House Bill 1008

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-43-24, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PLACE TEXTBOOK, EQUIPMENT AND SCHOOL SUPPLY PROCUREMENT ORDERS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING CERTAIN SCHOOLS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-43-24, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-43-24. (1) This section shall be referred to and may be cited as the "Timely Acquisition of Braille and Large Print Textbooks Act of 2002."

(2) The State Department of Education is hereby authorized and directed to place textbook procurement orders for visually impaired and hearing impaired students in the schools of this state prior to the beginning of the fiscal year for which the expenditure for such order has been authorized by the Legislature. After June 1 of any year, the State Department of Education may order additional books, as needed. In addition, the State Department of Education is authorized and directed to place textbook, equipment and school supply procurement orders for students attending the state-supported schools administered by the State Board of Education before the beginning of the fiscal year for which the expenditure for the order has been authorized by the Legislature. The department shall insure that the appropriate procedures for textbook procurement are followed according to state law and board policy as described in the Textbook Administration Handbook.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2003.