MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges

By: Representative West

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES AND STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO DEVELOP STUDENT TRANSPORTATION PLANS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF SAFETY FOR STUDENTS TRAVELING TO OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO REVIEW THE PLANS OF THE INSTITUTIONS UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION; TO PROHIBIT INSTITUTIONS FAILING TO SUBMIT A PLAN OR CORRECT A PLAN'S DEFICIENCIES FROM USING STATE-APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR TRAVELING TO AND FROM OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) In order to ensure that the students enrolled in the public community and junior colleges and state institutions of higher learning in Mississippi are afforded the highest standards of safety when traveling to and from official school-related activities and events away from campus, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall require the institutions under their jurisdiction to develop a student transportation plan. The student transportation plan must include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) A listing of the activities and events away from campus in which students from the institution generally participate, the approximate number of persons officially traveling from the campus to each activity or event and the vehicle or vehicles generally used to transport students to and from each activity or event;

(b) A description of the institution's fleet of vehicles used for transporting students to such activities and events, include the make, model and seating capacity of such vehicles;

(c) A listing of persons authorized by the institution to operate such vehicles and the qualifications of such persons; and

(d) Any other information required by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to be included in the plan.

(2) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall adopt rules and regulations establishing minimum requirements for student transportation plans and governing the submission of plans by the separate institutions to the respective board for review.

(3) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall review the student transportation plan for each institution under its jurisdiction. Upon completing a review of an institution's plan, the board shall either approve the plan or return it, along with a written statement of the board's objections and suggestions for correcting the plan's deficiencies, to the institution.

(4) Any institution failing to submit its student transportation plan for review to the respective board or failing to correct a plan that has not been approved may not use any state-appropriated funds for the expenses of traveling to and from any off-campus school-related activity or events.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.