House Bill 599

AN ACT TO CLOSE THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AT THE CAMPUS IN BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI, AND RELOCATE THE SCHOOL ON THE CAMPUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN; TO SPECIFY THE OWNERSHIP OF THE REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY ON THE BROOKHAVEN CAMPUS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-140-3 AND 37-140-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-140-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH NAMES A BUILDING ON THE BROOKHAVEN CAMPUS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The Mississippi School of the Arts shall be closed at the campus in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and relocated on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women. The real property on the campus in Brookhaven for which title remains in the State of Mississippi after the closure of the school shall be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Finance and Administration to be used as authorized by law. The personal property on the campus in Brookhaven shall be retained by the State Department of Education for its use at the Mississippi School for the Arts on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women or at any other location under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education. Any personal property on the campus in Brookhaven that is not needed by the Department of Education shall be transferred to the Office of Surplus Property of the Department of Finance and Administration.

SECTION 2. Section 37-140-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-140-3. * * * There is created the Mississippi School of the Arts, which shall be a residential school for eleventh and twelfth grade high school students located on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women. The purpose of the school shall be to provide a more challenging educational experience for artistically talented and gifted students of the state to develop their full potential, including the teaching of humanities, creative writing, literature, theater, music, dance and visual arts, and the school's curriculum and admissions policies shall reflect that purpose.

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SECTION 3. Section 37-140-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-140-5. (1) The school shall be governed by the State Board of Education. The board shall develop a plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school to be presented to the Legislature during the 2000 Regular Session. The plan shall include an equitable and reasonable plan for student recruitment without regard to race, creed or color.

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(2) The board may utilize the staff of the State Department of Education and other state agencies as may be required for the implementation of this chapter. The department may employ any personnel deemed necessary by the board for assisting in the development and implementation of the plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school. The board also may contract or enter into agreements with other agencies or private entities that it deems necessary to carry out its duties and functions relating to the opening and operation of the school.

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(3) The board may enter into agreements with public school districts to authorize students enrolled in those school districts to participate in the fine arts programs at the school to the extent that adequate space is available. The parent or guardian of any student participating in fine arts programs at the school under this subsection shall be responsible for transporting the student to and from the school.

SECTION 4. Section 37-140-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, which names a building on the Brookhaven campus of the Mississippi School of the Arts, is repealed.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.