MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Education; Ways and Means

By: Representative Chaney

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-151-27 AND 37-151-45, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT PROCEEDS OF THE STATE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY BONDS MAY BE CREDITED TO THE TECH-PREP FUND AS WELL AS TO THE STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT MONEYS IN THE TECH-PREP FUND MAY BE ALLOCATED TO COMMUNITY/JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICTS AS WELL AS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE APPROPRIATION OF STATE GENERAL FUNDS TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF AND INTEREST ON STATE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY BONDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-151-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-27. For the purpose of providing funds to enable the State Board of Education to make allocations * * * as provided by Sections 37-151-23 and 37-151-25, the State Bond Commission is

* * * authorized and empowered to issue State Education Technology Bonds under the conditions prescribed in Sections 37-151-21 through 37-151-61. The aggregate principal amount of such bonds outstanding at any one time, after deducting the amount of the sinking fund provided for the retirement of bonds issued for such purposes, shall never exceed the sum of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00). Within such limits, however, State Education Technology Bonds may be issued from time to time under the

conditions prescribed in this article.

SECTION 2. Section 37-151-45, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-45. All State Education Technology Bonds issued under the provisions of Sections 37-151-27 through 37-151-61 shall be sold by the * * * 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 Education Technology Bonds shall be placed in the State Public School Education Technology Fund created under Section 37-151-23 or the Tech-Prep Fund created under Section 37-151-25, or both, and shall be expended only for the purposes authorized by Sections 37-151-23 through 37-151-27.

SECTION 3. Section 37-151-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-25. There is * * * created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Tech-Prep Fund." Any unexpended balance in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall carryover to the succeeding fiscal year and shall not lapse into the State General Fund. The fund shall be credited with any funds appropriated by the Legislature and from the proceeds of State Education Technology Bonds for the implementation of the Tech-Prep program in Grades 7-12 and in the public community colleges and junior colleges through approved programs, and shall be allocated to school districts or community/junior college districts, or both, by the State Board of Education for the following purposes:

(a) Equip labs for hands-on Career Discovery Course in the 7th grade, Computer Discovery Course in the 8th grade, and Technology Discovery Course in the 9th grade;

(b) Implement application based teaching methodology in existing academic courses;

(c) Develop and implement articulation, integration and sequential course study plans in Vocational and Academic courses;

(d) Administer Occupational Tests;

(e) Implement and Update Career/Educational Plans for each student;

(f) Implement Career Centers for each school; and

(g) To provide equipment upgrades to meet technology demands, staff development and teaching materials to implement application based methodology for each of the community college sites.

No community or junior college shall deny admittance into its Tech-Prep program funded under this section to any student who has graduated from high school with a qualifying grade point average, regardless of the curriculum or coursework completed by the student.

SECTION 4. Section 37-151-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-41. The bonds issued under the provisions of Sections 37-151-27 through 37-151-61 are general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment of the bonds the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. The Legislature shall appropriate funds from the Education Enhancement Fund or the State General Fund as necessary to pay the principal of and interest on such bonds, and if the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds when they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. All such bonds shall contain recitals on their faces substantially covering the provisions of this section.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.