MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: State Affairs; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Representatives Hobgood-Wilkes, Bounds
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, 2025,
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, 2025, 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, 2025, 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, 2025.