Senate Bill 2666

AN ACT TO ENACT THE SAVE OUR UNDERFUNDED LOCAL SCHOOLS ACT OR SOULS ACT; TO DEFINE TERMS; TO CREATE THE SAVE OUR UNDERFUNDED LOCAL SCHOOLS GRANT PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING SCHOOL AND SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS ARE EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY UPGRADES, INCLUDING THE STARTUP COSTS NECESSARY FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY OR SECURITY DEPARTMENT; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL RECEIVE A MINIMUM AMOUNT UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE REMAINING FUNDS IN THE GRANT PROGRAM SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED UPON APPLICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE SOULS ACT FUND AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO PROVIDE THAT MONIES APPROPRIATED OUT OF THE FUND MAY BE USED TO REIMBURSE ACTUAL OVERSIGHT COSTS UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Save Our Underfunded Local Schools Act" or "SOULS Act."

SECTION 2. For purposes of this act, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety.

(b) "Grant Program" means the Save Our Underfunded Local Schools Grant Program established in this act.

(c) "School" means public school districts, agricultural high schools, the Mississippi School for the Deaf and Blind, the Mississippi School of the Arts and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and public charter schools.

SECTION 3. (1) There is established the Save Our Underfunded Local Schools Grant Program which shall be administered by the department for the purpose of ensuring school and school district buildings are equipped with safety and security upgrades, including the startup costs necessary for each school to have a public safety or security department.

(2) The department shall distribute grants to the schools. Each school shall receive a grant in the amount of at least Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) under the grant program by October 1, 2024. The remaining funds in the grant program shall be distributed upon application to the department until the funds are depleted.

(3) The department, in conjunction with the Department of Education, shall promulgate rules and regulations to administer the grant program. The rules and regulations promulgated by the department may include the following considerations for recipients of grant funds:

(a) The state of the security and safety upgrades at the school;

(b) The needs of the individual schools, including existing facility upgrades and geographic considerations;

(d) The capabilities of local law enforcement; and

(e) Any other relevant factor to be determined by the department or recommended by the Department of Education.

(4) The department shall provide an annual report to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House and Governor concerning the distribution of funds under this grant program. The report shall be filed by December 1 of each year.

SECTION 4. (1) There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as the "SOULS Act Fund" which shall consist of monies from any source designated for deposit into the fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

(2) (a) Monies in the fund shall be disbursed by the department for the purposes described in this act.

(b) In addition to the purposes in paragraph (a) of this subsection, monies appropriated out of the fund may be used to reimburse reasonable actual and necessary oversight costs incurred by the department in providing grants or loans under this section. The department shall maintain an accounting of actual costs and expenses incurred for which reimbursement is sought for each grant or loan. Reimbursement of reasonable, actual and necessary costs and expenses for assistance shall not exceed one and twenty-five one-hundredths percent (1.25%) of the monies appropriated out of the fund. Reimbursements made under this paragraph shall satisfy any applicable federal tax law requirements.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.