MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Burton, Hall

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A MISSISSIPPI CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES TO PROVIDE TUITION-FREE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION COURSEWORK FOR SKILLED LABOR EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE'S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY; TO CREATE THE CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION FUND; TO PRESCRIBE STANDARDS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH FUNDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby established a Mississippi Construction Education Program to be administered by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to provide tuition-free training and certification coursework to skilled labor employees in Mississippi's construction industry.

(2) Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the Mississippi Construction Education Program shall be deposited into the "Construction Education Fund," a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury, and distributed by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges created in Section 37-4-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, to Mississippi public community or junior colleges, public high schools and certain construction educational trusts or foundations approved by the board in the manner hereinafter provided to offer courses for construction education and construction craft training to meet the needs of the construction industry of the State of Mississippi.

(3) The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall, on an annual basis, solicit from all the public community and junior colleges, public high schools and any construction educational trusts or foundations, applications for the use of such funds in construction education and craft training programs in a manner prescribed by the board. The board may appoint a technical advisory committee or may designate the State Board of Public Contractors created in Section 31-3-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, to advise the board on the most needed areas of construction education and craft training, continuing education or research relating to the construction education and craft training in the state, based on significant changes in the construction industry's practices, economic development or on problems costing public or private contractors substantial waste. The board shall ensure that the monies distributed from this fund are properly spent to promote construction education and craft training in programs in the state approved by the board.

(4) Each community college, junior college, public high school or construction educational trust or foundation receiving funds pursuant to this act for construction education or construction craft training programs shall utilize such funds only for construction education and craft training curricula and program development, faculty development, equipment, student scholarships, student assistantships, and for continuing education programs related to construction education and craft training. Such funds shall not be commingled with the normal operating funds of the educational institution, regardless of the source of such funds.

(5) The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall ensure the distribution of reports and the availability of construction education programs established pursuant to this act to all segments of the construction industry. The board shall cause a report to be made to the Legislature in October of each year, summarizing the allocation of funds by institution or program and summarizing the new projects funded and the status of previously funded projects.

(6) All monies deposited into the "Construction Education Fund" shall be subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature, and shall be used exclusively for construction education and craft training and any unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund of the State Treasury but shall be available for construction education and craft training in subsequent fiscal years.

(7) All expenditures from the "Construction Education Fund" shall be by requisition to the State Auditor, signed by the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, and the State Treasurer shall issue his warrants thereon.

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