House Bill 1136

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI OR MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE WHO AGREE TO WORK AS ATTORNEYS FOR A MISSISSIPPI BRANCH OF THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION AFTER GRADUATION FROM LAW SCHOOL; TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS WHO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP UNDER THE PROGRAM, AFTER GRADUATION FROM LAW SCHOOL, MUST RENDER SERVICE AS AN ATTORNEY FOR A MISSISSIPPI BRANCH OF THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN FOUR YEARS; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON WHO RECEIVES A SCHOLARSHIP UNDER THE PROGRAM WHO FAILS TO COMPLETE LAW SCHOOL OR FAILS TO COMPLETE THE SERVICE OBLIGATION AS AN ATTORNEY FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR NOT LESS THAN FOUR YEARS, SHALL BECOME LIABLE IMMEDIATELY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE SUM OF ALL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS RECEIVED, PLUS INTEREST; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is established a scholarship program for law school students who agree to work as attorneys for a Mississippi branch of the Legal Services Corporation after graduation from law school.

(2) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of the scholarship program established under this section. The board of trustees shall be the administering agency of the program.

(3) Any person who is a student or who has been admitted to be a student at the University of Mississippi School of Law or the Mississippi College School of Law shall be eligible for a financial scholarship from the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, which shall be used to pay all or a portion of the costs of the person's law school education. The annual amount of a scholarship award under the program shall be equal to the total cost of tuition and fees at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

(4) A student must maintain a "C" average or higher in his or her law school coursework in order to continue receiving the scholarship.

(5) If insufficient funds are available to fully fund scholarship awards to all eligible students, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall make the awards to first-time students on a first-come, first-served basis; however, priority consideration shall be given to persons previously receiving awards under the program.

(6) After a person who received a scholarship under the program graduates from law school, he or she must render service as an attorney for a Mississippi branch of the Legal Services Corporation for a period of not less than four (4) years. The four (4) years required by this act shall be four (4) of continuous years of service. However, an attorney may render four (4) years of continuous service at more than one (1) branch during the time of employment.

(7) Any person who receives a scholarship under the program and fails to complete law school shall become liable immediately to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the sum of all scholarship awards made to that person, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person discontinued law school. Any person who fails to complete his or her service obligation as an attorney for not less than four (4) years for a Mississippi branch of the Legal Services Corporation, as required under subsection (6) of this section, shall become liable immediately to the board for the sum of all scholarship awards made to that person, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person discontinued his or her service at a Mississippi branch of the Legal Services Corporation. If a claim for payment under this subsection is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, the obligor shall be liable for an additional amount equal to a reasonable attorney's fee.

(8) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning is authorized to receive any funds, grants or donations from any individual or entity, public or private, for funding the scholarship program.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.