House Bill 796

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 31-3-14 AND 73-59-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF A PORTION OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDER FEES TO THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSING INSTITUTE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-14, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-3-14. (1) In addition to the fees required for application and renewal for certification and registration of all contractors in Section 31-3-13, all holders of a certificate of responsibility shall pay a fee equal to One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) at the time of application or renewal of certificates of responsibility. Any residential builder licensed under the provisions of Section 73-59-1 et seq. shall not be exempt from the fee imposed under this section. The revenue derived from such additional fees shall be deposited into a fund to be known as the "Construction Education Fund," a special fund created in the State Treasury, and distributed by the State Board of Contractors created in Section 31-3-3, to the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation, public high schools and community colleges that participate in the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation's "school-to-work" program, state universities that have construction technology programs, the Mississippi Housing Institute and certain construction educational trusts approved by the State Board of Contractors in the manner hereinafter provided to offer courses for construction education and construction craft training to meet the needs of the construction industry of the State of Mississippi. Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) of the fee required by this section which is assessed to residential builders licensed under the provisions of Section 73-59-1 et seq. shall be distributed to the Mississippi Housing Institute.

(2) The State Board of Contractors shall, on an annual basis, solicit from the Mississippi state institutions of higher learning, all the public community and junior colleges, the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation, public high schools that participate in the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation's "school-to-work" program and certain construction educational trusts, applications for the use of such funds in construction education and craft training programs in a manner prescribed by the board. The board may appoint a technical advisory committee to advise the board on the most needed areas of construction education and craft training, continuing education or research relating to the construction education and craft training in the state, based on significant changes in the construction industry's practices, economic development or on problems costing public or private contractors substantial waste. The board shall ensure that the monies distributed from this fund are properly spent to promote construction education and craft training in programs in the state which are approved by the board. At least seventy-five percent (75%) of the monies distributed by the board, pursuant to this section, must be used for construction craft training with the exception of the Mississippi Housing Institute.

(3) Each university, junior college, community college, the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation, public high school that participates in the foundation's "school-to-work" program and construction educational trust receiving funds pursuant to this section for construction education or construction craft training programs shall utilize such funds only for construction education and craft training curricula and program development, faculty development, equipment, student scholarships, student assistantships, and for continuing education programs related to construction education and craft training. Such funds shall not be commingled with the normal operating funds of the educational institution, regardless of the source of such funds.

(4) The State Board of Contractors shall ensure the distribution of reports and the availability of construction education programs established pursuant to this section to all segments of the construction industry that are subject to the fee provided under this section. The board shall cause a report to be made to the Legislature in October of each year, summarizing the allocation of funds by institution or program and summarizing the new projects funded and the status of previously funded projects.

(5) All monies deposited into the Construction Education Fund shall be used exclusively for construction education and craft training, and any unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund of the State Treasury but shall be available for construction education and craft training in subsequent fiscal years.

(6) All monies deposited into the Construction Education Fund collected from residential builders licensed under the provisions of Section 73-59-1 et seq. shall be used exclusively for licensed home builders' education and professional development and any unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund of the State Treasury but shall be available for construction education and craft training in subsequent fiscal years.

(7) All expenditures from the Construction Education Fund shall be by requisition to the State Auditor, signed by the executive secretary of the board and countersigned by the chairman or vice chairman of the board, and the State Treasurer shall issue his warrants thereon.

SECTION 2. Section 73-59-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-59-3. (1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 73-59-15, persons who perform residential construction or residential improvement shall be licensed by the board annually, and, as a prerequisite to obtaining a license or renewal thereof, each shall submit to the board:

(a) Proof of workers' compensation insurance, if applicable;

(b) A federal employment identification number or social security number.

(2) The board shall not require liability insurance to be licensed under this chapter but if a licensee has liability insurance it shall be reflected on the certificate of licensure.

(3) The board shall issue or renew a license to a residential builder or remodeler upon payment to the board of the license fee. The initial license fee shall be Fifty Dollars ($50.00). The license fee may thereafter be increased or decreased by the board and cannot exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00); however, the receipts from fees collected by the board shall be no greater than the amount required to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the board in enforcing the provisions of this chapter. All fees collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the special fund in the State Treasury known as the "State Board of Contractor's Fund" created pursuant to Section 31-3-17 and shall be used * * * for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and as provided in Section 31-3-14. Amounts in such fund shall not lapse into the State General Fund at the end of a fiscal year. Interest accrued to such fund shall remain in the fund. All expenditures from the special fund shall be by requisition to the Department of Finance and Administration, signed by the executive secretary of the board and countersigned by the chairman or vice chairman of the board.

(4) The license shall expire on the last day of the twelfth month following its issuance or renewal and shall become invalid unless renewed. The board shall notify by mail every licensee under this chapter of the date of the expiration of his license and the amount of the fee required for renewal of the license for one (1) year. Such notice shall be mailed within thirty (30) days prior to the expiration date of the license. The failure on the part of any licensee to renew his license annually in such twelfth month shall not deprive such licensee of the right of renewal, provided that renewal is effected within one hundred twenty (120) days after the expiration date of the license by payment of the license fee plus a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the license fee. A new license required to replace a revoked, lost, mutilated or destroyed license may be issued, subject to the rules of the board, for a charge of not more than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(5) Any person who is not a resident of the State of Mississippi who desires to perform residential construction or residential improvement shall be licensed to perform such construction or improvement as provided by this chapter.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.