House Bill 1022

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-29-67, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM TERM OF CONTRACTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT WHICH MAY BE ENTERED INTO BY THE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES OF THE COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICTS TO A NUMBER OF YEARS CONSISTENT WITH THAT AUTHORIZED FOR OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES UNDER SECTION 31-7-14; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-29-67, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-29-67. (1) The duties of the board of trustees shall be the general government of the community or junior college and directive of the administration thereof. Subject to * * * Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273, the board shall have full power to do all things necessary to the successful operation of the district and the college or colleges or attendance centers located therein to insure educational advantages and opportunities to all the enrollees within the district.

(2) The board of trustees shall be authorized to designate a personnel supervisor or other person employed by the district to recommend teachers and to transmit such recommendations to the board of trustees; however, this authorization shall be restricted to no more than two (2) positions for each employment period in the district.

(3) The delineation and enumeration of the powers and purposes set out in Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273 shall be deemed to be supplemental and additional, and shall not be construed to restrict the powers of the board of trustees of the district or of any college located therein so as to deny to the * * * district and the college or colleges therein the rights, privileges, and powers * * * authorized by statute.

(4) The board of trustees shall have the power to contract, on a shared-savings, lease or lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or equipment as prescribed in Section 31-7-14, not to exceed fifteen (15) years.

(5) The board of trustees shall be authorized, with the approval of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, to change the name of the junior college to community college. The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall establish guidelines for the implementation of any junior college name change. Any reference to junior college district in this chapter shall * * * refer to the junior college district or its successor in name as changed by the board of trustees.

(6) The boards of trustees shall purchase and maintain business property insurance and business personal property insurance on all college-owned buildings and/or contents as required by federal law and regulations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as is necessary for receiving public assistance or reimbursement for repair, reconstruction, replacement or other damage to such buildings and/or contents caused by the Hurricane Katrina Disaster of 2005 or subsequent disasters. The boards of trustees are authorized to expend funds from any available source for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining that property insurance. The boards of trustees are authorized to enter into agreements with the Department of Finance and Administration, local school districts, other community or junior college districts, state institutions of higher learning, community hospitals and/or other state agencies to pool their liabilities to participate in a group business property and/or business personal property insurance program, subject to uniform rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Department of Finance and Administration.

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