House Bill 1670

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-26-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT MANAGEMENT TRAINING SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR BOARD MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS AND FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE SYSTEMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41-26-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-26-101. (1) Each member elected or reelected after June 30, 2001, to serve on a governing board of any community public water system, and each elected official who has responsibility for the management of the system, shall attend a minimum of eight (8) hours of management training within two (2) years following the election of that board member. Any board member failing to complete the management training within two (2) years after his election shall be subject to removal from the board by the remaining members. If a board member has undergone training and is reelected to the board, that board member shall not be required to attend training as provided by this subsection.

(2) The management training shall be organized by the State Department of Health, in cooperation with the Mississippi Rural Water Association and other organizations. The management training shall include information on water system management and financing, rate setting and structures, operations and maintenance, applicable laws and regulations, ethics, the duties and responsibilities of a board member and other information deemed necessary by the department after consultation with the association and other organizations. The department shall develop and provide all training materials. The department may charge a fee not to exceed Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) per member to defray the actual costs of providing the materials and training. These costs shall be reimbursed to the board member as an expense of the community public water system.

(3) To avoid board members and elected officials having to interfere with their jobs or employment, management training sessions may be divided into segments and, to the greatest extent possible, shall be scheduled for evening sessions. The department shall conduct management training on a regional basis and shall use community college or other public facilities for the convenience of board members.

(4) The department may make exceptions to and grant exemptions and variances to the requirements of this section for good cause shown.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.