House Bill 44

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-63, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN A SCHOLASTIC SCHOOL YEAR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-13-63, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-13-63. (1) All public schools in the state shall be kept in session for at least one hundred seventy-five (175) days in each scholastic year.

(2) If the school board of any school district shall determine that it is not economically feasible or practicable to operate any school within the district for the full one hundred seventy-five (175) days required for a scholastic year as contemplated due to an enemy attack, a man-made, technological or natural disaster in which the Governor has declared a disaster emergency under the laws of this state or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in this state, said school board may notify the State Department of Education of such disaster and submit a plan for altering the school term. If the State Board of Education finds such disaster to be the cause of the school not operating for the contemplated school term and that such school was in a school district covered by the Governor's or President's disaster declaration, it may permit said school board to operate the schools in its district for less than one hundred seventy-five (175) days.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.