MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Representative Hobgood-Wilkes
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 39-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY BOARD OF TRUSTEES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 39-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
39-5-3. The Department of
Archives and History shall be under the control of a board of nine (9)
trustees. * * * From and after July 1, 2024, the board
shall be reconstituted to consist of nine (9) trustees, eight (8) trustees from
each of the four (4) congressional districts, two (2) trustees from each district,
as such districts existed on July 1, 2024, and one (1) trustee to be selected
from the state at large, all of whom shall be appointed by the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Senate. The initial appointments to the board
shall be for staggered terms, to be designated by the Governor at the time of
appointment as follows: two (2) trustees to serve for five (5) years, two (2) trustees
to serve for four (4) years, two (2) trustees to serve for three (3) years, two
(2) trustees to serve for two (2) years, and one (1) member, the at-large trustee,
to serve for one (1) year. When the board is reconstituted on July 1, 2024,
all trustees serving on the board on that date shall continue to serve for a
term of one (1) year. After the initial appointments, all trustees chosen
to succeed the present members or their successors shall serve for a term of
six (6) years. The board of trustees shall hold at the State Capitol at
least one (1) regular meeting during the year, and as many special
meetings as may be necessary, and at * * * those meetings five (5)
members shall constitute a quorum. The Director of the Department of Archives
and History, hereinafter provided, shall be secretary of the board. The
trustees shall receive no compensation for their services other than the amount
of their necessary expenses actually paid out while in attendance on the
meetings of the board or the business of the department. The board is
empowered to adopt rules for its own government and for the government of the
department, to elect and fix the compensation of a director not to exceed the
maximum set by the Legislature, and other officials or employees, and to do and
perform such other acts and things as may be necessary to carry out the true
intent and purposes of this chapter.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.