House Bill 815

AN ACT TO CREATE A COMMISSION TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF COLLEGE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND EVALUATE MERIT BASED COLLEGE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created a commission to study the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration of college tuition assistance programs administered by the Institutions of Higher Learning. In addition, the commission shall evaluate merit based college tuition assistance programs and establish procedures and guidelines for implementing merit based programs.

The commission shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Education Committees by October 1, 2006, including any recommended legislation.

(2) The commission shall be composed of the following three (3) members:

(a) A representative of the State Department of Education, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(b) A representative from the Institutions of Higher Learning, to be appointed by the commissioner;

(c) A representative from the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, to be appointed by the chairman of the board.

(3) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act. The commission shall hold its first meeting before July 15, 2006.

(4) Members of the commission may not be compensated for the performance of their duties. Any incidental costs associated with conducting the study shall be paid by the State Department of Education.

(5) To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or of any political subdivision thereof shall, at the request of the chairperson of the task force, provide to the commission such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the commission to properly carry out its duties.

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