Bill Text: MS HB42 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: School of the Arts; close at Brookhaven campus and relocate on campus of MUW.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [HB42 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-HB42-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representative Brown

House Bill 42

AN ACT TO CLOSE THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AT THE CAMPUS IN BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI, AND RELOCATE THE SCHOOL ON THE CAMPUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN; TO SPECIFY THE OWNERSHIP OF THE REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY ON THE BROOKHAVEN CAMPUS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-140-3 AND 37-140-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-140-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH NAMES A BUILDING ON THE BROOKHAVEN CAMPUS; TO CREATE THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FEASIBILITY OF CONVERTING AND USING THE FACILITY OF THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS IN BROOKHAVEN AS A NURSING SCHOOL; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE; TO REQUIRE THE STUDY COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT A REPORT WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  The Mississippi School of the Arts shall be closed at the campus in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and relocated on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women.  The real property on the campus in Brookhaven for which title remains in the State of Mississippi after the closure of the school shall be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Finance and Administration to be used as authorized by law.  The personal property on the campus in Brookhaven shall be retained by the State Department of Education for its use at the Mississippi School of the Arts on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women or at any other location under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.  Any personal property on the campus in Brookhaven that is not needed by the Department of Education shall be transferred to the Office of Surplus Property of the Department of Finance and Administration.

     SECTION 2.  Section 37-140-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     37-140-3.  * * * There is created the Mississippi School of the Arts, which shall be a residential school for eleventh and twelfth grade high school students located on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women.  The purpose of the school shall be to provide a more challenging educational experience for artistically talented and gifted students of the state to develop their full potential, including the teaching of humanities, creative writing, literature, theater, music, dance and visual arts, and the school's curriculum and admissions policies shall reflect that purpose.

 * * *

     SECTION 3.  Section 37-140-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     37-140-5.  (1)  The school shall be governed by the State Board of Education.  The board shall develop a plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school to be presented to the Legislature during the 2000 Regular Session.  The plan shall include an equitable and reasonable plan for student recruitment without regard to race, creed or color.

 * * *

     (2)  The board may utilize the staff of the State Department of Education and other state agencies as may be required for the implementation of this chapter.  The department may employ any personnel deemed necessary by the board for assisting in the development and implementation of the plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school.  The board also may contract or enter into agreements with other agencies or private entities that it deems necessary to carry out its duties and functions relating to the opening and operation of the school.

 * * *

     (3)  The board may enter into agreements with public school districts to authorize students enrolled in those school districts to participate in the fine arts programs at the school to the extent that adequate space is available.  The parent or guardian of any student participating in fine arts programs at the school under this subsection shall be responsible for transporting the student to and from the school.

     SECTION 4.  Section 37-140-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, which names a building on the Brookhaven campus of the Mississippi School of the Arts, is repealed.

     SECTION 5.  (1)  There is created the School of the Arts Study Committee to study and make recommendations on the feasibility of converting and using the facility of the Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven, Mississippi, as a nursing school, and if the committee determines that such use would be feasible, to develop a preliminary plan for converting the facility to a nursing school, including the cost to the State of Mississippi of making that conversion.

     (2)  The study committee shall be composed of the following seven (7) members:

          (a)  The Chairman of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, or their designees;

          (b)  The Chairmen of the House and Senate Universities and Colleges Committees, or their designees;

          (c)  One (1) member of the House of Representatives whose district includes a portion of Lincoln County, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

          (d)  One (1) member of the Senate whose district includes a portion of Lincoln County, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

          (e)  The Director of Nursing Education of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

     (3)  Appointments to the study committee shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act.  Within fifteen (15) days after the expiration of the period for making appointments, on a day jointly designated by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the study committee shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman and a vice chairman.  The vice chairman also shall serve as secretary and be responsible for keeping all records of the study committee.  A majority of the membership of the study committee shall constitute a quorum.  In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the study committee shall be required.  All members must be notified in writing of all meetings at least five (5) days before the date on which a meeting of the study committee is scheduled.

     (4)  Legislative members of the study committee shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same manner as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the study committee may be paid while the Legislature is in session.  Study committee members may not incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote at a meeting of the study committee, which action must be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.

     (5)  The study committee shall present a report with its recommendations and a preliminary plan, if necessary, to the Legislature not later than January 1, 2012.  After making that presentation to the Legislature, the study committee shall be dissolved.

     SECTION 6.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.


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