House Bill 360

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF PUBLIC SCHOOL ATHLETICS TASK FORCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF SEPARATING ATHLETIC EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALLOWING THEM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY GOVERNING AUTHORITY UNDER WHOSE JURISDICTION THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FALLS; TO PRESCRIBE THE COMPOSITION OF THE TASK FORCE AND ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE TASK FORCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Local Government Control of Public School Athletics Task Force, for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility of transferring all public school extracurricular athletic activities to the administration and management of the local municipal or county governing authority under whose jurisdiction the school district falls. In evaluating the issue, the committee shall study and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding:

(a) A cost-benefits analysis of the potential savings to be realized by the school district in relinquishing authority over student athletic programs to local governing authorities;

(b) The use of the realized savings for purposes of funding increased teacher salaries to the Southeastern or national average and funding the Education Enhancement Fund for the benefit of fully funding the Classroom Supply Fund;

(c) An average of total cost projections for local governing authorities to administer a community-based system of student athletic programs, and a local governing authority's ability to assume the financial responsibility to provide necessary equipment and uniforms, suitable facilities, reliable transportation and medical insurance for participants without the negative implications of the additional cost being leverage on local taxpayers through tax increases;

(d) The excessive overreach of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) or any other statewide athletic or extracurricular sponsoring organizations that regulate interscholastic activities of members schools located in this state, for which such schools pay a membership for participation and which lack any accountability to the pubic for its actions;

(e) The positive and negative implications of the transfer on student behavior and disciplinary matters;

(f) The centralization of focus specifically on academic instruction and student performance;

(g) The interest of community, local business and corporate stakeholders in sponsoring city and community teams; and

(h) The establishment of a practical and reasonable timeline to facilitate the transfer of authority for the administration of athletic extracurricular activities from local school districts to the appropriate local municipal or county governing authority.

(2) Members of the task force shall be composed of the following thirty-three (33) members:

(a) The State Superintendent of Public Education;

(b) The Chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees;

(c) Three (3) Senators, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Senate Education Committee, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Senate Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee;

(d) Three (3) Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the House Education Committee, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the House Appropriations Committee and one (1) of whom shall be a member of the House Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee;

(e) The executive director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association;

(f) Four (4) mayors, one (1) representing each Mississippi Congressional District, as such districts existed on January 1, 2023, and appointed by the Governor;

(g) Four (4) chairmen/presidents of county boards of supervisors, one (1) representing each Mississippi Congressional District, as such districts existed on January 1, 2023, and appointed by the Governor;

(h) Four (4) school athletic directors, one (1) representing each Mississippi Congressional District, as such districts existed on January 1, 2023, and appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(i) Four (4) parent representatives who have at least one (1) child currently in a Mississippi public elementary secondary or post-secondary school, one (1) representing each Mississippi Congressional District, as such districts existed on January 1, 2023, two (2) to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and two (2) to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(j) Three (3) members representing various business interests within the state, one (1) selected from each Supreme Court District, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House each having one (1) appointment; and

(k) Four (4) municipal and county Parks and Recreation directors, one (1) representing each Mississippi Congressional District, as such districts existed on January 1, 2023, two (2) to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and two (2) to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and

(3) The task force shall hold its first meeting not later than August 15, 2023, with the date, time and location of the meeting to be designated by the Governor. The task force shall be co-chaired by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees. At that first meeting, the task force also shall elect any other officers determined to be necessary, and shall set the date, time and location of its next meeting.

(4) The State Department of Education shall provide the staff and other support necessary for the Local Government Control of Public School Athletics Task Force to perform its duties. The task force shall submit its recommendation to the Legislature by January 1, 2024.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.