MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education; Economic Dev, Tourism and Parks

By: Senator(s) Ferris

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1, CHAPTER 134, LAWS OF 1998, TO TRANSFER FROM THE MINIMUM EDUCATION PROGRAM FUND AN AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP AND TELEVISE A PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN TO ENHANCE THE IMAGE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS IN MISSISSIPPI, FOR FISCAL YEAR 1999; TO AMEND SECTION 2, CHAPTER 105, LAWS OF 1998, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 1, Chapter 134, Laws of 1998, is amended as follows:

Section 1. The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the State Department of Education for the support and maintenance of the common schools of Mississippi and for the Minimum Education Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999, as follows:

For the support and maintenance

of the common schools

(Common School Fund) $ 5,000,000.00

An additional sum, to be known as

the Minimum Education Program Fund,

to be disbursed by the State Department

of Education in compliance with the laws

enacted at the Extraordinary Session

of 1953, as amended $1,043,983,455.00

Total $1,048,983,455.00

Of any available State General Funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the State Department of Education may transfer an amount not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) to the Department of Economic and Community Development to develop and televise a public relations campaign to enhance the image of public education and public school teachers in Mississippi. It is the intent of the Legislature that any television spots or commercial messages authorized by this section shall be produced at the Mississippi Educational Television using their facilities, and to the extent possible, National Board Certified Teachers shall be utilized in the making of this campaign in cooperation with the various teacher organizations in the state.

SECTION 2. Section 2, Chapter 105, Laws of 1998, is amended as follows:

Section 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Economic and Community Development or the appropriate special fund for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the operation of the various divisions of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999 $ 121,968,908.00.

It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Economic and Community Development shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds, to develop and televise a public relations campaign to enhance the image of public education and public school teachers in Mississippi. It is the intent of the Legislature that any television spots or commercial messages authorized by this section shall be produced at the Mississippi Educational Television using their facilities, and to the extent possible, National Board Certified Teachers shall be utilized in the making of this campaign in cooperation with the various teacher organizations in the state.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.