MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges

By: Representative Dedeaux

AN ACT TO RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS WHICH THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES MAY AWARD TO NONRESIDENTS OF MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) Beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year, the maximum number of athletic scholarships which may be awarded by all public community and junior colleges to students who are residents of a state other than Mississippi or a territory of the United States shall be equal to the total number of athletic scholarships awarded for the preceding academic year to Mississippi residents by all public community and junior colleges in that state or territory.

(2) The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall develop a program for ascertaining the number of scholarships awarded by the public community and junior colleges in a specific state or territory during the preceding academic year in order to determine the number of scholarships available to residents of that state or territory at the public community and junior colleges in Mississippi. Before offering a scholarship to a nonresident of Mississippi, a public community or junior college must contact the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to verify that the maximum number of scholarships, if any, which may be awarded to residents of the nonresident's particular state or territory has not been achieved. A scholarship may not be offered to a nonresident by a public community or junior college absent authorization from the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. Such authorization shall be granted by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges in the order that requests are received from community and junior colleges until the maximum number of scholarships available to students from a particular state or territory has been awarded. After the maximum number of scholarships has been awarded, a public community or junior college in Mississippi may not offer an athletic scholarship to a student from that particular state or territory.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.