Bill Text: MS SB2633 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum; establish commission to select site and employ director.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-4)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [SB2633 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-SB2633-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Public Property

By: Senator(s) Horhn, Simmons, Blount, Butler (36th), Butler (38th), Dawkins, Jackson (11th), Jordan, Jones, Powell, Jackson (32nd), Harden, Baria, Lee (35th), Clarke, Hopson, Frazier, Chassaniol, Turner

Senate Bill 2633

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM; TO ESTABLISH A MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM COMMISSION AND DEFINE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES; TO DIRECT THE COMMISSION TO SELECT A SITE FOR THE MUSEUM AND TO EMPLOY A DIRECTOR AND CURATOR; TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A PERMANENT GOVERNING BOARD FOR THE MUSEUM WHICH SHALL BE A NONPROFIT CORPORATION; TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  (1)  A facility to house the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shall be located in the State of Mississippi, on a site selected by the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Commission established under this section.

     (2)  There is hereby established a Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Commission (commission) which shall be comprised of the following members:

          (a)  The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History;

          (b)  The Director of Tourism of the Mississippi Development Authority;

          (c)  The President of Tougaloo College, or her designee;

          (d)  The President of Alcorn State University, or his designee;

          (e)  The President of Jackson State University, or her designee;

          (f)  The President of Mississippi Valley State University, or his designee;

          (g)  The President of Rust College, or his designee;

          (h)  Two (2) representatives of the Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, Inc.;

          (i)  One (1) representative of the Fannie Lou Hamer Institute;

          (j)  The Director of the William F. Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation;

          (k)  Four (4) appointees of the Governor, one (1) from each Mississippi Congressional District;

          (l)  Two (2) appointees of the Lieutenant Governor from the state at large; and

          (m)  Two (2) appointees of the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the state at large, who shall serve in a nonvoting capacity.

     The chairman of the commission shall be appointed by the Governor.  The commission shall meet on a date announced by the Governor and shall organize for business by adopting rules of procedure.  The Mississippi Department of Archives and History shall provide administrative support to the commission and serve as fiscal agent for the commission.  Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for attending meetings of the commission, however, members who are not public employees may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in attending meetings of the commission from any funds available for that purpose.

     (3)  The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Commission shall have the following specific responsibilities and powers:

          (a)  To determine the permanent site location of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum;

          (b)  To define the mission of the museum, which shall specifically include a depiction of the role of music in the Civil Rights Movement;

          (c)  To employ a Director Collection Curator for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum;

          (d)  To begin preplanning and the initial construction of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum which shall include the development of a collection plan and policies;

          (e)  To lease necessary office space and lease appropriate storage for temporary use pending construction of the museum;

          (f)  To establish a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a board of directors to serve as the permanent governance for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.  To create bylaws for the corporation and for the operation of the museum.  No later than January 1, 2012, the commission shall transfer control and management of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to the board of directors of the nonprofit corporation;

          (g)  To make application for and implement necessary criteria for accreditation of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum by the American Association of Museums; and

          (h)  To request funds from private sources for the preplanning, construction and initial operation of the museum.

     (4)  A special fund to be designated as the "Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Fund" is created in the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, and shall consist of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Commission or the nonprofit corporation established by the commission, by the Legislature or any other public or private source.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund shall be disbursed, in the discretion of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Commission or the nonprofit corporation established by the commission, to pay the costs of preplanning, constructing and operating the museum.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.