance officer's supervisor to use earned leave on such days.

(b) The State Department of Education annually shall designate a period of six (6) consecutive weeks in the summer between school years during which school attendance officers shall not be required to report to work. A school attendance officer who elects to work at any time during that period may not be awarded compensatory leave for such work and may not opt to be absent from work at any time other than during the six (6) weeks designated by the department unless the school attendance officer uses personal leave or major medical leave accrued under Section 25-3-93 or 25-3-95 for such absence.

(9) The State Department of Education shall provide all continuing education and training courses that school attendance officers are required to complete under state law or rules and regulations of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-97 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 101-97
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-97
Status: in_force

All bonds sold under the provisions of Sections 37-101-91 through 37-101-103 shall be sold by the state bond commission. The state shall not pledge its full faith and credit to the payment of said bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-121 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 155-121
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-121
Status: in_force

Nothing in this article or in any savings trust agreement entered into pursuant to this article shall be construed as a promise or guarantee by the state or any agency or instrumentality of the state that either qualified higher education expenses in general or any specific qualified higher education expense shall be covered in full by contributions or earnings on any savings trust account. Savings trust accounts and agreements entered into pursuant to this article are not guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 113-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-1
Status: in_force

The name of the state institution of higher learning designated heretofore as Mississippi A & M College, and subsequently as Mississippi State College, is hereby changed to Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and wherever the term Mississippi A & M College or Mississippi State College appears in the laws of the State of Mississippi, the same shall be construed to refer to the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 173-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-7
Status: in_force

(1) A student is not eligible for a Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship while he or she is:

(a) Enrolled in a school operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice commitment programs;

(b) Participating in a homeschool education program;

(c) Participating in a virtual school, correspondence school, or distance learning program that receives state funding under the student's participation unless the participation is limited to no more than two (2) courses per school year;

(d) Not having regular and direct contact with his or her private school teachers at the school's physical location.

(2)(a) For purposes of continuity of educational choice, a Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship shall remain in force until the student returns to a public school or completes Grade 12, whichever occurs first.

(b) Upon reasonable notice to the department and the school district, the student's parent or legal guardian may remove the student from the nonpublic school and place the student in a public school in accordance with this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-31
Status: in_force

(1)(a) When five (5) or more children under twenty-one (21) years of age who, because of significant developmental disabilities, complex communication needs, significant language or learning deficits or any combination of either, are unable to have their educational needs met appropriately in a regular or special education public school program within their local public school districts, a state-supported university or college shall be authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to provide a program of education, instruction and training to such children, provided that such program shall operate under rules, regulations, policies and standards adopted by the State Department of Education, as provided for in Section 37-23-33 . The opinion of a parent or guardian in regard to the provision of an appropriate special education program in or by their respective local public school district shall be considered before a placement decision is finalized. Parents of students enrolled in a local education agency (LEA) shall have any and all rights as provided in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including, but not limited to, the right to equal participation in their child's Individualized Education Program (IEP), the right to require review of their child's IEP, and the right to appeal an IEP Committee decision immediately. The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall have the right to audio record the proceedings of individualized education program team meetings. The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall notify the members of the individualized education program team of his, her, or its intent to audio record a meeting at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting.

(b) Instructors, including speech-language pathologists, educational audiologists and special and early childhood educators are qualified and empowered to serve as the lead teacher for children enrolled within the state-supported university's or college's university-based program (UBP) through the IDEA-Part C and IDEA-Part B eligibility and placement process upon completing instructional licensure requirements for the purposes of funding MAEP special education teacher units.

(c) Due to the significance of the needs of the children served through the UBP, general education setting requirements may not be applicable as the least restrictive environment. Students enrolled in a UBP by a LEA shall meet all state educational requirements, including participation in statewide assessments. Justification for placement decisions is determined in conjunction with the LEA through each child's IEP for ages three (3) to twenty-one (21). The UBP shall submit to the local education agency and the parents of the student in the program a progress report each semester on all IEP goals and objectives. The UBP and local education agency shall confer annually to develop the IEP for each student enrolled in the UBP.

(2) Any state-supported university or college conducting a full-time medical teaching program acceptable to the State Board of Education may, at its discretion, enter into such contracts or agreements with any private school or nonprofit corporation-supported institution, the Mississippi School for the Deaf, or any state-supported institution, providing the special education contemplated by this section for such services, provided the private school or institution offering such services shall have conducted a program of such services at standards acceptable to the State Department of Education for a period of at least one (1) year prior to the date at which the university or college proposes to enter into an agreement or contract for special educational services as described above.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-104 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 57-104
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-104
Status: in_force

(1) Each school board shall submit to the levying authority for the school district a certified copy of an order adopted by the school board requesting an ad valorem tax effort in dollars for the support of the school district. The copy of the order shall be submitted by the school board when the copies of the school district's budget are filed with the levying authority pursuant to Section 37-61-9 . Upon receipt of the school board's order requesting the ad valorem tax effort in dollars, the levying authority shall determine the millage rate necessary to generate funds equal to the dollar amount requested by the school board. For the purpose of calculating this millage rate, any additional amount that is levied pursuant to Section 37-57-105(1) to cover anticipated delinquencies and costs of collection or any amount that may be levied for the payment of the principal and interest on school bonds or notes shall be excluded from the limitation of fifty-five (55) mills provided for in subsection (2) of this section.

(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided under paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection, if the millage rate necessary to generate funds equal to the dollar amount requested by the school board is greater than fifty-five (55) mills, and if this millage rate is higher than the millage then being levied pursuant to the school board's order requesting the ad valorem tax effort for the currently existing fiscal year, then the levying authority shall call a referendum on the question of exceeding, during the next fiscal year, the then existing millage rate being levied for school district purposes. The referendum shall be scheduled for not more than six (6) weeks after the date on which the levying authority receives the school board's order requesting the ad valorem tax effort.

When a referendum has been called, notice of the referendum shall be published at least five (5) days per week, unless the only newspaper published in the school district is published less than five (5) days per week, for at least three (3) consecutive weeks, in at least one (1) newspaper published in the school district. The notice shall be no less than one-fourth ( 1 / 4 ) page in size, and the type used shall be no smaller than eighteen (18) point and surrounded by a one-fourth-inch solid black border. The notice may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. The first publication of the notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date fixed for the referendum, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days before that date. If no newspaper is published in the school district, then the notice shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation in the school district. The referendum shall be held, as far as is practicable, in the same manner as other referendums and elections are held in the county or municipality. At the referendum, all registered, qualified electors of the school district may vote. The ballots used at the referendum shall have printed thereon a brief statement of the amount and purpose of the increased tax levy and the words “FOR INCREASING THE MILLAGE LEVIED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT PURPOSES FROM (MILLAGE RATE CURRENTLY LEVIED) MILLS TO (MILLAGE RATE REQUIRED UNDER SCHOOL BOARD'S ORDER) MILLS,” and “AGAINST INCREASING THE MILLAGE LEVIED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT PURPOSES FROM (MILLAGE RATE CURRENTLY LEVIED) MILLS TO (MILLAGE RATE REQUIRED UNDER SCHOOL BOARD'S ORDER) MILLS.” The voter shall vote by placing a cross (X) or checkmark (✓) opposite his choice on the proposition.

If a majority of the registered, qualified electors of the school district who vote in the referendum vote in favor of the question, then the ad valorem tax effort in dollars requested by the school board shall be approved. However, if a majority of the registered, qualified electors who vote in the referendum vote against the question, the millage rate levied by the levying authority shall not exceed the millage then being levied pursuant to the school board's order requesting the ad valorem tax effort for the then currently existing fiscal year.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require any school district that is levying more than fifty-five (55) mills pursuant to Sections 37-57-1 and 37-57-105 to decrease its millage rate to fifty-five (55) mills or less. Further, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require a referendum in a school district where the requested ad valorem tax effort in dollars requires a millage rate of greater than fifty-five (55) mills but the requested dollar amount does not require any increase in the then existing millage rate. Further, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require a referendum in a school district where, because of a decrease in the assessed valuation of the district, a millage rate of greater than fifty-five (55) mills is necessary to generate funds equal to the dollar amount generated by the ad valorem tax effort for the currently existing fiscal year.

(b) However, if a levying authority is levying in excess of fifty-five (55) mills on July 1, 1997, the levying authority may levy an additional amount not exceeding three (3) mills in the aggregate for the period beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 2003, subject to the limitation on increased receipts from ad valorem taxes prescribed in Sections 37-57-105 and 37-57-107 .

(c) If the levying authority for any school district lawfully has decreased the millage levied for school district purposes, but subsequently determines that there is a need to increase the millage rate due to a disaster in which the Governor has declared a disaster emergency or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster, then the levying authority may increase the millage levied for school district purposes up to an amount that does not exceed the millage rate in any one (1) of the immediately preceding ten (10) fiscal years without any referendum that otherwise would be required under this subsection.

(3) If the millage rate necessary to generate funds equal to the dollar amount requested by the school board is equal to fifty-five (55) mills or less, but the dollar amount requested by the school board exceeds the next preceding fiscal year's ad valorem tax effort in dollars by more than four percent (4%), but not more than seven percent (7%) (as provided for under subsection (4) of this section), then the school board shall publish notice thereof at least five (5) days per week, unless the only newspaper published in the school district is published less than five (5) days per week, for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the school district. The notice shall be no less than one-fourth ( 1 / 4 ) page in size, and the type used shall be no smaller than eighteen (18) point and surrounded by a one-fourth-inch solid black border. The notice may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. The first publication shall be made not less than fifteen (15) days before the final adoption of the budget by the school board. If no newspaper is published in the school district, then the notice shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation in the school district. If at any time before the adoption of the budget a petition signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the registered, qualified electors of the school district is filed with the school board requesting that a referendum be called on the question of exceeding the next preceding fiscal year's ad valorem tax effort in dollars by more than four percent (4%), then the school board shall adopt, not later than the next regular meeting, a resolution calling a referendum to be held within the school district upon the question. The referendum shall be called and held, and notice thereof shall be given, in the same manner provided for in subsection (2) of this section. The ballot shall contain the language “FOR THE SCHOOL TAX INCREASE OVER FOUR PERCENT (4%)” and “AGAINST THE SCHOOL TAX INCREASE OVER FOUR PERCENT (4%).” If a majority of the registered, qualified electors of the school district who vote in the referendum vote in favor of the question, then the increase requested by the school board shall be approved. For the purposes of this subsection, the revenue sources excluded from the increase limitation under Section 37-57-107 also shall be excluded from the limitation described in this subsection in the same manner as they are excluded under Section 37-57-107 . Provided, however, that any increases requested by the school board as a result of the required local contribution to the total funding formula as required by Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , as certified to the local school district by the State Board of Education under Section 37-151-211 , shall not be subject to the four percent (4%) and/or seven percent (7%) tax increase limitations provided in this section.

(4) If the millage rate necessary to generate funds equal to the dollar amount requested by the school board is equal to fifty-five (55) mills or less, but the dollar amount requested by the school board exceeds the seven percent (7%) increase limitation provided for in Section 37-57-107 , the school board may exceed the seven percent (7%) increase limitation only after the school board has determined the need for additional revenues and three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the registered, qualified electors voting in a referendum called by the levying authority have voted in favor of the increase. The notice and manner of holding the referendum shall be as prescribed in subsection (2) of this section for a referendum on the question of increasing the millage rate in school districts levying more than fifty-five (55) mills for school district purposes.

(5) The aggregate receipts from ad valorem taxes levied for school district purposes pursuant to Sections 37-57-1 and 37-57-105 , excluding collection fees, additional revenue from the ad valorem tax on any newly constructed properties or any existing properties added to the tax rolls or any properties previously exempt which were not assessed in the next preceding year, and amounts received by school districts from the School Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund pursuant to Section 37-61-35 , shall be subject to the increase limitation under this section and Section 37-57-107 .

(6) The school board shall pay to the levying authority all costs that are incurred by the levying authority in the calling and holding of any election under this section.

(7) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to affect in any manner the authority of school boards to levy millage for the following purposes:

(a) The issuance of bonds, notes and certificates of indebtedness, as authorized in Sections 37-59-1 through 37-59-45 and Sections 37-59-101 through 37-59-115 ;

(b) The lease of property for school purposes, as authorized under the Emergency School Leasing Authority Act of 1986 ( Sections 37-7-351 through 37-7-359 );

(c) The lease or lease-purchase of school buildings, as authorized under Section 37-7-301 ;

(d) The issuance of promissory notes in the event of a shortfall of ad valorem taxes and/or revenue from local sources, as authorized under Section 27-39-333 ; and

(e) The construction of school buildings outside the school district, as authorized under Section 37-7-401 .

Any millage levied for the purposes specified in this subsection shall be excluded from the millage limitations established under this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 113-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-41
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized to establish a fund to be known as the J. C. Hardy Memorial Fund.

The fund herein authorized shall be raised and supplemented by donations, gifts, legacies, and otherwise. Under the supervision of said board of trustees, said fund or the proceeds therefrom shall be used to assist sons of low-income Mississippi citizens to meet their educational expenses at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 47-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-47
Status: in_force

All state school bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be sold by the said state bond commission upon sealed competitive bids or proposals after advertisement therefor and publication of the notice of such sale in the manner provided by law.

The proceeds of the sale of all state school bonds shall be placed in the “state public school building fund” and shall be expended only for the purposes authorized by this chapter. However, the premium, if any, received for any such bonds and the accrued interest paid thereon, if any, shall be placed in the sinking fund established for the payment of said bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-113 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 29-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-113
Status: in_force

For the purpose of refunding any bonds issued under the provisions of Section 37-29-109 , including refunding bonds, any board of trustees may make and issue refunding bonds in such amount as may be necessary to pay off and redeem the bonds to be refunded together with unpaid and past due interest thereon and any premium which may be due under the terms of such outstanding bonds, together also with the cost of issuing such refunding bonds. Said board may sell the same in like manner as provided for the initial issuance of bonds. With the proceeds of any such refunding bonds such board shall pay off, redeem and cancel such old bonds and interest coupons as may have matured, or such bonds as may have been called for payment and redemption together with the past due interest and premium, if any, due thereon; such bonds may be issued and delivered in exchange for a like par value amount of bonds to refund which the refunding bonds were issued. No refunding bonds issued hereunder shall be payable in more than twenty-five (25) years from the date thereof, nor shall any such refunding bonds bear interest at a rate in excess of that allowed in Section 75-17-101, Mississippi Code of 1972 , payable semiannually. All such refunding bonds shall be payable from the same source or sources as were pledged to the payment of the bonds refunded thereby and, in the discretion of such board of trustees, may be payable from any other source or sources which may be pledged to the payment of revenue bonds issued hereunder. Bonds of two (2) or more outstanding issues of the same board may be refunded in a single issue of refunding bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 155-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-25
Status: in_force

The state shall agree to meet the obligations of the board to beneficiaries if monies in the fund fail to offset the obligations of the board. If there is not enough money in the fund to pay the tuition and required fees of the institution of higher education in which a beneficiary enrolls as provided by the prepaid tuition contract, the Legislature shall appropriate to the fund the amount necessary for the board to pay the applicable amount of tuition and required fees of the institution.

In the event that the board determines the program to be financially infeasible, the board may discontinue the program. Any qualified beneficiary who has been accepted by and is enrolled or is within five (5) years of enrollment in an institution of higher learning or any in-state or out-of-state regionally accredited private four- or two-year college or an out-of-state regionally accredited, state-supported, nonprofit four- or two-year college or university shall be entitled to exercise the complete benefits for which he has contracted. All other contract holders shall receive a refund, pursuant to Section 37-155-9, of the amount paid in and an additional amount in the nature of interest at a rate that corresponds, at a minimum, to the prevailing interest rates for savings accounts provided by banks and savings and loan associations.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 153-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-7
Status: in_force

(1) There is created the Mississippi Office of Workforce Development and the Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board, which shall serve as the advisory board for the office. The Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board shall be composed of thirty-one (31) voting members, of which a majority shall be representatives of business and industry in accordance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or any successive acts.

(2) The members of the State Workforce Investment Board shall include:

(a) The Governor, or his designee;

(b) Nineteen (19) members, appointed by the Governor, of whom:

(i) A majority shall be representatives of businesses in the state, who:

1. Are owners of businesses, chief executives or operating officers of businesses, or other business executives or employers with optimum policymaking or hiring authority, and who, in addition, may be members of a local board described in Section 3122(b)(2)(A)(i) of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. At least two (2) of the members appointed under this item 1. shall be small business owners, chief executives or operating officers of businesses with less than fifty (50) employees;

2. Represent businesses, including small businesses, or organizations representing businesses, which provide employment opportunities that, at a minimum, include high-quality, work-relevant training and development in high-demand industry sectors or occupations in the state; and

3. Are appointed from among individuals nominated by state business organizations and business trade associations;

(ii) Not less than twenty percent (20%) shall consist of representatives of the workforce within the state, which:

1. Includes labor organization representatives who have been nominated by state labor federations;

2. Includes a labor organization member or training director from an apprenticeship program in the state, which shall be a joint labor-management apprenticeship program if such a program exists in the state;

3. May include representatives of community-based organizations, including organizations serving veterans or providing or supporting competitive, integrated employment for individuals with disabilities, who have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing employment, training or education needs of individuals with barriers to employment; and

4. May include representatives of organizations, including organizations serving out-of-school youth, who have demonstrated experience or expertise in addressing the employment, training or education needs of eligible youth;

(iii) The balance shall include government representatives, including the lead state officials with primary responsibility for core programs, and chief elected officials (collectively representing both cities and counties, where appropriate);

(c) Two (2) representatives of businesses in the state appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(d) Two (2) representatives of businesses in the state appointed by the Governor from a list of three (3) recommendations from the Speaker of the House; and

(e) The following state officials or their designees:

(i) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security;

(ii) The Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(iii) The State Superintendent of Public Education;

(iv) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority;

(v) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board;

(vi) The President of the Community College Association; and

(vii) The Commissioner of Higher Education.

(f) One (1) senator, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and one (1) representative, appointed by the Speaker of the House, shall serve on the state board in a nonvoting capacity.

(g) The Governor may appoint additional members if required by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or any successive acts.

(h) Members of the board shall serve a term of four (4) years, and shall not serve more than three (3) consecutive terms.

(i) The membership of the board shall reflect the diversity of the State of Mississippi.

(j) The Governor shall designate the Chairman of the Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board from among the business and industry voting members of the board, and a quorum of the board shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the board.

(k) The voting members of the board who are not state employees shall be entitled to reimbursement of their reasonable expenses in the manner and amount specified in Section 25-3-41 and shall be entitled to receive per diem compensation as authorized in Section 25-3-69 .

(3) Members of the state board may be recalled by their appointing authority for cause, including a felony conviction, fraudulent or dishonest acts or gross abuse of discretion, failure to meet board member qualifications, or chronic failure to attend board meetings.

(4) The Mississippi Department of Employment Security shall establish limits on administrative costs for each portion of Mississippi's workforce development system consistent with the federal Workforce Investment Act or any future federal workforce legislation.

(5) The Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board shall have the following duties, which are intended to be consistent with the scope of duties provided in the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, amendments and successor legislation to this act, and other relevant federal law:

(a) Through the office, develop and submit to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House a strategic plan for an integrated state workforce development system that aligns resources and structures the system to more effectively and efficiently meet the demands of Mississippi's employers and job seekers. This plan will comply with the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, as amended, the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and amendments and successor legislation to these acts;

(b) Assist the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House in the development and continuous improvement of the statewide workforce investment system that shall include:

(i) Development of linkages in order to assure coordination and nonduplication among programs and activities; and

(ii) Review local workforce development plans that reflect the use of funds from the federal Workforce Investment Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act and the amendment or successor legislation to the acts, and the Mississippi Comprehensive Workforce Training and Education Consolidation Act;

(c) Recommend to the office the designation of local workforce investment areas as required in Section 116 of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. There shall be four (4) workforce investment areas that are generally aligned with the planning and development district structure in Mississippi. Planning and development districts will serve as the fiscal agents to manage Workforce Investment Act funds, oversee and support the local workforce investment boards aligned with the area and the local programs and activities as delivered by the one-stop employment and training system. The planning and development districts will perform this function through the provisions of the county cooperative service districts created under Sections 19-3-101 through 19-3-115 ; however, planning and development districts currently performing this function under the Interlocal Cooperation Act of 1974, Sections 17-13-1 through 17-13-17 , may continue to do so;

(d) Assist the Governor in the development of an allocation formula for the distribution of funds for adult employment and training activities and youth activities to local workforce investment areas;

(e) Recommend comprehensive, results-oriented measures that shall be applied to all of Mississippi's workforce development system programs;

(f) Assist the Governor in the establishment and management of a one-stop employment and training system conforming to the requirements of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, as amended, recommending policy for implementing the Governor's approved plan for employment and training activities and services within the state. In developing this one-stop career operating system, the Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board, in conjunction with local workforce investment boards, shall:

(i) Design broad guidelines for the delivery of workforce development programs;

(ii) Identify all existing delivery agencies and other resources;

(iii) Define appropriate roles of the various agencies to include an analysis of service providers' strengths and weaknesses;

(iv) Determine the best way to utilize the various agencies to deliver services to recipients; and

(v) Develop a financial plan to support the delivery system that shall, at a minimum, include an accountability system;

(g) To provide authority, in accordance with any executive order of the Governor, for developing the necessary collaboration among state agencies at the highest level for accomplishing the purposes of this article;

(h) To monitor the effectiveness of the workforce development centers and WIN job centers;

(i) To advise the Governor, public schools, community and junior colleges and institutions of higher learning on effective school-to-work transition policies and programs that link students moving from high school to higher education and students moving between community colleges and four-year institutions in pursuit of academic and technical skills training;

(j) To work with industry to identify barriers that inhibit the delivery of quality workforce education and the responsiveness of educational institutions to the needs of industry;

(k) To provide periodic assessments on effectiveness and results of the overall Mississippi comprehensive workforce development system and district councils;

(l) Develop broad statewide development goals, including a goal to raise the state's labor force participation rate;

(m) Perform a comprehensive review of Mississippi's workforce development efforts, including the amount spent and effectiveness of programs supported by state or federal money; and

(n) To assist the Governor in carrying out any other responsibility required by the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, as amended and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, successor legislation and amendments.

(6) The Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board shall coordinate all training programs and funds within its purview, consistent with the federal Workforce Investment Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, amendments and successor legislation to these acts, and other relevant federal law.

Each state agency director responsible for workforce training activities shall advise the Mississippi Office of Workforce Development and the State Workforce Investment Board of appropriate federal and state requirements. Each state agency, department and institution shall report any monies received for workforce training activities or career and technical education and a detailed itemization of how those monies were spent to the state board. The board shall compile the data and provide a report of the monies and expenditures to the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee, the Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee and the Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee by October 1 of each year. Each such state agency director shall remain responsible for the actions of his agency; however, each state agency and director shall work cooperatively to fulfill the state's goals.

(7) The State Workforce Investment Board shall establish an executive committee, which shall consist of the following State Workforce Investment Board members:

(a) The Chair of the State Workforce Investment Board;

(b) Two (2) business representatives currently serving on the state board selected by the Governor;

(c) The two (2) business representatives currently serving on the state board appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(d) The two (2) business representatives currently serving on the state board appointed by the Governor from a list of three (3) recommendations from the Speaker of the House;

(e) The two (2) legislators, who shall serve in a nonvoting capacity, one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the Mississippi Senate and one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the membership of the Mississippi House of Representatives.

(8) The executive committee shall select an executive director of the Office of Workforce Development, with the advice and consent of a majority of the State Workforce Investment Board. The executive committee shall seek input from economic development organizations across the state when selecting the executive director. The executive director shall:

(a) Be a person with extensive experience in development of economic, human and physical resources, and promotion of industrial and commercial development. The executive director shall have a bachelor's degree from a state-accredited institution and no less than eight (8) years of professional experience related to workforce or economic development;

(b) Perform the functions necessary for the daily operation and administration of the office, with oversight from the executive committee and the State Workforce Investment Board, to fulfill the duties of the state board as described in Chapter 476, Laws of 2020;

(c) Hire staff needed for the performance of his or her duties under Chapter 476, Laws of 2020. The executive director, with approval from the executive committee, shall set the compensation of any hired employees from any funds made available for that purpose;

(d) Enter any part of the Mississippi Community College Board, individual community and junior colleges, or other workforce training facilities operated by the state or its subdivisions;

(e) Serve at the will and pleasure of the executive committee;

(f) Promulgate rules and regulations, subject to oversight by the executive committee, not inconsistent with this article, as may be necessary to enforce the provisions in Chapter 476, Laws of 2020; and

(g) Perform any other actions he or she, in consultation with the executive committee, deems necessary to fulfill the duties under Chapter 476, Laws of 2020.

(9) The Office of Workforce Development and Mississippi Community College Board shall collaborate in the administration and oversight of the Mississippi Workforce Enhancement Training Fund and Mississippi Works Fund, as described in Section 71-5-353 . The executive director shall maintain complete and exclusive operational control of the office's functions.

(10) The office shall file an annual and a quarterly report with the Governor, Secretary of State, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Chairman of the House Workforce Development Committee and Chairman of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee. The annual report shall be filed not later than October 1 of each year regarding all funds approved by the office to be expended on workforce training during the prior calendar year. The quarterly and annual reports shall include:

(a) Information on the performance of the Mississippi Workforce Enhancement Training Fund and the Mississippi Works Fund, in terms of adding value to the local and state economy, the contribution to future growth of the state economy, and movement toward state goals, including increasing the labor force participation rate;

(b) With respect to specific workforce training projects:

(i) The location of the training;

(ii) The amount allocated to the project;

(iii) The purpose of the project;

(iv) The specific business entity that is the beneficiary of the project;

(v) The number of employees intended to be trained and actually trained, if applicable, in the course of the project; and

(vi) The types of funds used for the project;

(c) With respect to the grants that have been awarded under the Mississippi K-12 Workforce Development Grant Program created in Section 37-153-221 :

(i) The entity that was awarded the grant;

(ii) The amount allocated to the grant;

(iii) The purpose of the grant;

(iv) How the grant has been used since it was awarded; and

(d) With respect to the office's authority to select tools and resources, including necessary online platforms and similar systems in furtherance of the mission of the office:

(i) The policies that the office has adopted or amended on the process for the selection of tools and resources, including necessary online platforms and similar systems in furtherance of the mission of the office;

(ii) The eligible entities that the office determined may provide services, such as companies, nonprofit organizations, or other similar groups;

(iii) Any tools and resources, including necessary online platforms and similar systems in furtherance of the mission of the office, that have been selected by the office; and

(iv) What entity received the benefit of the tools and resources that were selected.

(e) All information concerning a proposed project which is provided to the executive director shall be kept confidential. Except as provided in subsections (13) and (14), such confidentiality shall not limit disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 of records describing the nature, quantity, cost or other pertinent information related to the activities of, or services performed using, the Mississippi Workforce Enhancement Training Fund or the Mississippi Works Fund.

(11) In addition to other powers and duties provided in this section, the Office of Workforce Development shall also have the following powers and duties:

(a) Direct access to accounting and banking statements for all funds under its direction to ensure accurate and efficient management of funds and to improve internal control;

(b) The ability to enter into nondisclosure agreements to effectively support economic development activities and the proprietary nature of customized training for existing and new industry;

(c) To adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary or desirable for the purpose of implementing the Mississippi K-12 Workforce Development Grant Program created in Section 37-153-221 ;

(d) To receive contributions, donations, gifts, bequests of money, other forms of financial assistance and property, equipment, materials or manpower from persons, foundations, trust funds, corporations, organizations and other sources, public or private, made to the office, and may expend or use the same in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the donor, provided that no such condition is contrary to any provision of law;

(e) To contract with state agencies, governing authorities or economic and workforce development entities for shared programmatic efforts and support service or joint employment of personnel in order to further the office's purposes;

(f) To determine, subject to appropriation, the need for and, if desired, the selection of tools and resources, including necessary online platforms and similar systems in furtherance of the mission of the office, through processes established in policies adopted by the office that are deemed to be practical, feasible and in the public interest. These processes shall outline eligible entities that may provide such services, such as companies, nonprofit organizations, or other similar groups and shall ensure the office determines metrics for success, including deliverables as required by the office;

(g) To implement the career coaching program provided for in Section 37-73-3 ;

(h) To provide career coaches with access to technology to develop customized career pathways and connect students with post-secondary and employment opportunities matching their skills and interests; and

(i) To implement and oversee programs providing support to community and junior colleges for training needs that may arise when new businesses locate in Mississippi, to include providing support to existing industries that may lose employees as a result of the new business.

Through December 31, 2026, the provisions of Section 27-104-7 related to rental agreements or leasing of real property for the purpose of conducting agency business shall not apply to the office.

(12) Nothing in Chapter 476, Laws of 2020 [Senate Bill No. 2564] shall void or otherwise interrupt any contract, lease, grant or other agreement previously entered into by the State Workforce Investment Board, Mississippi Community College Board, individual community or junior colleges, or other entities.

(13) Any records of the office which contain client information from the Mississippi Development Authority or local economic development entities concerning development projects shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 for a period of two (2) years after receipt of the information by the office. Confidential client information as described in this section shall not include the information which must be disclosed by the certified applicant related to a qualified economic development project in the annual report described in Section 57-1-759 .

(14) Confidential client information in public records held by the office shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 during any period of review and negotiation on a project proposal facilitated by the Mississippi Development Authority or local economic development entities and for a period of thirty (30) days after approval, disapproval or abandonment of the proposal not to exceed one (1) year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-45 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 28-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-45
Status: in_force

(1) Charter schools are subject to the same civil rights, health and safety requirements applicable to noncharter public schools in the state, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.

(2) Charter schools are subject to the student assessment and accountability requirements applicable to noncharter public schools in the state; however, this requirement does not preclude a charter school from establishing additional student assessment measures that go beyond state requirements if the authorizer approves those measures.

(3) Although a charter school is geographically located within the boundaries of a particular school district and enrolls students who reside within the school district, the charter school may not be considered a school within that district under the purview of the school district's school board. The rules, regulations, policies and procedures established by the school board for the noncharter public schools that are in the school district in which the charter school is geographically located do not apply to the charter school unless otherwise required under the charter contract or any contract entered into between the charter school governing board and the local school board.

(4) Whenever the provisions of Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972 , relating to the elementary and secondary education of public school students establish a requirement for or grant authority to local school districts, their school boards and the schools within the respective school districts, the language “school districts,” “school boards,” “boards of trustees,” “the schools within a school district,” or any other similar phraseology does not include a charter school and the governing board of a charter school unless the statute specifically is made applicable to charter schools as well as noncharter public schools.

(5) A charter school is not subject to any rule, regulation, policy or procedure adopted by the State Board of Education or the State Department of Education unless otherwise required by the authorizer or in the charter contract.

(6) Charter schools are not exempt from the following statutes:

(a) Chapter 41, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972 , which relate to open meetings of public bodies.

(b) Chapter 61, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972 , which relate to public access to public records.

(c) Section 37-3-51 , which requires notice by the district attorney of licensed school employees who are convicted of certain sex offenses.

(d) Section 37-3-53 , which requires publication of the Mississippi Report Card by the State Board of Education.

(e) Section 37-11-18 , which requires the automatic expulsion of a student possessing a weapon or controlled substance on educational property.

(f) Section 37-11-18.1 , which requires expulsion of certain habitually disruptive students.

(g) Section 37-11-19 , which requires suspension or expulsion of a student who damages school property.

(h) Section 37-11-20 , which prohibits acts of intimidation intended to keep a student from attending school.

(i) Section 37-11-21 , which prohibits parental abuse of school staff.

(j) Section 37-11-23 , which prohibits the willful disruption of school and school meetings.

(k) Sections 37-11-29 and 37-11-31 , which relate to reporting requirements regarding unlawful or violent acts on school property.

(l) Section 37-11-67 , which prohibits bullying or harassing behavior in public schools.

(m) Section 37-13-3 , which prohibits doctrinal, sectarian or denominational teaching in public schools.

(n) Sections 37-13-5 and 37-13-6 , which require the flags of the United States and the State of Mississippi to be displayed near the school building.

(o) Section 37-13-63(1) , which prescribes the minimum number of days which public schools must be kept in session during a scholastic year.

(p) Section 37-13-91 , which is the Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law.

(q) Section 37-13-171(2) and (4) , which requires any course containing sex-related education to include instruction in abstinence-only or abstinence-plus education.

(r) Section 37-13-173 , which requires notice to parents before instruction on human sexuality is provided in public classrooms.

(s) Section 37-13-193 , which relates to civil rights and human rights education in the public schools.

(t) Sections 37-15-1 and 37-15-3 , which relate to the maintenance and transfer of permanent student records in public schools.

(u) Section 37-15-6 , which requires the State Department of Education to maintain a record of expulsions from the public schools.

(v) Section 37-15-9 , which establishes minimum age requirements for kindergarten and first grade enrollment in public schools.

(w) Section 37-15-11 , which requires a parent, legal guardian or custodian to accompany a child seeking enrollment in a public school.

(x) Sections 37-16-1 , 37-16-3 , 37-16-4 and 37-16-9 , which relate to the statewide assessment testing program.

(y) Section 37-18-1 , which establishes the Superior-Performing Schools Program and Exemplary Schools Program to recognize public schools that improve.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 175-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-11
Status: in_force

A parent or legal guardian who applies for a Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship is exercising his or her parental option to place his or her child in a nonpublic school. Each participating parent or legal guardian and student shall adhere to the following:

(a) The parent or legal guardian must select the nonpublic school and apply for the admission of his or her child;

(b) The parent or legal guardian must have requested the scholarship at least thirty (30) days before the date of the first scholarship payment;

(c) Any student participating in the Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship for Students with Speech-Language Impairments Program must remain in attendance throughout the school year unless excused by the school for illness or other good cause; and

(d) Each parent or legal guardian and each student has an obligation to the nonpublic special purpose school to comply with the nonpublic special purpose school's published policies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-323 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 101-323
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-323
Status: in_force

The proceeds of the bonds authorized in Sections 37-101-301 through 37-101-331 shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury to be known as the “Higher Education Capital Improvement Fund.” The proceeds of such bonds shall be used solely for the purposes herein provided, including the costs incident to the issuance and sale of such bonds. The costs incident to the issuance and sale of such bonds shall be disbursed by warrant upon requisition of the State Bond Commission, signed by the Governor. The expenditure of the remaining money shall be under the direction of the Office of General Services, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by the Fiscal Management Board, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Office of General Services.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-149 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-149
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-149
Status: in_force

There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the “Special Education, Special Services Fund” which shall be used to distribute any funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature to such fund. This Special Education, Special Services Fund will be used solely for the provision of direct services to individual children with disabilities. Any funds remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, but shall carryover to subsequent fiscal years. Any interest accruing on any unexpended balance in the Special Education, Special Services Fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer and shall remain in the fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 28-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Charter Schools Act of 2013.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 175-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-19
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall publicize information regarding the Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship on the department's official website.

(2) The department shall annually, by December 15, report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the department's actions with respect to implementing accountability in the scholarship program under this section, any substantiated allegations or violations of law or rule by an eligible nonpublic school under this program concerning the enrollment and attendance of students, the credentials of teachers, background screening of teachers, and teachers' fingerprinting results and the corrective action taken by the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-81 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 31-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-81
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education is hereby authorized and directed to establish Future Farmers of America camps. Such locations shall be finally determined by the board.

The board is hereby authorized and empowered to acquire land and to place thereon such buildings and equipment as may be deemed appropriate for the establishment and operation of Future Farmers of America camps. The board shall provide for the operation, maintenance and upkeep of said camps.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 11-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board, which shall have as its purpose the memorializing of that great American and Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson, through a program of education initiated by Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be governed by a board of trustees, who shall serve without compensation. The board of trustees shall be composed of three (3) members, the Mississippi State Superintendent of Public Education, the Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the President of Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The board of trustees shall be vested with the power to administer this section in its entirety and to establish the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund.

(2) From and after March 13, 1990, the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be abolished by operation of law, and any monies appropriated or donated to or deposited in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund shall be received, invested and administered by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as it deems advisable in line with sound business procedure. The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History may spend the interest derived from the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund to support the programs and activities of the Junior Historical Society of Mississippi and thereby promote the study of Mississippi history. No part of the principal of such fund shall be disbursed for any purpose, and all grants to the Junior Historical Society shall be taken from the interest derived from investments only.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-14-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 14-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-14-3
Status: in_force

(1) The State Department of Education is designated as the state agency responsible for the administration and supervision of the school nurse program as an education and wellness curriculum in the public schools of the State of Mississippi. The public school nurse program administered by the State Department of Education shall be known and may be cited as the “Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program.” It is the intent of the Legislature that all funds made available to the State Department of Education for the purpose of employing school nurses shall be administered by the State Department of Education.

(2) The State Department of Education, through the Office of Healthy Schools, shall develop standards, procedures and criteria for the public school nurse programs in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education shall assume the responsibility for promoting a statewide school nurse program designed to prepare local school districts to incorporate the school program into their local educational programs.

(3) From and after July 1, 2007, the School Nurse Intervention Program administered and funded by the State Department of Health shall be transferred to the Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education. Any administrative personnel employed by the State Department of Health for the administration of school nurses under the School Nurse Intervention Program may be considered for employment by the Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education for the purpose of coordinating the employment of school nurses in the school districts. Any administrative personnel formerly employed by the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, Inc., for the administration of school nurses in the public schools may be considered for employment by the Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education for the purpose of coordinating the employment of school nurses in the school districts. All records and unexpended balances of accounts in the School Nurse Intervention Program relating to the employment of school nurses shall be transferred to the Office of Healthy Schools in the State Department of Education in accordance with the transfer of responsibility under this chapter.

(4) The nurses in the Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program shall have the following specific responsibilities:

(a) Serve as the coordinator of the health services program and provide nursing care;

(b) Provide health education to students;

(c) Implement activities to promote health and prevent tobacco, alcohol and substance use and abuse;

(d) Identify health and safety concerns in the school environment and promote a nurturing social environment;

(e) Administer medications and help students manage their health problems;

(f) Support healthy food services programs;

(g) Promote healthy physical education, sports policies and practices;

(h) Promote dropout prevention programs; and

(i) Participate in allied health programs to introduce students to health careers.

(5) The Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education shall provide resources to all public school nurses so that those schools with school nurses will be prepared to provide health education in Mississippi schools and support the Mississippi Comprehensive Health Framework, Mississippi Physical Education Framework, Wellness Policy, coordinated approach to school health, and other resources required by the State Board of Education.

(6) In administering the Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program, the Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education shall perform the following duties:

(a) Execute any contracts, agreements or other documents with any governmental agency or any person, corporation, association, partnership or other organization or entity that are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter;

(b) Receive grants or any other contributions made to the State Board of Education to be used for specific purposes related to the goals of this chapter;

(c) Submit to the State Auditor any financial records that are necessary for the Auditor to perform an annual audit of the commission as required by law;

(d) Adopt any rules or regulations that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(e) Develop criteria to measure the effectiveness of a school nurse;

(f) Communicate to superintendents and principals how to maximize the effectiveness of a public school nurse;

(g) Develop recommended salary structure for school districts to use when hiring a school nurse;

(h) Communicate to superintendents, principals and other appropriate school officials regarding the statutes and regulations prohibiting the use of tobacco by school personnel on school property and at school events, and to monitor the effectiveness of this ban;

(i) Implement policies to reduce unnecessary paperwork by public school nurses; and

(j) Take any other actions that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-709 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-709
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-709
Status: in_force

In all such special municipal separate school districts which may be so organized, reorganized or reconstituted to embrace the entire county in which the majority of the inhabitants of the county reside outside the corporate limits of the municipality, all vacancies which may occur during the term of office shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board of trustees, such appointee to have the same qualifications as other members of the board and to reside in the same supervisors district as the former member whose death, removal or resignation caused the vacancy. Such appointment shall be made within thirty days after the vacancy occurs. The person so appointed shall serve only until the first Monday of January following the next regular general election after such appointment and, at the regular general election next preceding such first Monday in January, a person shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term at the same time and in the same manner as a trustee is elected for the full term next expiring, and such person shall take office on said first Monday of January.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-67 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 33-67
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-67
Status: in_force

The right of an individual who is blind to maintenance under the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law shall not be transferable or assignable at law or in equity and shall be exempt from the claims of creditors.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-235 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 153-235
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-235
Status: in_force

(1) There is established the Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program (“the program”). The scholarship program shall be used by the Office of Workforce Development, with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security acting as the fiscal agent, for the purpose of providing funding for grants to cover the full cost of tuition, fees, books and any required uniforms for qualified applicants to attend an accredited paramedic program and to reimburse the cost of a qualified applicant's fee for the successful completion of the National Registry Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor examinations. The scholarship program shall be funded from monies appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.

(2) For the purposes of this article, a “ paramedic ” means a certified healthcare professional who specializes in providing emergency medical treatment to people who are injured or ill, typically in a setting outside of a hospital.

(3) The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the terms and conditions of grants awarded under the program. To qualify for a grant under this program, an applicant must:

(a) Be a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT);

(b) Have the necessary requisites for an accredited paramedic program;

(c) Commit to locate in the State of Mississippi for a minimum of three (3) years; and

(d) Meet any other conditions for receipt as prescribed by the Office of Workforce Development.

(4) The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the administration of the program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-207 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 151-207
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-207
Status: in_force

(1) The net enrollment of a school district or charter school for use in the funding formula must be computed and currently maintained by the State Board of Education in accordance with the following:

(a) Determination of school district net enrollment for use in the funding formula. Effective with fiscal year 2026, the State Department of Education shall determine the percentage change from the prior year of each school district's months two (2) and three (3) for the three (3) immediately preceding school years of the year for which funds are being appropriated.

(b) Determination of charter school net enrollment for use in the funding formula. Effective with fiscal year 2026, the department shall base a charter school's net enrollment on the enrollment projections for the relevant year set forth over the term of the charter contract.

(c) The net enrollment of a school district used for funding formula calculations, as determined in paragraph (a) of this subsection, must be reconciled with the school district's net enrollment using months two (2) and three (3) for the year for which total funding formula funds are being appropriated, and any necessary adjustments must be made to payments during the school district's following year of operation. Any necessary adjustment for a school district must be based on the state share of the per pupil amount in effect for the year for which actual net enrollment did not meet expectations and not any new amount appropriated for the year in which the adjustment will be made. Reconciliation of net enrollment for charter schools must be based on requirements set forth in Section 37-28-55 .

(2) The net enrollment of a school district or charter school must include any student enrolled in a dual enrollment-dual credit program as defined and provided for in Section 37-15-38 . The State Department of Education shall make payments for dual enrollment-dual credit programs to the home school district or charter school in which the student is enrolled, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education. All state funding under the formula must cease upon completion of high school graduation requirements.

(3) The State Board of Education shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the counting and reporting of student enrollment by school districts and charter schools to the department in a manner that enables the provisions of Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 to be carried out. The rules and regulations must require school districts and charter schools to submit data that includes, at a minimum, numbers for the specific student populations that are subject to weighting under Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 as well as the aggregate amount of students in enrollment when each calculation is made. For the first year of operation of a charter school, the State Board of Education shall use imputed student demographic data based on the traditional district in which the charter school is located to estimate student populations that are subject to weighting under Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 .

(4) The superintendent of each school district and the head of school of each charter school, as applicable, shall submit the data required by subsection (3) of this section with a signed affidavit attesting that the data submitted to the department is accurate to the best of the superintendent's knowledge, and any inaccuracies later discovered will be reported to the department. The State Board of Education shall be specifically authorized and empowered to withhold allocations from the total funding formula funds as provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , to any school district or charter school for improperly or inaccurately reporting the student data required by Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-265 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-265
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-265
Status: in_force

The municipalities of Mississippi and the municipal separate school districts in Mississippi are hereby authorized and empowered to issue municipal bonds or municipal separate school district bonds to aid in procuring the establishment, location, and maintenance of junior colleges which have been or may hereafter be established. Said bonds shall be issued as provided by law. The proceeds of the sale of said bonds may be used for the purchase of lands, buildings or for erecting buildings, or in any way to aid in the establishment and maintenance of junior colleges.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-101 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 155-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-101
Status: in_force

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Affordable College Savings Program.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-267 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 29-267
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-267
Status: in_force

Any municipality, county or counties, acting alone or jointly with other counties or municipalities, which have organized or shall hereafter organize a junior college under the provisions of Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273 , shall be authorized to purchase lands or buildings for such college for cash or upon the installment plan. The deferred balance shall not bear interest in excess of that allowed for tax anticipation notes in Section 75-17-105, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and any deferred balance may be secured by a vendor's lien or by promissory notes and a deed of trust to be executed by the designated representative of the trustees of the junior college district. Title to such property shall be taken in the name of the trustees of such junior college district and their successors in office.

The board of supervisors of such county or counties, or in the case of a multiple county district the county or location acting alone or with one or more of the other counties, and the mayor and board of aldermen or other governing authority of such municipalities, are hereby authorized to levy annually a sufficient ad valorem tax to pay the down payment or yearly installments provided in the deed or deed of trust, or may use the three (3) mills provided in subsection (2) of Section 37-29-141 , allowed for enlargement and improvements.

At the time of the purchase of said lands or buildings there shall be entered on the minutes of the board of supervisors of each county or board of aldermen or other governing authority of each municipality participating, an order specifying the amount to be paid for such property and providing for the annual installments, and obligating the governing authorities of such county, counties, or municipalities to levy annually a sufficient ad valorem tax to pay such installment. The funds collected by such tax levy shall be paid into the hands of the county superintendent of the county in which such junior college is located, and disbursed by him as said installments become due.

In the event there is, at the time of the purchase of said property, an indebtedness due secured by a lien on such property, then the board of trustees of such junior college district shall have the authority to assume such indebtedness and pay same as a part of the purchase price of said property.

The junior college district shall have the privilege of prepaying all or a portion of the deferred balance at any time without penalty, and for this purpose may use any appropriate available funds.

Unneeded land or buildings or facilities located on property so acquired may be leased, or the buildings may be sold and removed.

By the authority given in this section for the home county of a junior college district to purchase land for junior college purposes, such indebtedness incurred or funds expended cannot become a binding obligation on other counties in the junior college district unless the boards of supervisors of such counties expressly consent thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 113-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-21
Status: in_force

(1) Agriculture is the primary industry of Mississippi and it is to the interest of said state agriculture that research in the fields of livestock products, pastures and forage crops, poultry, herd and flock management, horticulture, farm mechanization, soil conservation, forestry, disease and insect and parasite control, the testing of plants and livestock under different conditions, farm enterprises for different sized farms under different soil and climatic conditions and market locations, and other important phases of Mississippi's agricultural economy, be expanded in the manner provided for in this section.

(2) There is hereby authorized a branch experiment station to be known as the Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station, which is to be located on a part of that tract of land owned by the State of Mississippi and formerly operated as the Oakley Penitentiary and known as the Oakley Youth Development Center, same to be selected in accordance with Laws, 1954, Chapter 159, Section 3, and used as an agricultural experiment station. This property is to be supplied with necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities; and title to such Oakley Penitentiary Farm, now known as the Oakley Youth Development Center, is to be transferred to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the use of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station as the site of, and to be used for said Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station in accordance with Laws, 1954, Chapter 159, Section 3.

There is hereby authorized a branch experiment station to be known as the Coastal Plain Branch Experiment Station to be located on a suitable tract of approximately nine hundred (900) acres to be purchased in the upper coastal plain or short leaf pine area of east central Mississippi and to be supplied with necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities.

The enlargement of the Holly Springs Branch Experiment Station, hereafter to be known as the North Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, is hereby authorized, by the purchase of approximately five hundred (500) acres of additional land adjacent to or in the vicinity of either of the two (2) farms now operated by said branch stations, and by the provision of the necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities, and the sale as, hereinafter provided, of that farm of said branch station which is not adjacent to the additional land to be purchased.

There is hereby authorized the reactivation of the former McNeil Branch Experiment Station to be operated as a part of the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station at Poplarville, and to be supplied with necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities.

There is hereby authorized a branch experiment station to be known as the Black Belt Branch Experiment Station to be located on a suitable tract of approximately six hundred forty (640) acres of land to be purchased in Noxubee County, Mississippi, and to be supplied with the necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities.

There is hereby authorized a branch experiment station to be known as the Northeast Mississippi Branch Experiment Station to be located on a suitable tract of approximately two hundred (200) acres of land to be purchased in Lee County, Mississippi. Said station shall be primarily devoted to the development of the dairy industry and shall be supplied with necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities.

There is hereby authorized the expansion of the office and laboratory building at the Delta Branch Experiment Station at Stoneville and of the office and laboratory and dwellings for station workers at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station at Crystal Springs.

(3) The governing authorities of any municipality, town, or county in the state may, in their discretion, donate land, money or other property to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in furtherance of the purposes of this section.

For the purpose of securing funds to carry out this subsection, the governing authorities of such municipality, town, or county are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to issue bonds or negotiate notes for the purpose of acquiring by purchase, gift, or lease real estate for the purpose herein authorized. Such issuance of bonds or notes shall be issued in an amount not to exceed the limitation now or hereafter imposed by law on counties, municipalities and towns, and shall be issued in all respects including interest rate, maturities and other details as is now or may hereafter be provided by general law regulating the issuance of bonds or notes by the governing authorities of such municipality, town, or county.

(4) Any person, firm or corporation may contribute or donate real or other property to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in furtherance of the purpose of this section.

(5) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning is hereby authorized, upon recommendation of the Director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, which recommendation is approved by and transmitted to said board by the president of said university, to carry out the provisions of this section with particular reference to the establishment, reactivation, expansion, and the discontinuance of branch stations as herein provided, to receive and accept title to any land or property or money herein authorized, to buy or sell and dispose of any real or personal property herein authorized, to make available for carrying into effect the provisions of this section all money received from such sale or sales, and to do any and all things necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section. One-half ( 1 / 2 ) interest in and to all oil, gas and other minerals shall be retained under any lands sold hereunder.

(6) A gift of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00), authorized by the general education board of the Rockefeller Foundation for the development of agricultural research, with particular reference to expanding the branch experiment stations and conditioned upon a general program of expansion substantially, as herein provided, is hereby accepted. The Director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science is authorized and instructed to control and expend such fund in the same manner as other funds appropriated to carry out the provisions of this section.

(7) The experiment station in Clay County, Mississippi, shall not be affected by this section.

(8) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning is hereby authorized, upon recommendation of the Director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science or the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences at Alcorn State University, which recommendation is approved by and transmitted to said board by the president of said university, to enter into contracts, leases and other arrangements for terms not to exceed thirty (30) years, with the option for two (2) ten-year lease extensions, with any persons or business entity for the development of a solar installation at any branch research station operated by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station or Alcorn State University College of Agriculture Extension and Research Centers.

(9) If all or any portion of the property described in subsection (8) of this section is leased, Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences or Alcorn State University, with the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, is authorized to negotiate all aspects of any lease or sublease and any terms and ancillary agreements pertaining to any lease or sublease as may be reasonably necessary to effectuate the intent and purposes of subsection (8) of this section and to ensure a fair and equitable return to the state. All proceeds derived or received from the agreements and leases entered into under subsection (8) of this section shall be deposited into a special fund to be expended only for the use and benefit of Mississippi State University or into a special fund to be expended only for the use and benefit of Alcorn State University, respectively. At the end of the lease term provided in subsection (8) of this section, the property leased under the authority provided herein shall revert to Mississippi State University or Alcorn State University, respectively. The State of Mississippi shall retain all mineral rights to the real property leased under subsection (8) of this section.

(10) The lease provided for in subsection (8) of this section shall include a provision that requires that at the expiration or termination of the lease, and/or abandonment of the project, as applicable, the lessee shall:

(a) Remove all leasehold improvements from the property; and

(b) Be obligated to pay all costs to return the property to its same or similar condition at the time of lease execution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 43-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-19
Status: in_force

The board shall have the power and is hereby authorized:

(a) To promulgate rules and regulations for the purchase, care, use, disposal, distribution and accounting for all books to be furnished under the terms of this chapter, and to promulgate such other rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.

(b) To adopt, contract for, and make available for purchase, cash or credit, basal, supplementary or alternative textbooks through twelve (12) grades as provided in the school curriculum, or for any other course that it may add thereto.

(c) To determine the period of contract for rated and adopted textbooks which shall not be for less than four (4) years nor more than five (5) years, with the right of the board, in its discretion, to renew or extend such contract from year to year for a period not exceeding two (2) additional years and to determine the conditions of the approval or forfeiture of a contract and such other terms and conditions as may be necessary and not contrary to law.

(d) To have complete power and authority over additions and amendments to textbooks, advertising for bids and the contents thereof, including auxiliary materials and workbooks, advertising on the protective covers of textbooks, bids and proposals, prices of textbooks, specimen copies, cash deposits, selection and adoption, distribution, fumigation, emergencies, selling to others, return of deposits, forfeiture of deposits, regulations governing deposits, renovation and repair of books, requisition, transportation or shipment of books, and any other acts or regulations, not contrary to law, that may be deemed necessary for furnishing and loaning free textbooks to the school children, as provided in this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-104.3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.3
Status: in_force

(1) In Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2013, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of all of those school districts in the county into one (1) new countywide municipal separate school district to be designated as Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District which shall consist of the territory of the former Oktibbeha County School District and the Starkville School District, effective on July 1, 2015. Until June 30, 2015, preceding the effective date of the required administrative consolidation of school districts in the county, the Oktibbeha County School District shall remain in conservatorship, under the authority and control of the Mississippi Recovery School District of the State Department of Education. At such time that the administrative consolidation becomes effective, the central administrative office of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District shall be located in Starkville, Mississippi.

(2)(a) On or before July 1, 2014, the State Board of Education shall serve the local school board of the Starkville School District with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section.

(b) In the new consolidated school district there shall be a countywide municipal separate school district board of trustees, which shall consist of the existing members of the Board of Trustees of the Starkville School District. However, upon the first occurrence of a vacancy on the board as a result of an expired term of an appointed board member, that vacancy shall become an elected position and shall be filled by the election of a board member as follows: the 2016 expiring term board member shall remain in office until January 1, 2017. In November 2016, an election will be held for a board member who resides outside of the incorporated municipal limits in the manner prescribed in Section 37-7-203 , and the elected board member will take office for a five-year term beginning January 1, 2017. Subsequent board members shall be selected in the manner prescribed in Section 37-7-203 . The Board of Supervisors of Oktibbeha County shall publish notice of the school board elections in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks.

(c) Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation in the county that does not voluntarily consolidate as ordered by the State Board of Education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education, to be effective immediately upon action of the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate a school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) consolidated school district by July 1 following the motion to consolidate. The affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the State Board of Education.

(3) On July 1, 2015, following the motion of the State Board of Education to consolidate school districts in Oktibbeha County, the Oktibbeha County School District shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of the school district located in such former school district shall be transferred to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District as of July 1, 2015. The Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District is authorized and directed to execute and record all documents and conveyances necessary to convey title to all real and personal property of the Oktibbeha County School District to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The conservator is further authorized and directed to sign all documents and to take all actions necessary to assign contracts and other property, contract rights and obligations of the Oktibbeha County School District to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The Board of Trustees of the Starkville School District shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for operations, teachers, principals, clerical and administrative staff personnel for the 2015-2016 school year prior to July 1, 2015, and shall consult with the conservator for the establishment of contracts for teachers, principals, clerical and administrative staff personnel located in the former Oktibbeha County School District for the 2015-2016 school year. In order to prepare for the efficient staffing of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District and the Superintendent of the Starkville School District shall have full authority to nonrenew the employment contract of any teacher, principal, clerical or administrative staff located within their respective school districts for the 2015-2016 school year. The superintendent and assistant superintendent(s) of schools of the former Starkville School District shall continue to serve in like administrative capacities of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, but in no instance shall the administrative leadership of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District exceed three (3) assistant superintendents to be appointed by the superintendent of the former Starkville School District. No superintendent serving in the former Oktibbeha County School District shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Likewise, no trustee serving in the former Oktibbeha County School District shall be eligible for election to the new Board of Trustees of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. It shall be the responsibility of the board of trustees to prepare and approve the budget of the respective new reorganized district, and the board of trustees may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any transfer of the assets, real or personal property of the Oktibbeha County School District mandated by this section shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by this section to effectuate the administrative consolidation.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the closing of any school or school facility, unless the facility is an unneeded administrative office located within a school district which has been abolished under the provisions of this section. All administrative consolidations under this section shall be accomplished so as not to delay or in any manner negatively affect the desegregation of another school district in the county pursuant to court order.

(5) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in Oktibbeha County pursuant to the requirements of this section. Beginning with the insurance cafeteria plan year of November 1, 2014, the consolidated districts shall fall under all insurance plans and policies elected by the Starkville Public School District, including the group term life insurance described in Section 25-15-9(7) .

(6) For the initial three (3) years following the administrative consolidation required by this section, the State Department of Education shall grant a waiver of accountability and state assessment requirements to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education.

(7) As soon as practicable after March 31, 2015, the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District shall initiate the issuance of notes or certificates of indebtedness of the Oktibbeha County School District for the purpose of purchasing school buses, textbooks, computers and software and other equipment and fixtures for school facilities, and for any purposes enumerated in Section 37-59-3, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and making repairs, alterations, utility upgrades and additions to two (2) elementary school buildings located in the Oktibbeha County School District in order to meet the same physical and educational standards as the elementary school buildings in Starkville, and to contribute funds to the Starkville School District for capital improvements to accommodate county school district students and increase capacity for the consolidation. The contribution of such funds to the Starkville School District is hereby authorized. Said notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued under the authority of Sections 37-59-101 through 37-59-115, Mississippi Code of 1972 , including all notice requirements, however, the resolution as to the necessity for the issuance of the notes and the execution of the documents shall be made by the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District. The term of any notes or certificates of indebtedness issued under this section may not exceed the useful life of the financed project as determined according to the upper limit of useful life and depreciation guidelines established under the United States Internal Revenue Code and regulations. The levying authority for the Oktibbeha County School District, and after July 1, 2015, the levying authority for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, shall annually levy a special tax on all taxable property of the former Oktibbeha County School District, and after July 1, 2015, on all taxable property of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on such negotiable notes or certificates of indebtedness as the same shall respectively mature and accrue. Said tax shall be levied as provided in Section 37-59-107, Mississippi Code of 1972 , except that the levy shall not exceed three (3) mills on the dollar for the payment of all notes that are subject to the levy under Section 37-59-107 . Any notes or certificates of indebtedness issued pursuant to this subsection (7) shall become indebtedness of the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District from and after July 1, 2015, and the mandatory special ad valorem tax levied to pay the notes or certificates of indebtedness by the levying authority pursuant to Section 37-59-107, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall be levied upon all of the taxable property within the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

(8) For a period beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District shall issue negotiable bonds of the Oktibbeha County School District for the purpose of purchasing school buses, textbooks, computers and software and other equipment and fixtures for school facilities, and making repairs, alterations and additions and utility upgrades, and for any purposes allowed by Section 37-59-3, Mississippi Code of 1972 , to school facilities in the Oktibbeha County School District and in the Starkville School District to accommodate students in the former Oktibbeha County School District who will be attending school in the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and the increased capacity needs under the consolidation. Said bonds shall be issued under the authority of Sections 37-59-1 through 37-59-45 , however, any resolutions as to the necessity for the issuance of any bonds and execution of the documents may be made periodically by the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District. Provided further, that the conservator shall publish each resolution of necessity and intent to issue any bonds once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the Oktibbeha County School District, with the first publication thereof to be made not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date upon which the conservator is to take final action upon the question of authorizing the issuance of said bonds. If no petition requesting an election is filed prior to the date and time of the meeting at which the conservator is to take final action on the issuance of said bonds, then the conservator shall authorize the issuance of the bonds. If at any time prior to the date and time of the meeting at which the conservator is to take final action upon the question of issuing such bonds a petition signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the Oktibbeha County School District shall be filed with the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District requesting that an election be called on the question of issuing the bonds, then the conservator shall either rescind the applicable resolution of intent or adopt a resolution calling an election to be held within the territory of the Oktibbeha County School District upon such question. The election shall be called and held, and notice thereof shall be given, in the same manner for elections upon the question of bond issues under Sections 37-59-11 , 37-59-13 , 37-59-15 and 37-59-17 , and the results thereof shall be certified by the Oktibbeha County Election Commission to the Conservator of the Oktibbeha County School District. If three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors of the Oktibbeha County School District who voted in such election vote in favor of the issuance of such bonds, then the conservator shall authorize the Oktibbeha County School District to issue such bonds. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the Oktibbeha County School District may issue bonds pursuant to this subsection (8) in an amount which, when added to all of the Oktibbeha County School District's then outstanding bonded indebtedness, shall not result in the imposition on any of the property in said district of an indebtedness for school purposes of more than twenty percent (20%) of the assessed value of the taxable property within said district, according to the then last completed assessment for taxation. Any bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (8) shall become indebtedness of the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District from and after July 1, 2015, and the mandatory special ad valorem tax to be levied by the levying authority pursuant to Section 37-59-23, Mississippi Code of 1972 , to pay the bonds shall be levied upon all taxable property within the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

(9) For a period beginning July 1, 2015, and ending July 1, 2027, the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees may periodically issue negotiable bonds in one or more series of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District for the purpose of purchasing school buses, textbooks, computers and software and other equipment and fixtures for school facilities and for any purposes enumerated in Section 37-59-3, Mississippi Code of 1972 . The term of any such bonds may not exceed the useful life of the financed project as determined according to the upper limit of useful life and depreciation guidelines established under the United States Internal Revenue Code and regulations. Said bonds shall be issued under the authority of Sections 37-59-1 through 37-59-45 , including all notice and publication requirements, however, the necessity for the issuance of the bonds shall be made pursuant to a reverse referendum procedure to be followed by the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees as follows: the board of trustees shall publish each resolution of necessity and intent to issue bonds once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, with the first publication thereof to be made not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the board of trustees is to take final action authorizing the issuance of the bonds. If no petition requesting an election is filed prior to the date and time of the meeting at which the board of trustees is to take final action on the issuance of the bonds, the board of trustees shall authorize the issuance of the bonds. If at any time prior to the date and time of the meeting at which the board of trustees is to take final action authorizing the issuance of the bonds a petition signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District shall be filed with the Board of Trustees of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District requesting that an election be called on the question of issuing the bonds, then the board of trustees shall, not later than its next regular meeting, adopt a resolution calling an election to be held within the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District upon such question. The election shall be called and held, and notice thereof shall be given, in the same manner for elections upon the question of bond issues under Sections 37-59-11 , 37-59-13 , 37-59-15 and 37-59-17 , and the results thereof shall be certified to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees, as the case may be. If three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District who voted in such election vote in favor of the issuance of such bonds, then the board of trustees shall issue such bonds. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District may issue bonds pursuant to this subsection (9) in an amount which, when added to all of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's then outstanding bonded indebtedness, shall not result in the imposition on any of the property in said district of an indebtedness for school purposes of more than twenty percent (20%) of the assessed value of the taxable property within said district, according to the then last completed assessment for taxation. Any bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (9) shall be indebtedness of the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The mandatory special ad valorem tax to be levied by the levying authority pursuant to Section 37-59-23, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall be levied on all taxable property of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

(10) Notwithstanding any law or any provision of any law to the contrary, from and after July 1, 2015, all outstanding debt of the former Oktibbeha County School District and the former Starkville School District shall be assumed by and become the debt of the new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Any debt assumed by the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District secured by a special ad valorem tax shall become secured by and payable from a mandatory, special ad valorem tax which shall be levied on all taxable property in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District by the levying authority of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. All debt secured by a pledge by either district of its education enhancement funds pursuant to Section 37-61-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, or by a pledge of its Mississippi Adequate Education Program funds will continue to be secured by and payable from the same funds after the debt is assumed by the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District as of July 1, 2015. It is the intent of the Legislature that any such pledges will remain in effect and that the pledged funds will be available to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District to pay its debt to which the funds are pledged.

(11) It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors of Oktibbeha County to provide office, furnishing and utilities for the administrative Office of the Superintendent of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

(12) The new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District is authorized and encouraged to develop a partnership with Mississippi State University to create a model rural education school to serve all sixth- and seventh-grade students from Oktibbeha County and a model prekindergarten program which shall also serve as a model for the education of teachers and administrators. The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and Mississippi State University are authorized and empowered, in each's discretion, to enter into an agreement for the purpose of designing, constructing, maintaining and operating a model rural education school to serve all sixth- and seventh-grade students from Oktibbeha County. The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and Mississippi State University are further authorized and empowered, in each's discretion, to transfer funds to the other and expend such funds on mutually agreeable terms and conditions for the construction, maintenance and operation of such school.

(13) The Board of Supervisors of Oktibbeha County shall be the “levying authority” for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-53 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 45-53
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-53
Status: in_force

The beneficiary in all appeal bonds shall be the State of Mississippi. Said bonds shall secure the payment of the cost accruing in the proceeding, including the cost of appeal and the performance of any other acts required by the chancellor in granting of supersedeas appeal from any final rule, regulation or order of the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 61-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-7
Status: in_force

If at the end of any fiscal year there should remain a balance in the school district fund of any school district which is not needed and is not to be used for paying the expenses properly payable out of such district fund for the preceding fiscal year, such balance shall be carried forward as a part of the school district fund for the next fiscal year and used and expended in the manner otherwise provided by law. Nothing in this section shall be construed as applying to balances of total funding formula funds of a school district, and balances remaining in such funds shall be governed by Section 37-61-5 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-189-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 189-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-189-1
Status: in_force

The Governor is authorized and directed to execute the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact on behalf of this state with any other state or states legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE

The purpose of this compact is to facilitate the mobility of teachers across the member states with the goal of supporting teachers through a new pathway to licensure. Through this compact, the member states seek to establish a collective regulatory framework which expedites and enhances the ability of teachers from a variety of backgrounds to move across state lines. This compact is intended to achieve the following objectives, as applied in the State of Mississippi, and shall be interpreted according to Mississippi law. The member states hereby ratify the same intentions by subscribing hereto:

A. Create a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility for teachers;

B. Support the relocation of eligible military spouses;

C. Facilitate and enhance the exchange of licensure information between the member states;

D. Enhance the power of state and district-level education officials to hire qualified, competent teachers by removing barriers to the employment of out-of-state teachers;

E. Support the retention of teachers in the profession by removing barriers to relicensure in a new state; and

F. Maintain state sovereignty in the regulation of the teaching profession.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

As used in this compact, and except as otherwise provided, the following definitions shall govern the terms herein:

A. “ Active military member ” means any person with full-time duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.

B. “ Adverse action ” means any limitation or restriction imposed by a member state's licensing authority, such as revocation, suspension, reprimand, probation or limitation on the licensee's ability to work as a teacher.

C. “ Bylaws ” means those bylaws established by the Commission.

D. “ Career and technical education license ” means a current, valid authorization issued by a member state's licensing authority allowing an individual to serve as a teacher in P-12 public educational settings in a specific career and technical education area.

E. “ Charter member states ” means a member state that has enacted legislation to adopt this compact where such legislation predates the initial meeting of the Commission after the effective date of the compact.

F. “ Commission ” means the interstate administrative body which membership consists of delegates of all states that have enacted this compact, and which is known as the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission.

G. “ Commissioner ” means the delegate of a member state.

H. “ Eligible license ” means a license to engage in the teaching profession which requires at least a bachelor's degree and the completion of a state-approved program for teacher licensure.

I. “ Eligible military spouse ” means the spouse of any individual in full-time duty status in the active Armed Forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve moving as a result of a military mission or military career progression requirements or are on their terminal move as a result of separation or retirement (to include surviving spouses of deceased military members).

J. “ Executive committee ” means a group of Commissioners elected or appointed to act on behalf of, and within the powers granted to them by, the Commission as provided for herein.

K. “ Licensing authority ” means an official, agency, board, or other entity of a state that is responsible for the licensing and regulation of teachers authorized to teach in P-12 public educational settings.

L. “ Member state ” means any state that has adopted this compact, including all agencies and officials of such a state.

M. “ Receiving state ” means any state where a teacher has applied for licensure under this compact.

N. “ Rule ” means any regulation promulgated by the Commission under this compact, which shall have the force of law in each member state. As applied in the State of Mississippi, such rules shall only be binding and have the force of law if consistent with Mississippi law.

O. “ State ” means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, and the District of Columbia.

P. “ State practice laws ” means a member state's laws, rules, and regulations that govern the teaching profession, define the scope of such profession, and create the methods and grounds for imposing discipline.

Q. “ State specific requirements ” means a requirement for licensure covered in coursework or examination that includes content of unique interest to the state.

R. “ Teacher ” means an individual who currently holds an authorization from a member state that forms the basis for employment in the P-12 public schools of the state to provide instruction in a specific subject area, grade level or student population.

S. “ Unencumbered license ” means a current, valid authorization issued by a member state's licensing authority allowing an individual to serve as a teacher in P-12 public educational settings. An unencumbered license is not a restricted, probationary, provisional, substitute or temporary credential.

ARTICLE III

LICENSURE UNDER THE COMPACT

A. Licensure under this compact pertains only to the initial grant of a license by the receiving state. Nothing herein applies to any subsequent or ongoing compliance requirements that a receiving state might require for teachers.

B. Each member state shall, in accordance with rules of the commission, define, compile and update, as necessary, a list of eligible licenses and career and technical education licenses that the member state is willing to consider for equivalency under this compact and provide the list to the commission. The list shall include those licenses that a receiving state is willing to grant teachers from other member states, pending a determination of equivalency by the receiving state's licensing authority.

C. Upon the receipt of an application for licensure by a teacher holding an unencumbered license, the receiving state shall determine which of the receiving state's eligible licenses the teacher is qualified to hold and shall grant such a license or licenses to the applicant. Such a determination shall be made in the sole discretion of the receiving state's licensing authority and may include a determination that the applicant is not eligible for any of the receiving state's licenses. For all teachers who hold an unencumbered license, the receiving state shall grant one or more unencumbered licenses that, in the receiving state's sole discretion, are equivalent to the license held by the teacher in any other member state.

D. For active duty military members and eligible military spouses who hold a license that is not unencumbered, the receiving state shall grant an equivalent license or licenses that, in the receiving state's sole discretion, is equivalent to the license or licenses held by the teacher in any other member state, except where the receiving state does not have an equivalent license.

E. For a teacher holding an unencumbered career and technical education license, the receiving state shall grant an unencumbered license equivalent to the career and technical education license held by the applying teacher and issued by another member state, as determined by the receiving state in its sole discretion, except where a career and technical education teacher does not hold a bachelor's degree and the receiving state requires a bachelor's degree for licenses to teach career and technical education. A receiving state may require career and technical education teachers to meet state industry recognized requirements, if required by law in the receiving state.

ARTICLE IV

LICENSURE NOT UNDER THE COMPACT

A. Except as provided in Article III, nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit or inhibit the power of a member state to regulate licensure or endorsements overseen by the member state's licensing authority.

B. When a teacher is required to renew a license received pursuant to this compact, the state granting such a license may require the teacher to complete state-specific requirements as a condition of licensure renewal or advancement in that state.

C. For purposes of determining compensation, a receiving state may require additional information from teachers receiving a license under the provisions of this compact.

D. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit the power of a member state to control and maintain ownership of its information pertaining to teachers or limit the application of a member state's laws or regulations governing the ownership, use or dissemination of information pertaining to teachers.

E. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to invalidate or alter any existing agreement or other cooperative arrangement which a member state may already be a party to or limit the ability of a member state to participate in any future agreement or other cooperative arrangement to:

1. Award teaching licenses or other benefits based on additional professional credentials, including, but not limited to, National Board Certification;

2. Participate in the exchange of names of teachers whose license has been subject to an adverse action by a member state; or

3. Participate in any agreement or cooperative arrangement with a nonmember state.

ARTICLE V

TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

FOR LICENSURE UNDER THE COMPACT

A. Except as provided for active military members or eligible military spouses under Article III D, a teacher may only be eligible to receive a license under this compact where that teacher holds an unencumbered license in a member state.

B. A teacher eligible to receive a license under this compact shall, unless otherwise provided herein:

1. As the compact is applied in Mississippi, upon their application to receive a license under this compact and receipt of an employment offer by a school district, undergo a criminal background check in the receiving state in accordance with the laws and regulations of the receiving state; and

2. Provide the receiving state with information in addition to the information required for licensure for the purposes of determining compensation, if applicable.

ARTICLE VI

DISCIPLINE AND ADVERSE ACTIONS

A. Nothing in this compact shall be deemed or construed to limit the authority of a member state to investigate or impose disciplinary measures on teachers according to the state practice laws thereof.

B. Member states shall be authorized to receive, and shall provide, files and information regarding the investigation and discipline, if any, of teachers in other member states upon request. Any member state receiving such information or files shall protect and maintain the security and confidentiality thereof, in at least the same manner that it maintains its own investigatory or disciplinary files and information. Prior to disclosing any disciplinary or investigatory information received from another member state, the disclosing state shall communicate its intention and purpose for such disclosure to the member state which originally provided that information.

ARTICLE VII

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTERSTATE TEACHER MOBILITY

COMPACT COMMISSION

A. The interstate compact member states hereby create and establish a joint public agency known as the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission:

1. The Commission is a joint interstate governmental agency comprised of states that have enacted the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact; and

2. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to be a waiver of sovereign immunity.

B. Membership, Voting, and Meetings

1. Each member state shall have and be limited to one (1) delegate to the Commission, who shall be given the title of Commissioner.

2. The Commissioner shall be the primary administrative officer of the state licensing authority or their designee.

3. Any Commissioner may be removed or suspended from office as provided by the law of the state from which the Commissioner is appointed.

4. The member state shall fill any vacancy occurring in the Commission within ninety (90) days.

5. Each Commissioner shall be entitled to one (1) vote about the promulgation of rules and creation of bylaws and shall otherwise have an opportunity to participate in the business and affairs of the Commission. A Commissioner shall vote in person or by such other means as provided in the bylaws. The bylaws may provide for Commissioners' participation in meetings by telephone or other means of communication.

6. The Commission shall meet at least once during each calendar year. Additional meetings shall be held as set forth in the bylaws.

7. The Commission shall establish, by rule, a term of office for Commissioners.

C. The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Establish a Code of Ethics for the Commission;

2. Establish the fiscal year of the Commission;

3. Establish bylaws for the Commission;

4. Maintain its financial records in accordance with the bylaws of the Commission;

5. Meet and take such actions as are consistent with the provisions of this interstate compact, the bylaws and rules of the Commission;

6. Promulgate uniform rules to implement and administer this interstate compact. The rules shall have the force and effect of law and shall be binding in all member states, except that in Mississippi, the rules shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law. In the event the Commission exercises its rulemaking authority in a manner that is beyond the scope of the purposes of the compact, or the powers granted hereunder, then such an action by the Commission shall be invalid and have no force and effect of law;

7. Bring and prosecute legal proceedings or actions in the name of the Commission, provided that the standing of any member state licensing authority to sue or be sued under applicable law shall not be affected;

8. Purchase and maintain insurance and bonds;

9. Borrow, accept or contract for services of personnel, including, but not limited to, employees of a member state, or an associated nongovernmental organization that is open to membership by all states;

10. Hire employees, elect or appoint officers, fix compensation, define duties, grant such individuals appropriate authority to carry out the purposes of the compact, and establish the Commission's personnel policies and programs relating to conflicts of interest, qualifications of personnel, and other related personnel matters;

11. Lease, purchase, accept appropriate gifts or donations of, or otherwise own, hold, improve, or use, any property, real, personal or mixed, provided that at all times the Commission shall avoid any appearance of impropriety;

12. Sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, abandon or otherwise dispose of any property real, personal or mixed;

13. Establish a budget and make expenditures;

14. Borrow money;

15. Appoint committees, including standing committees composed of members and such other interested persons as may be designated in this interstate compact, rules or bylaws;

16. Provide and receive information from, and cooperate with, law enforcement agencies;

17. Establish and elect an Executive Committee;

18. Establish and develop a charter for an Executive Information Governance Committee to advise on facilitating exchange of information, use of information, data privacy and technical support needs, and provide reports as needed;

19. Perform such other functions as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this interstate compact consistent with the state regulation of teacher licensure; and

20. Determine whether a state's adopted language is materially different from the model compact language such that the state would not qualify for participation in the compact.

D. The Executive Committee of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission

1. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Commission according to the terms of this interstate compact;

2. The Executive Committee shall be composed of eight (8) voting members:

a. The Commission chair, vice chair and treasurer; and

b. Five (5) members who are elected by the Commission from the current membership:

i. Four (4) voting members representing geographic regions in accordance with commission rules; and

ii. One (1) at-large voting member in accordance with commission rules;

3. The Commission may add or remove members of the Executive Committee as provided in commission rules;

4. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once annually;

5. The Executive Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

a. Recommend to the entire Commission changes to the rules or bylaws, changes to the compact legislation, fees paid by interstate compact member states such as annual dues, and any compact fee charged by the member states on behalf of the Commission. As applied in Mississippi, implementation of any recommendation or rules or bylaws related to annual dues shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature;

b. Ensure Commission administration services are appropriately provided, contractual or otherwise;

c. Prepare and recommend the budget;

d. Maintain financial records on behalf of the Commission;

e. Monitor compliance of member states and provide reports to the Commission; and

f. Perform other duties as provided in rules or bylaws.

6. Meetings of the Commission

a. All meetings shall be open to the public, and public notice of meetings shall be given in accordance with Commission bylaws;

b. The Commission or the Executive Committee or other committees of the Commission may convene in a closed, nonpublic meeting if the Commission or Executive Committee or other committees of the Commission must discuss:

i. Noncompliance of a member state with its obligations under the compact;

ii. The employment, compensation, discipline or other matters, practices or procedures related to specific employees or other matters related to the Commission's internal personnel practices and procedures;

iii. Current, threatened, or reasonably anticipated litigation;

iv. Negotiation of contracts for the purchase, lease or sale of goods, services or real estate;

v. Accusing any person of a crime or formally censuring any person;

vi. Disclosure of trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential;

vii. Disclosure of information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

viii. Disclosure of investigative records compiled for law enforcement purposes;

ix. Disclosure of information related to any investigative reports prepared by or on behalf of or for use of the Commission or other committee charged with responsibility of investigation or determination of compliance issues pursuant to the compact;

x. Matters specifically exempted from disclosure by federal or member state statute; and

xi. Others matters as set forth by Commission bylaws and rules;

c. If a meeting, or portion of a meeting, is closed pursuant to this provision, the Commission's legal counsel or designee shall certify that the meeting may be closed and shall reference each relevant exempting provision; and

d. The Commission shall keep minutes of Commission meetings and shall provide a full and accurate summary of actions taken, and the reasons therefore, including a description of the views expressed. All documents considered in connection with an action shall be identified in such minutes. All minutes and documents of a closed meeting shall remain under seal, subject to release by a majority vote of the Commission or order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

7. Financing of the Commission

a. The Commission shall pay, or provide for the payment of, the reasonable expenses of its establishment, organization and ongoing activities;

b. The Commission may accept all appropriate donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials and services, and receive, utilize and dispose of the same, provided that at all times the Commission shall avoid any appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest;

c. The Commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each member state or impose fees on other parties to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the Commission, in accordance with the commission rules, but the requirement to pay the assessment in Mississippi, shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature;

d. The Commission shall not incur obligations of any kind prior to securing the funds adequate to meet the same; nor shall the Commission pledge the credit of any of the member states, except by and with the authority of the member state; and

e. The Commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the Commission shall be subject to accounting procedures established under Commission bylaws. All receipts and disbursements of funds of the Commission shall be reviewed annually in accordance with Commission bylaws, and a report of the review shall be included in and become part of the annual report of the Commission.

8. Qualified Immunity, Defense and Indemnification

a. The members, officers, executive director, employees and representatives of the Commission shall be immune from suit and liability, either personally or in their official capacity, for any claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability caused by or arising out of any actual or alleged act, error or omission that occurred, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties or responsibilities; provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to protect any such person from suit or liability for any damage, loss, injury or liability caused by the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person.

b. The Commission shall defend any member, officer, executive director, employee or representative of the Commission in any civil action seeking to impose liability arising out of any actual or alleged act, error or omission that occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties or responsibilities, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit that person from retaining his or her own counsel; and provided further, that the actual or alleged act, error or omission did not result from that person's intentional or willful or wanton misconduct.

c. The Commission shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer, executive director, employee or representative of the Commission for the amount of any settlement or judgment obtained against that person arising out of any actual or alleged act, error or omission that occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties or responsibilities, or that such person had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties or responsibilities, provided that the actual or alleged act, error or omission did not result from the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person.

ARTICLE VIII

RULEMAKING

A. The Commission shall exercise its rulemaking powers pursuant to the criteria set forth in this interstate compact and the rules adopted thereunder. Rules and amendments shall become binding as of the date specified in each rule or amendment, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the rules shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law.

B. The Commission shall promulgate reasonable rules to achieve the intent and purpose of this interstate compact. In the event the Commission exercises its rulemaking authority in a manner that is beyond purpose and intent of this interstate compact, or the powers granted hereunder, then such an action by the Commission shall be invalid and have no force and effect of law in the member states.

C. If a majority of the legislatures of the member states rejects a rule, by enactment of a statute or resolution in the same manner used to adopt the compact within four (4) years of the date of adoption of the rule, then such rule shall have no further force and effect in any member state.

D. Rules or amendments to the rules shall be adopted or ratified at a regular or special meeting of the Commission in accordance with commission rules and bylaws.

E. Upon determination that an emergency exists, the Commission may consider and adopt an emergency rule with forty-eight (48) hours' notice, with opportunity to comment, provided that the usual rulemaking procedures shall be retroactively applied to the rule as soon as reasonably possible, in no event later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of the rule. For the purposes of this provision, an emergency rule is one that must be adopted immediately in order to:

1. Meet an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare;

2. Prevent a loss of Commission or member state funds;

3. Meet a deadline for the promulgation of an administrative rule that is established by federal law or rule; or

4. Protect public health and safety.

F. As applied in the State of Mississippi, if a rule or amendment promulgated by the Commission conflicts with Mississippi law, Mississippi law shall control and the rule or amendment promulgated by the Commission shall have no effect.

ARTICLE IX

FACILITATING INFORMATION EXCHANGE

A. The Commission shall provide for facilitating the exchange of information to administer and implement the provisions of this compact in accordance with the rules of the Commission, consistent with generally accepted data protection principles and federal and state law.

B. Nothing in this compact shall be deemed or construed to alter, limit or inhibit the power of a member state to control and maintain ownership of its licensee information or alter, limit or inhibit the laws or regulations governing licensee information in the member state.

ARTICLE X

OVERSIGHT, DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND ENFORCEMENT

A. Oversight

1. The executive and judicial branches of state government in each member state shall enforce this compact and take all actions necessary and appropriate to effectuate the compact's purposes and intent, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the compact shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law. The provisions of this compact shall have standing as statutory law, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the compact shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law.

2. Venue is proper and judicial proceedings by or against the Commission shall be brought solely and exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction where the principal office of the Commission is located. The Commission may waive venue and jurisdictional defenses to the extent it adopts or consents to participate in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Nothing herein shall affect or limit the selection or propriety of venue in any action against a licensee for professional malpractice, misconduct or any such similar matter.

3. All courts and all administrative agencies shall take judicial notice of the compact, the rules of the Commission, and any information provided to a member state pursuant thereto in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding in a member state pertaining to the subject matter of this compact, or which may affect the powers, responsibilities or actions of the Commission.

4. The Commission shall be entitled to receive service of process in any proceeding regarding the enforcement or interpretation of the compact and shall have standing to intervene in such a proceeding for all purposes. Failure to provide the Commission service of process shall render a judgment or order void as to the Commission, this compact or promulgated rules.

B. Default, Technical Assistance and Termination

1. If the Commission determines that a member state has defaulted in the performance of its obligations or responsibilities under this compact or the promulgated rules, the Commission shall:

a. Provide written notice to the defaulting state and other member states of the nature of the default, the proposed means of curing the default or any other action to be taken by the Commission; and

b. Provide remedial training and specific technical assistance regarding the default.

2. If a state in default fails to cure the default, the defaulting state may be terminated from the compact upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the Commissioners of the member states, and all rights, privileges and benefits conferred on that state by this compact may be terminated on the effective date of termination.

3. Termination of membership in the compact shall be imposed only after all other means of securing compliance have been exhausted. Notice of intent to suspend or terminate shall be given by the Commission to the Governor, the majority and minority leaders of the defaulting state's Legislature, the state licensing authority and each of the member states.

4. A state that has been terminated is responsible for all assessments, obligations and liabilities incurred through the effective date of termination.

5. The Commission shall not bear any costs related to a state that is found to be in default or that has been terminated from the compact, unless agreed upon in writing between the Commission and the defaulting state.

6. The defaulting state may appeal the action of the Commission by petitioning the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the federal district where the Commission has its principal offices.

C. Dispute Resolution

1. Upon request by a member state, the Commission shall attempt to resolve disputes related to the compact that arise among member states and between member and nonmember states.

2. The Commission shall promulgate a rule providing for nonbinding alternative dispute resolution for disputes as appropriate.

D. Enforcement

1. The Commission, in the reasonable exercise of its discretion, shall enforce the provisions and rules of this compact.

2. By majority vote, the Commission may initiate legal action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce compliance with the provisions of the compact and its promulgated rules and bylaws. The relief sought may include injunctive relief.

ARTICLE XI

EFFECTUATION, WITHDRAWAL, AND AMENDMENT

A. The compact shall come into effect on the date on which the compact statute is enacted into law in the tenth member state.

1. On or after the effective date of the compact, the Commission shall convene and review the enactment of each of the charter member states to determine if the statute enacted by each such charter member state is materially different from the model compact statute.

2. A charter member state whose enactment is found to be materially different from the model compact statute shall be entitled to the default process set forth in Article X.

3. Member states enacting the compact subsequent to the charter member states shall be subject to the process set forth in Article VII.C.20 to determine if their enactments are materially different from the model compact statute and whether they qualify for participation in the compact.

B. If any member state is later found to be in default, or is terminated or withdraws from the compact, the Commission shall remain in existence and the compact shall remain in effect even if the number of member states should be less than ten (10).

C. Any state that joins the compact after the Commission's initial adoption of the rules and bylaws shall be subject to the rules and bylaws as they exist on the date on which the compact becomes law in that state, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the compact shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law. Any rule that has been previously adopted by the Commission shall have the full force and effect of law on the day the compact becomes law in that state, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the compact shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law, as the rules and bylaws may be amended as provided in this compact.

D. Any member state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the same. A member state's withdrawal shall not take effect until six (6) months after enactment of the repealing statute.

E. This compact may be amended by the member states. No amendment to this compact shall become effective and binding upon any other member state until it is enacted into the laws of all member states.

ARTICLE XII

CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY

The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any member state or a state seeking membership in the compact, contrary to Mississippi law, or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any other government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any member state, or as applicable in the State of Mississippi, with Mississippi law, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining member states and in full force and effect as to the member state affected as to all severable matters.

ARTICLE XIII

CONSISTENT EFFECT AND CONFLICT WITH OTHER STATE LAWS

A. Nothing herein shall prevent or inhibit the enforcement of Mississippi law that is not inconsistent with the compact.

B. Any laws, statutes, regulations or other legal requirements in a member state in conflict with the compact are superseded to the extent of the conflict, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the compact shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law.

C. All permissible agreements between the Commission and the member states are binding in accordance with their terms, provided that as applied in the State of Mississippi, the agreements shall only be binding if consistent with Mississippi law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 21-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-1
Status: in_force

It shall be the policy of this state that any person acting in the capacity of teacher, assistant teacher or teacher's aide shall possess certain educational qualifications in order to perform any of the functions, duties or powers of the same in early childhood education programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-50.3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 115-50.3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-50.3
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to all powers granted in Section 37-115-50.1 , subject to any required approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively) shall be empowered under this section:

(a) To acquire hospitals, health care facilities and other health care-related operations and assets, through direct purchase, merger, consolidation, lease or other means;

(b) To form, establish, fund and operate nonprofit corporations, nonprofit limited liability companies, state-sponsored entities or other similar organizations, either directly or through a nonprofit corporation formed by the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively), which are jointly owned with other public or private hospitals, for-profit or nonprofit corporations, or other health care-related organizations, for the purpose of conducting activities within or outside of the service area the academic medical center or its health care collaboratives for the benefit of the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives including, but not limited to, joint hospital acquisitions, group purchasing, clinically integrated networks, payor contracting, and joint requests for federal and state grants and funding;

(c) To make capital contributions, loans, debt or equity financing to or for any joint venture or similar arrangement in which the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively), or any nonprofit corporation formed or owned by the academic medical center or one of its health care collaboratives, has or acquires an ownership interest, and to guarantee loans and any other obligations for such purposes;

(d) To have an ownership interest in, make capital contributions to, and assume financial risk under, accountable care organizations or similar organizations;

(e) To enter into any contract for a term of any length, regardless of whether the length or term of the contract exceeds the term of the board of trustees of a health care collaborative;

(f) To create, establish, acquire, operate or support subsidiaries and affiliates, either for-profit or nonprofit, to assist the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively) in fulfilling its purposes;

(g) To create, establish or support nonaffiliated for-profit or nonprofit corporations or other lawful business organizations that operate and have as their purposes the furtherance of the purposes of the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively);

(h) Without limiting the generality of any provisions of this section, to accomplish and facilitate the creation, establishment, acquisition, operation or support of any such subsidiary, affiliate, nonaffiliated corporation or other lawful business organization, by means of loans of funds, acquisition or transfer of assets, leases of real or personal property, gifts and grants of funds or guarantees of indebtedness of such subsidiaries, affiliates and nonaffiliated corporations; and

(i) Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (where applicable), to exercise all powers granted under this section in such a manner as the academic medical center and its health care collaboratives (acting individually or collectively) may determine to be consistent with the purposes of Sections 37-115-50 through 37-115-50.3 , including the state action immunity provided by Section 37-115-50.2 from state and federal antitrust laws to the fullest extent possible, notwithstanding that as a consequence of such exercise of such powers it engages in activities that may be deemed “ anticompetitive ” or which displace competition within the meaning or contemplation of the antitrust laws of this state or of the United States.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 43-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51
Status: in_force

The management of all public, private, parochial or denominational schools wherein the board is furnishing to the students thereof free school textbooks and said free school textbooks are used by the students in said school, shall file annually with the State Board of Education any and all reports as may be required by the board.

Any person who shall refuse, neglect or fail to file any report required by the board shall be denied a new allocation of funds until such reports have been completed and filed with the board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-117 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 29-117
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-117
Status: in_force

The holder of any bond or any interest coupon issued under the provisions of Sections 37-29-107 through 37-29-115 may, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceedings at law or in equity, enforce and compel performance by the appropriate official or officials of the said boards of trustees of any or all acts and duties to be performed by such boards or such officials under the provisions of said sections and under the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bond or interest coupon. If there be any default in the payment of the interest on and principal of any of such bonds, any court having jurisdiction in the proper action may, upon petition of the holder of any such bonds, appoint a receiver to administer and operate the facilities, the revenues of which were pledged to the payment of such bonds, with power to fix and collect fees, rentals and other charges sufficient to provide for the payment of all bonds outstanding, to the payment of which the revenues of such facilities were pledged and to pay the expenses of operating and maintaining such facilities and to apply the revenues thereof in conformity with the provisions of said sections and of the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-505 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 29-505
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-505
Status: in_force

The control and operation of the Meridian Junior College District shall be vested in a board of trustees appointed by the city council of the City of Meridian. The board of trustees of the Meridian Junior College District shall consist of five (5) members. When the initial appointments are made, the first appointee shall serve for a term of one (1) year, the second appointee for a term of two (2) years, the third appointee for a term of three (3) years, the fourth appointee for a term of four (4) years and the fifth appointee for a term of five (5) years; thereafter all appointments shall be for a term of five (5) years. Trustees of the Meridian Junior College District shall be appointed by a majority vote of the full membership of the city council of the City of Meridian at the first meeting of the council held in the month of February of each year, and the term of office of each trustee so appointed shall commence on the first Saturday of March following, except that the existing trustees of the Meridian Municipal Separate School District as of April 30, 1980, shall constitute the initial board of trustees of the Meridian Junior College District. As the terms of these individual trustees expire, trustees for the Meridian Junior College District shall be appointed as provided herein. All vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms by appointment by majority vote of the full membership of the city council.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-2 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 43-2
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-2
Status: in_force

(1) On July 1, 1987, the State Board of Education shall assume all power, authority, duties and functions of the State Textbook Procurement Commission. All records, personnel, property and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations or other funds of the State Textbook Procurement Commission shall be transferred to the State Board of Education on July 1, 1987. All such employee transfers shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board. It is the intent of the Legislature that the number of persons employed by the state as a result of the consolidation required by this section shall be reduced where possible, but that such reduction shall result from attrition of employees and not dismissal.

(2) Each officer or agency subject to the provisions of this section is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate such rules and regulations not conflicting with this section necessary to accomplish an orderly transition. Each officer or agency subject to this section shall assist, with the fullest degree of reasonable cooperation, any other officer or agency in carrying out the intent and purpose of this section.

(3) All members serving on the Mississippi State Textbook Procurement Commission as it existed under the provisions of Section 37-43-3 prior to June 30, 1987, shall continue to serve in an advisory capacity to the State Board of Education until December 31, 1987. This advisory board shall be known as the “Mississippi State Textbook Advisory Board,” and shall assist the State Board of Education in assuming its duties under the provisions of this section and shall provide technical assistance as may be requested. The State Department of Education, from any funds appropriated thereto, shall, upon the request of the State Board of Education, timely pay all sums reasonably required for the operation of the Mississippi State Textbook Advisory Board, including per diem and actual expenses of such board, through December 31, 1987.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 117-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-9
Status: in_force

The superintendent of education of each county, after due notice published, shall examine applicants, not qualified to enter by certificate from an accredited school, upon questions prepared and submitted by the president of the Mississippi State College for Women, and, with the consent of the board of supervisors, shall give certificates of selection to the number of girls to which his county is entitled, in addition to those already in the said college, if any. County superintendents shall make their appointments of students to the said college not later than July 1 of each year.

The certificate of selection shall be attested by the clerk of the board of supervisors, under its seal, and shall entitle the holder to admission into the said college, with all the privileges thereof, to pursue all the industrial branches selected, and to enter the subclass or class for which she is fitted.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-69 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 145-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-69
Status: in_force

The bonds issued by and under the authority of Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 by the company are declared to be legal investments in which all public officers or public bodies of the state, its political subdivisions, all municipalities and municipal subdivisions, all insurance companies and associations, and other persons carrying on insurance business, all banks, bankers, banking associations, trust companies, savings associations, including savings and loan associations, building and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking business, all administrators, guardians, executors, trustees and other fiduciaries, and all other persons who are now or may later be authorized to invest in bonds or in other obligations of the state, may invest funds, including capital, in their control or belonging to them. Such bonds are also hereby made securities which may be deposited with and received by all public officers and bodies of the state or any agency or political subdivision of the state and all municipalities and public corporations for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds or other obligations of the state is now or may be later authorized by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-511 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 29-511
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-511
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of the Meridian Junior College District shall on or before the twenty-fifth day of June each year prepare and file the annual budget of the district. The budget shall contain a detailed estimate of the revenues and expenses anticipated for the ensuing year for general operation and maintenance and shall set forth reasonable requirements for anticipated needs for capital outlays for land, buildings, equipment and major repairs, a reasonable accumulation for such purposes being hereby expressly authorized. Funds derived from the levy for capital outlay shall be kept in a separate account and expended for capital outlay purposes only.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-81 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 31-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-81
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education is hereby authorized and directed to establish Future Farmers of America camps. Such locations shall be finally determined by the board.

The board is hereby authorized and empowered to acquire land and to place thereon such buildings and equipment as may be deemed appropriate for the establishment and operation of Future Farmers of America camps. The board shall provide for the operation, maintenance and upkeep of said camps.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-67 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 13-67
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-67
Status: in_force

The number of hours of actual teaching which shall constitute a school day shall be determined and fixed by the board of trustees of the school district at not less than five and one-half (5 1 / 2 ) hours.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-39 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 15-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-39
Status: in_force

(1) The purpose of this section is to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill.

(2) The following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) “ Advanced placement course ” means any high school level preparatory course for a college advanced placement test that incorporates all topics specified by recognized advanced placement authorities on standards for a given subject area and is approved by recognized advanced placement authorities.

(b) “ Pre-advanced placement course ” means a middle, junior high or high school level course that specifically prepares students to enroll and participate in an advanced placement course.

(c) “ Vertical team ” means a group of educators from different grade levels in a given discipline working cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned program aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds acquire the academic skills necessary for success in the advanced placement program and other challenging course work.

(d) “ High concentration of low-income students ” means, when used with respect to a public school or school district, a public school or school district that serves a student population with fifty percent (50%) or more being low-income individuals ages five (5) through seventeen (17) years from a low-income family on the basis of: data on children eligible for the free or reduced price lunches under the National School Lunch Act; data on children in families receiving assistance under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act; data on children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; or an alternate method of identifying such children which combines or extrapolates that data.

(3) The State Board of Education shall establish clear, specific and challenging training guidelines that require teachers of advanced placement courses and teachers of pre-advanced placement courses to obtain a recognized advanced placement authority endorsed training. A teacher of an advanced placement or pre-advanced placement course, or both, must obtain the appropriate training.

(4)(a) In order to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill, school districts shall offer pre-advanced placement courses to prepare students for advanced placement course work.

(b) Subject to appropriation, funding shall be made available for the 2007-2008 school year so that all sophomores in Mississippi's public schools may take an examination that measures the students' ability to succeed in an advanced placement course. The State Department of Education shall seek federal funding through the Advanced Placement Incentive Grant Program and other available funding for this purpose. Funding efforts must be focused with an intent to carry out advanced placement and pre-advanced placement activities in school districts targeted as serving a high concentration of low-income students.

(c) The State Department of Education shall develop rules necessary for the implementation of advanced placement courses.

(5) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, all school districts must offer at least one (1) advanced placement course in each of the four (4) core areas of math, English, science and social studies, for a total offering of no less than four (4) advanced placement courses. The use of the state's online Advanced Placement Instructional Program is an appropriate alternative for the delivery of advanced placement courses.

Any public high school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is exempt from the requirements of this subsection. However, the school may participate in teacher training and program funding on the same basis as any high school offering advanced placement courses.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 33-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-21
Status: in_force

The state board, through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, shall cooperate under agreements with the federal government in carrying out the purposes of any federal statutes pertaining to vocational rehabilitation, and may adopt such methods of administration as are found by the federal government to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of such agreements or plans for vocational rehabilitation and comply with such conditions as may be necessary to secure the full benefits of those federal statutes and appropriations, administer any legislation pursuant thereto enacted by the State of Mississippi, direct the disbursement and administer the use of all funds provided by the federal government or this state for the vocational rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities of this state and do all things necessary to insure the vocational rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 144-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-7
Status: in_force

(1) The commission shall develop and implement policies and procedures designed to recruit, identify and enroll undergraduate students who demonstrate necessary interest, commitment, aptitude and academic achievement to pursue careers as family physicians, psychiatrist, child psychiatrists or other generalist physicians in rural or medically underserved areas of Mississippi, and to develop and implement the programs designed to foster successful entry of participants into medical school, completion of medical school, enrollment into and completion of family medicine or other generalist residency, and establishment and maintenance of a career in family medicine, psychiatrist, child psychiatry or other generalist specialty in a rural or underserved area of Mississippi.

(2) The commission shall have the authority through use of generally applicable definitions to designate an area of the state as underserved or rural.

(3) The commission, in conjunction with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, shall have the authority to provide students selected for scholarship funding with faculty mentors and other programs designed to enhance the students' likelihood of admission to the medical school. The commission and the University of Mississippi Medical Center will develop coursework that will provide scholarship students with the skills necessary for sustained and successful medical practice in rural Mississippi.

(4) Each applicant for admission to the program must submit an application to the commission that conforms to requirements established by the commission.

(5) In selecting participants for the program, the board may only accept an applicant if his or her academic record and other characteristics, if given consideration by the University of Mississippi School of Medicine Admissions Committee, would be considered credible and competitive.

(6) An applicant for the program may be admitted only upon a majority vote of the members of the commission.

(7) Not less than fifteen (15) students will be admitted to the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program each year, provided that there are fifteen (15) or more qualified applicants for the program.

(8) Upon the funding of sixty-one (61) or more rural physicians scholarships by the Legislature and recognizing the importance of balancing the needs of comprehensive primary care along with a critical shortage of psychiatrists in Mississippi, the commission may grant an exception for fourth-year medical or osteopathic school (M4) students who demonstrate a desire to practice psychiatry in rural Mississippi and who use a practice model and enter the practice of medicine in a rural or underserved area in Mississippi, as defined by the commission, beginning for the M4 Class of 2020.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-111 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 115-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-111
Status: in_force

The state building commission is authorized and directed to provide suitable land presently state owned or received as a gift, and buildings to house the school of dentistry; and payment for the construction costs of such buildings shall be made from any money made available to carry out the provisions of Sections 37-115-101 through 37-115-111 . Any funds appropriated or granted from any source shall be put into a fund in the office of the state treasurer to be designated as the “School of Dentistry Fund.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 155-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-15
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created a Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program Trust Fund (hereinafter referred to as the trust fund or the fund) to be administered by the State of Mississippi Treasury Department until and unless the Legislature shall determine otherwise.

(2) The official location of the trust fund shall be the State of Mississippi Treasury Department, and the facilities of the State of Mississippi Treasury Department shall be used and employed in the administration of the fund, including, but without limitations thereto, the keeping of records, the management of bank accounts and other investments, the transfer of funds and the safekeeping of securities evidencing investments.

(3) Payments received by the board from purchasers on behalf of beneficiaries or from any other source, public or private, shall be placed in the trust fund, and the fund may be divided into separate accounts as may be determined by the board.

(4) The trust fund, through the Treasurer, is hereby specifically authorized to receive and deposit into the trust fund any gift of any nature, real or personal property, made by an individual by testamentary disposition, including, without limitation, any specific gift or bequeath made by will, trust or other disposition.

(5) The board shall obtain appropriate actuarial assistance to establish, maintain and certify a fund sufficient to meet the obligation of the trust fund, and shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated, the actuarial soundness of the trust fund. If the board perceives a need for additional assets in order to preserve actuarial soundness, it may adjust the terms of subsequent prepaid tuition contracts to ensure such soundness.

(6) The trust fund shall constitute a fund of an agency of the state, and its property and income shall be exempt from all taxation by the state and by all of its political subdivisions.

(7) In order to provide funds to enable the trust to pay all amounts that shall be due under prepaid tuition contracts, there is hereby irrevocably pledged to that purpose from the trust fund such monies as shall be necessary to pay all amounts that shall be due under prepaid tuition contracts at any time. In order to carry out the said pledge, in each fiscal year the board shall determine the amount of the future obligations of the trust fund under prepaid tuition contracts by any appropriate actuarial method. After that determination has been made, all monies on deposit in the trust fund up to and including the amount of such future obligations shall remain on deposit in the trust fund and shall be subject to the aforesaid pledge and appropriation by the Legislature.

(8) There is hereby created a separate account with the State of Mississippi Treasury Department to be known as the “Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Administrative Account” for the purposes of implementing and maintaining prepaid college tuition accounts pursuant to this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 59-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-11
Status: in_force

(1) Before any money shall be borrowed under the provisions of this chapter, the school board of the school district shall adopt a resolution declaring the necessity for borrowing such money, declaring its intention to borrow such money and to issue the negotiable bonds of the school district as evidence of same, specifying the approximate amount to be so borrowed, and how such indebtedness is to be evidenced. Such resolution shall also set forth the nature and approximate cost of the alterations, additions and repairs to be made, and shall declare in said resolution that no funds are available in the school funds of the district or from any other source with which to make such repairs, alterations, additions, purchases, erections or improvements.

(2) Whenever a resolution is adopted by the school board as provided in subsection (1), or a petition signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of a school district, fixing the maximum amount of such school bonds and the purpose or purposes for which they are to be issued, the school board shall adopt a resolution calling an election to be held within such school district for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors thereof the question of the issuance of bonds in the amount and for the purpose or purposes as set forth in such resolution or petition. The resolution calling such election shall designate the date upon which the election shall be held and the place or places within such district at which such election shall be held, which place or places may or may not be the school house or school houses in such district.

(3) Provided, however, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no election shall be required for approval of bonds issued after July 1, 1987, and prior to July 1, 1988, or within one (1) year after the final favorable termination of any litigation affecting the issuance of such bonds, and as to which the resolution of necessity and intent to issue by the school board of the school district is passed and publication thereof commenced on or before June 30, 1987, unless a petition calling for such election is filed meeting the requirements and within the time provided by this Section 37-59-11 as in effect between April 15, 1986, and June 30, 1987.