Senate Bill 2283

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-63-3, 37-151-17, 37-151-69 AND 37-153-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TO DESIGNATE AN APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUAL TO SERVE IN HIS PLACE ON CERTAIN STATE BOARDS AND COUNCILS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-63-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-63-3. The Authority for Educational Television shall consist of the State Superintendent of Public Education, or his designee, and six (6) members appointed, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Governor shall appoint four (4) members, one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school system in the State of Mississippi and one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school system in the State of Mississippi. Beginning July 1, 1994, the appointee actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years. The member actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school shall be appointed for an initial term of four (4) years. The remaining two (2) gubernatorial appointees shall serve until July 1, 1996. Beginning July 1, 1996, the Governor shall appoint two (2) members for initial terms of three (3) and four (4) years, with the Governor specifically designating which member shall be appointed for three (3) years and which shall be appointed for four (4) years. The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall appoint one (1) member, and the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning shall appoint one (1) member. After the expiration of the initial terms, all members shall serve for terms of four (4) years. An appointment to fill a vacancy among the gubernatorial appointees, other than by expiration of a term of office, shall be made by the Governor for the balance of the unexpired term.

SECTION 2. Section 37-151-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-17. (1) There is established the Council for Education Technology which shall be an advisory group attached to the State Board of Education. The council shall develop a master plan for education technology.

(2) The council shall consist of the State Superintendent of Education, or his designee, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, the Executive Director of Mississippi Educational Television (ETV), the Executive Director of the Mississippi Library Commission, the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and the Commissioner of Higher Education, who shall serve as ex officio voting members and four (4) members appointed within thirty (30) days after July 1, 1994, as follows:

(a) One (1) member appointed by the State Board of Education;

(b) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor; and

(c) One (1) member appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority. All appointed members of the council shall have a demonstrated knowledge in an area of technology as defined in Section 37-151-15(2). All appointments to the council shall be made with the advice and consent of the Senate. A majority of the membership present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for the official conduct of business.

(3) Members shall be appointed for four-year terms and may be reappointed. Members may be reimbursed for mileage and actual and necessary expenses in accordance with state law, and members who are not state officers or employees shall receive per diem as authorized in Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972.

(4) Immediately upon receiving notice of the appointment of all members, the State Superintendent of Education shall call an organizational meeting. At this meeting the State Superintendent of Education shall preside as temporary chairman, and the council shall elect from among the members a chairman and any other officers it deems necessary, and define the duties of the officers.

(5) Meetings shall be held at least four (4) times per year, or upon call of the chairman, at a time and place designated by the chairman. The State Department of Education shall provide staff support for the council.

(6) The duties and responsibilities of the council shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Developing a long-range master plan for the efficient and equitable use of technology at all levels from primary school through higher education, including vocational and adult education. The plan shall focus on the technology requirements of classroom instruction, literacy laboratories, student record management, financial and administrative management, distance learning and communications as they relate to the state's performance goals for students. The plan shall be presented to the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services for approval;

(b) Creating, overseeing and monitoring a well-planned and efficient statewide network of technology services designed to meet the educational and informational needs of the schools;

(c) Working with private enterprise to encourage the development of technology products specifically designed to answer Mississippi's educational needs;

(d) Encouraging an environment receptive to technological progress in education throughout the state; and

(e) Working with other state entities to maximize the use and benefit of the state's technology infrastructure, to avoid duplication of public and private resources and to maximize the purchasing ability of the state. When appropriate, shared resources and competitive bidding shall be used.

All contracts, requests for proposals and bid awards shall be subject to the approval of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

SECTION 3. Section 37-151-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-151-69. (1) There is created the Mississippi Work Force Development Advisory Council, which shall have the following duties:

(a) To provide a forum for developing the necessary collaboration among state agencies at the highest level for accomplishing the purposes of this article;

(b) To monitor the effectiveness of the career centers and district councils created pursuant to this article;

(c) To advise the Governor and public schools, community/junior colleges and institutions of higher learning on effective school-to-work transition policies and programs that link students moving from high school to higher education and students moving between community colleges and four-year institutions in pursuit of academic and technical skills training;

(d) To work with industry to identify barriers that inhibit the delivery of quality work force education and the responsiveness of educational institutions to the needs of industry; and

(e) To provide periodic assessments on effectiveness and results of the system of career centers and district councils.

(2) The state council shall be composed of the following twenty-seven (27) persons:

(a) A private sector representative from each of the fifteen (15) district councils, who will have initial terms as follows: one (1) year for the representatives of Coahoma Community College district, Itawamba Community College district, Hinds Community College district, Jones Junior College district and Southwest Mississippi Community College district; two (2) years for representatives of Northeast Mississippi Community College district, Copiah-Lincoln Community College district, Pearl River Community College district, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College district and East Mississippi Community College district; and three (3) years for representatives of Northwest Mississippi Community College district, Mississippi Delta Community College district, Meridian Community College district, East Central Community College district and Holmes Community College district. All subsequent appointments shall be for a term of three (3) years and continue until their successors are appointed and qualify. An appointment to fill a vacancy which arises for reasons other than by expiration of a term of office shall be for the unexpired term only;

(b) The State Superintendent of Public Education, or his designee;

(d) The Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges;

(e) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission;

(f) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services;

(g) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority;

(h) The Governor of the State of Mississippi;

(i) A representative of the private business sector appointed by the Governor;

(j) A representative of the State Literacy Resource Center;

(k) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(l) An employee representing an employee group or association appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

(m) An executive of a major service provider appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.

(3) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority and the Governor's private business sector appointee to the state council shall serve as the cochairs of the state council.

(4) The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall provide the necessary staff and administrative support to the state council.

SECTION 4. Section 37-153-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-153-7. (1) There is created the Mississippi Work Force Development Advisory Council, which shall have the following duties:

(a) To provide a forum for developing the necessary collaboration among state agencies at the highest level for accomplishing the purposes of this chapter;

(b) To monitor the effectiveness of the career centers and district councils created pursuant to this chapter;