Senate Bill 2761

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-4-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE AUTOMATIC REPEALER ON THE STATUTE PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND ADULT SHORT-TERM TRAINING PROGRAMS TO THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-4-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-4-11. (1) The purpose of this section is to insure the uniform management, oversight and accountability of the state-funded Industrial Training Programs, and postsecondary Adult Short-Term Training Programs and Workforce Education Programs administered by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges for adults provided to the citizens of Mississippi.

(2) Effective July 1, 1999, all state-funded Industrial Training Programs and postsecondary Adult Short-term Training Programs administered by and through the State Department of Education on June 30, 1999, shall be transferred to the Workforce Education Program of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. The Legislature shall appropriate annually to the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges funds necessary to administer these programs.

(3) Effective July 1, 1999, all funds, unexpended balances, assets, liabilities and property of the State Department of Education which are used in the delivery of postsecondary Adult Short-term Training Programs and Industrial Training Programs, excluding funds, unexpended balances, assets, liabilities and property associated with the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University, shall be transferred to the Workforce Education Program funds of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. The State Department of Education also shall transfer to the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges all positions and funds employed by the State Department of Education and community colleges which render industrial training, postsecondary adult short-term training or workforce education services, including the seven (7) administrative and support positions providing support to these programs. Sufficient staff positions shall be transferred from the State Department of Education, which will have a reduction in training and educational responsibilities by virtue of this act, to the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to assure that the transferred responsibilities will be properly managed and administered. Any funds available to the State Department of Education for Industrial Training Programs and state-funded postsecondary Adult Short-term Training Programs which are subject to carryover shall be transferred to the Work Force Carryover Fund established by Chapter 498, Laws of 1995, for use by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, on or before August 15, 1999.

(4) The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall develop an accountability system that shall report and describe all classes taught in the area of workforce education, the number of persons taught in these classes, and the location and cost of each class taught. To assess the impact of these programs, the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges also shall report:

(a) Whether the needs of industry have been met through training program offerings;

(b) Any changes in the income of trainees between the completion of training and the date of the report;

(d) Trainee success in passing proficiency tests, where applicable.

This information shall be reported on a fiscal year basis and shall be provided to the House and Senate Education Committees before December 15 of each year.

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