Senate Bill 2859

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 39-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY SHALL BE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR FROM THE FOUR MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ON A PHASED-IN BASIS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 39-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is

amended as follows:

39-5-3. The Department of Archives and History shall be under the control of a board of nine (9) trustees. The board shall have the power and authority to fill all vacancies occurring therein, whether by expiration of term of service or by death or resignation, but the names of all newly elected members shall be communicated to the next ensuing session of the State Senate for confirmation * * *. The members of the board of trustees as constituted on January 1, 2003, whose terms have not expired shall serve the balance of their terms, after which time the membership of the board of trustees shall be appointed as follows: The Governor shall appoint two (2) members of the board of trustees from each of the four (4) Mississippi congressional districts as they currently exist and one (1) from the state at large, with the advice and consent of the Senate, with the congressional districts to be designated at the time of appointment, and the Governor shall make appointments from the congressional district having the smallest number of board members until the membership includes two (2) members from each congressional district as required. All trustees chosen to succeed the present members or their successors shall serve for a term of six (6) years; provided, however, that trustees appointed after January 1, 2003, shall serve for a term of four (4) years. The board of trustees shall hold at the State Capitol at least one (1) regular meeting during the year, and as many special meetings as may be necessary, and at said meetings five (5) members shall constitute a quorum. The Director of the Department of Archives and History, hereinafter provided, shall be secretary of the board. The trustees shall receive no compensation for their services other than the amount of their necessary expenses actually paid out while in attendance on the meetings of the board or the business of the department. The board is empowered to adopt rules for its own government and for the government of the department, to elect and fix the compensation of a director not to exceed the maximum set by the Legislature, and other officials or employees, and to do and perform such other acts and things as may be necessary to carry out the true intent and purposes of this chapter.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.