MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Representative Johnson

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO EMPLOY STAFF ARCHITECTS TO DEVELOP PROTOTYPE PLANS FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL OWN ALL PLANS PREPARED BY THE STAFF ARCHITECTS; TO AUTHORIZE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO USE PROTOTYPE PLANS FREE OF CHARGE; TO REQUIRE STAFF ARCHITECTS TO CONDUCT INSPECTIONS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS USING PROTOTYPE PLANS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The State Superintendent of Public Education, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education, shall employ one or more architects to develop a sufficient number of school prototype designs for new school buildings and related facilities, including, but not limited to, gymnasiums, auditoriums, lunchrooms, vocational training buildings, libraries, school barns and garages for transportation vehicles. The staff architect or architects shall be full-time employees of the State Department of Education, and the department shall have ownership of all school prototype designs, plans and related documents. Each architect employed in the department must be registered under Chapter 1, Title 73, Mississippi Code of 1972.

(2) The staff architect or architects shall develop at least five (5) prototype designs each for elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. In addition, the architect or architects shall develop a sufficient number of plans, as determined by the department, for related facilities. The various school building plans shall be designed for school districts of differing sizes.

(3) The school boards of local school districts may use the prototype plans free of charge from the department for all new facilities. However, the availability of prototype plans shall not preclude a school board from employing an architect to develop plans specific for that school district. Site adaptations and minor plan modifications to a prototype plan may be made by a staff architect working in conjunction with the local school board.

(4) A local school board utilizing a prototype plan shall contract for the construction project in the manner required by law for school district capital improvements projects. If a school district constructs a new school building or a related facility utilizing a prototype plan, a staff architect of the department shall perform the necessary site inspections throughout the construction phase of the project.

(5) The State Board of Education may promulgate any rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of this section.

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