MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Government Structure
By: Senator(s) Hill
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 39-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY; 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. Beginning on the effective date of this act, the board * * * may
recommend individuals to fill * * *
vacancies occurring * * * thereon, whether by expiration
of term of service or by death or resignation * * *. The board shall communicate
the names of all * * * proposed members * * *
to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor who shall alternate as the
appointing authority to fill vacancies on the board. The Governor and the
Lieutenant Governor may appoint the board's recommended individual or may appoint
an individual of their own choosing. The Governor shall make the first appointment
to any vacancy occurring on or after the effective date of this act, and the
Lieutenant Governor shall make the second appointment. This process of
appointment shall continue on an alternating basis for all trustee appointments.
Each appointed member shall be submitted to the next ensuing session of
the State Senate for confirmation, and * * * if
it shall reject any of the * * *
appointed trustees * * * , the appointing
official shall proceed * * * to fill the vacancy * * * by * * * another appointment. 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 said meetings five (5)
members shall constitute a quorum. The Director of the Department of Archives
and History * * * shall be the 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 its passage.