House Bill 1050

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE "MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS VOICING OPINIONS IN TODAY'S ELECTIONS (VOTE) ACT" FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A PILOT PROGRAM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION TO STUDENTS IN GRADE 12; TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER THE PILOT PROGRAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION AND STATE POLITICAL PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES; TO PRESCRIBE CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY OF LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO RECEIVE FUNDS UNDER THE PILOT PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE REPORTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE LEGISLATURE; TO REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE NECESSARY FUNDS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Students Voicing Opinions in Today's Elections (VOTE) Act."

SECTION 2. (1) The Secretary of State, hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary," shall develop, implement and administer a pilot program in conjunction with county and municipal elections commissions, the Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Committee and the Mississippi Republican Party Executive Committee, to provide funds during 2025 fiscal year to local educational agencies for initiatives to provide information on registering to vote in elections for public office to secondary school students in the Grade 12.

(2) A local educational agency is eligible to receive funds under the pilot program if the agency submits to the Office of Secretary of State, at such time and in such form as the Secretary may require, an application containing:

(a) A description of the initiatives the local education agency intends to carry out with the funds;

(b) An estimate of the costs associated with those initiatives described in paragraph (a); and

(3) In developing the initiatives the local educational agency will carry out with funds received under the pilot program, the local educational agency shall consult with state and local election officials responsible for administering elections for public office in the county or municipality served by the local educational agency.

(d) For purposes of this act:

(i) "Local educational agency" means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within the State of Mississippi for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, school district or other political subdivision of the state; and

(ii) "Secondary school" means a nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public secondary charter school, that provides secondary education, as determined under State law, except that the term does not include any education beyond Grade 12.

SECTION 3. (1) Not later than ninety (90) days after the initial date that a local educational agency receives funds under the pilot program, each recipient local educational agency shall submit a report to the Secretary of State describing the initiatives carried out with the funds and analyzing their effectiveness.

(2) Not later than sixty (60) days after the date that the Secretary receives the final report submitted by a local educational agency under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Mississippi Legislature on the pilot program.

SECTION 4. The Legislature shall appropriate such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of Section 1 through 3 of this act.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.