House Bill 1445

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO PROVIDE A PILOT PROJECT TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION OF CERTAIN COUNTIES OR MUNICIPALITIES TO APPOINT NOT MORE THAN TWO STUDENTS AT EACH PRECINCT TO SERVE AS STUDENT INTERNS DURING ELECTIONS; TO SET CERTAIN MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUCH INTERNS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES OF SUCH INTERNS; TO REQUIRE STUDENT INTERNS TO RECEIVE CERTAIN TRAINING; TO ALLOW COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO COMPENSATE SUCH INTERNS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Secretary of State shall select ten (10) counties as a pilot project to assess the feasibility of expanding the program in this section statewide. The Secretary of State shall report his findings to the Legislature before the 2003 Regular Session.

(2) The commissioners of election of a county or municipality in counties selected by the Secretary of State under subsection (1) may, in their discretion, appoint not more than two (2) students for each precinct to serve as student interns during elections. To be appointed a student intern a student must:

(a) Be at least sixteen (16) years of age at the time of the election for which the appointment is made;

(b) Be a resident of the county or municipality for which the appointment is made;

(c) Be enrolled in a public high school, a legitimate private high school or a legitimate home instruction program and be classified as a junior or senior or its equivalent, or be enrolled in a junior college or a college or university;

(d) Have at least a B average or its equivalent and be recommended by an official of the school in which the student is enrolled or the person responsible for the student's legitimate home instruction program; and

(e) Meet any additional qualifications considered necessary by the commissioners of election of the county or municipality.

(3) The duties of the student interns appointed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section shall be determined by the commissioners of election of the county or municipality, and may include duties regularly assigned to clerks of the election; however, such duties shall not include:

(a) Determining the qualifications of a voter in case a voter is challenged;

(b) The discharge of any duties related to affidavit ballots;

(d) Any duties normally assigned to a bailiff; or

(e) The tallying of votes.

(4) Before performing any duties, student interns shall attend all required training for managers and clerks of the county or municipality and any additional training considered necessary by the commissioners of election of the county or municipality.

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.