Senate Bill 2037

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-5-1 AND 37-7-201, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AS A QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-5-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-5-1. (1) There is hereby established a county board of education in each county of the State of Mississippi. Said county board of education shall consist of five (5) members, one (1) of which, subject to the further provisions of this chapter and except as is otherwise provided in Section 37-5-1(2), shall be elected by the qualified electors of each board of education district of the county. Except as is otherwise provided in Section 37-5-3, each member so elected shall be a resident and qualified elector of the district from which he is elected. Each member of a county board of education elected to a term of office beginning on or after January 1, 2018, shall be required to have at least one (1) year (thirty-two (32) credit hours) of postsecondary education from an accredited college or university.

(2) The county board of education shall apportion the county school district into five (5) single member board of education districts. The county board of education shall place upon its minutes the boundaries determined for the new five (5) board of education districts. The board of education of said county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation within said county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of education of said county, said new district lines will thereafter be effective. The board of education of said county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with the procedure described herein for the original apportionment of districts as soon as practicable after the results of the 2000 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter.

(3) In counties where the office of "administrative superintendent" as defined in Section 37-6-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, has been abolished, there shall be no county board of education.

SECTION 2. Section 37-7-201, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-7-201. In order for a person to be eligible to hold the office of trustee of any school district, such person must be a bona fide resident and a qualified elector of such school district, and, in the case of a school district lying in two (2) or more counties, but not including municipal separate school districts, such person must be a bona fide resident and a qualified elector of the territory entitled to such representation on the board. Any member of a local school board appointed or elected to office for a term of office beginning on or after January 1, 2018, shall have at least one (1) year (thirty-two (32) credit hours) of postsecondary education from an accredited college or university.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.