Senate Bill 2523

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-239, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE MANAGERS OF ELECTION TO ATTEND ANNUAL TRAINING COURSES; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH TRAINING COURSES MAY LAST UP TO EIGHT HOURS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-239, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-239. (1) (a) The executive committee of each county, in the case of a primary election, or the commissioners of election of each county, in the case of all other elections, in conjunction with the circuit clerk, shall sponsor and conduct, not less than five (5) days prior to each election, training sessions to instruct managers as to their duties in the proper administration of the election and the operation of the polling place. No manager shall serve in any election unless he has received such instructions once during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date upon which such election is held; however, nothing in this section shall prevent the appointment of an alternate manager to fill a vacancy in case of an emergency. The county executive committee or the commissioners of election, as appropriate, shall train a sufficient number of alternates to serve in the event a manager is unable to serve for any reason.

(b) The executive committee of each county, in the case of a primary election, or the commissioners of election of each county, in the case of all other elections, in conjunction with the circuit clerk, shall sponsor and conduct annually a * * * training course for managers that meets criteria that the Secretary of State shall prescribe which may last up to eight (8) hours. Managers shall be required to attend this course * * *. The Secretary of State shall develop a version of the course that may be taken by managers over the Internet. Training courses, including, but not limited to, online training courses, that meet criteria prescribed by the Secretary of State and are not sponsored or conducted by the executive committee or the commissioners of election, may be utilized to meet the requirements of this paragraph if the training course is approved by the Secretary of State.

(2) (a) If it is eligible under Section 23-15-266, the county executive committee may enter into a written agreement with the circuit clerk or the county election commission authorizing the circuit clerk or the county election commission to perform any of the duties required of the county executive committee pursuant to this section. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be signed by the chairman of the county executive committee and the circuit clerk or the chairman of the county election commission, as appropriate. The county executive committee shall notify the state executive committee and the Secretary of State of the existence of such agreement.

(b) If it is eligible under Section 23-15-266, the municipal executive committee may enter into a written agreement with the municipal clerk or the municipal election commission authorizing the municipal clerk or the municipal election commission to perform any of the duties required of the municipal executive committee pursuant to this section. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be signed by the chairman of the municipal executive committee and the municipal clerk or the chairman of the municipal election commission, as appropriate. The municipal executive committee shall notify the state executive committee and the Secretary of State of the existence of such agreement.

(3) The board of supervisors, in their discretion, may compensate managers who attend such training sessions. The compensation shall be at a rate of not less than the federal hourly minimum wage nor more than Twelve Dollars ($12.00) per hour. Managers shall not be compensated for more than sixteen (16) hours of attendance at the training sessions regardless of the actual amount of time that they attended the training sessions.

(4) The time and location of the training sessions required pursuant to this section shall be announced to the general public by posting a notice thereof at the courthouse and by delivering a copy of the notice to the office of a newspaper having general circulation in the county five (5) days before the date upon which the training session is to be conducted. Persons who will serve as poll watchers for candidates and political parties, as well as members of the general public, shall be allowed to attend the sessions.

(5) Subject to the following annual limitations, the commissioners of election shall be entitled to receive a per diem in the amount of Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in conducting training sessions as required by this section:

(a) In counties having less than fifteen thousand (15,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than five (5) days per year;

(b) In counties having fifteen thousand (15,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than eight (8) days per year;

(c) In counties having thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than ten (10) days per year;

(d) In counties having seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than twelve (12) days per year;

(e) In counties having ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than fifteen (15) days per year;

(f) In counties having one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred thousand (200,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than eighteen (18) days per year;

(g) In counties having two hundred thousand (200,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than nineteen (19) days per year;

(h) In counties having two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than twenty-two (22) days per year;

(i) In counties having two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than thirteen (13) days per year;

(j) In counties having two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census or more, not more than fourteen (14) days per year.

(6) Commissioners of election shall claim the per diem authorized in subsection (5) of this section in the manner provided for in Section 23-15-153(6).

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.