House Bill 240

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-6-11 AND 37-6-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE GRANTED EXCUSED ABSENCES FROM REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS DUE TO FAMILY EMERGENCIES RESULTING FROM THE ILLNESS OR DEATH OF AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-6-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-6-11. The school boards of all school districts shall meet regularly at such time and at such place as shall be designated by an order entered upon the minutes thereof. Special meetings of such boards shall be held upon the call of the president thereof, or upon the call of a majority of the members thereof. Attendance at a special meeting may not be taken into account for purposes of per diem or annual salary compensation, as prescribed under Section 37-6-13.

SECTION 2. Section 37-6-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-6-13. (1) Each person serving as a member of the school board of any school district shall receive per diem in the amount of One Hundred Twelve Dollars ($112.00) for no more than thirty-six (36) meetings of the school board during any one (1) fiscal year or, in his or her discretion, irrevocably may choose to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual salary, subject to the following provisions:

(a) For a person serving as a member of the school board of a school district with less than five thousand (5,000) students enrolled in the school district, the person shall receive an annual salary of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00);

(b) For a person serving as a member of the school board of a school district with at least five thousand (5,000) students but less than ten thousand (10,000) students enrolled in the school district, the person shall receive an annual salary of not less than Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) but not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00); and

(c) For a person serving as a member of the school board of a school district with greater than ten thousand (10,000) students enrolled in the school district, the person shall receive an annual salary of not less than Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) but not more than Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00).

This choice shall remain in force for all successive terms or periods of service of that member. The receipt of the compensation shall not entitle any member of a school board to receive or be eligible for any state employee group insurance, retirement or other fringe benefits. Each member shall be reimbursed for the necessary expenses and mileage in attending meetings of the school board. In addition to the foregoing, all members may be reimbursed for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the further performance of their duties, including attendance at any mandatory school board training session or at regional and national education meetings, when such mileage and other expenses are authorized by the board prior to the date on which they occur. Detailed vouchers shall be submitted for reimbursement for all expenses authorized by this section. Such reimbursement shall be in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

Such expenses shall be paid on order of the school board by pay certificates issued by the superintendent of the school district involved against the funds available for payment of the administrative expense of the district.

(2) (a) If a member of a school board misses twenty percent (20%) or more of the meetings of the school board during a calendar year, except for absences caused by required military duty or a major family emergency as the result of the illness or death of an immediate family member, the member must reimburse the school district that portion of the total salary paid to the member that year which is proportionate to the number of meetings missed by the member in relation to the total number of school board meetings held during that year. For purposes of this subsection, consideration may be given only to meetings of which public notice is required. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term "immediate family member" includes the spouse, children, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters of the board member.

(b) Before February 1 of each year, the president of each local school board shall submit a report to the State Board of Education containing the names of any members of the school board who missed twenty percent (20%) or more of the school board meetings during the preceding calendar year.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.