Adopted

AMENDMENT NO 1 TO COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO 1 PROPOSED TO

House Bill No. 1696

BY: Senator(s) Hewes

     AMEND by inserting the following new section after line 580 and renumbering subsequent sections accordingly:

     SECTION *.  The State Department of Education shall not be authorized to distribute funds appropriated for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program under Section 1 or Section 2 of this act to any school district in this state unless the following condition is implemented by regulation of the State Board of Education:  No school district shall nonrenew the contract of any classroom teacher for the 2004-2005 school year due to a reduction in state funds without the prior approval of the State Board of Education.  This shall not be construed to prohibit a school district from dismissing a classroom teacher for good cause as provided in Section 37-9-59, Mississippi Code of 1972.  On or before January 1, 2005, the State Board of Education shall make a report to the Legislature on any teacher contract nonrenewals which were approved under this provision.