Bill Text: MS SB2708 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Municipal officials; provide mandatory education and training requirements.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-03 - Died In Committee [SB2708 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-SB2708-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Municipalities; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) England
Senate Bill 2708
AN ACT TO PROVIDE MANDATORY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI MUNICIPAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WHICH SHALL DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM FOR THE MANDATORY EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) For purposes of this section, "municipal official" means any person serving in the capacity of any of the following on behalf of a municipality: mayor, alderman, commissioner or council member.
(2) Except as otherwise provided herein, no municipal official elected or appointed for a full term of office commencing on or after July 1, 2020, shall exercise the functions of his or her office or be eligible to take the oath of office until he or she has filed in the office of the municipal clerk the following certification: a certificate of completion of a course of training and education approved by the Mississippi Municipal Training and Development Committee. A municipal official who has completed the course of training and education, and who is then elected or appointed for a succeeding term of office subsequent to the initial term for which he or she completed the training course, shall not be required to repeat the basic training and education course upon reelection or appointment but shall be subject to the continuing education requirements.
(3) In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, after taking office, each municipal official shall be required to file annually in the office of the municipal clerk a certificate of completion of a course of continuing education approved by the Mississippi Municipal Training and Development Committee.
(4) After December 1, 2020, and each year thereafter, each municipal clerk shall notify the Mississippi Municipal Training and Development Committee of the name of any municipal official who has not complied with the requirements of this act. The Mississippi Municipal Training and Development Committee shall not provide such municipal official with a certificate of completion of coursework until such time that the municipal official is in compliance with the training requirements of this act.
SECTION 2. (1) For purposes of this section, the term "municipal official" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of this act.
(2) There is created the Mississippi Municipal Training and Development Committee which shall be composed of the following members:
(a) One (1) member from the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University to be designated by the director of the institute and who shall serve as chairperson of the committee.
(b) Two (2) members from the Mississippi Municipal League designated by its executive director.
(3) The purpose of the committee is to recommend a program of professional education for municipal officials. The program shall be offered at the beginning of each term of office for municipal officials and may be offered more frequently at the discretion of the committee. The committee shall design the curriculum of the program which may include courses offered by other entities in the state. At a minimum, the curriculum should include courses related to the following: municipal finance, emergency management, zoning and planning, local and private laws, and interactions with state and federal governments.
(4) The basic course of training shall be known as the "Municipal Official Training Course" and shall consist of eight (8) hours of training. The continuing education course shall be known as the "Continuing Education Course for Municipal Officials," and shall consist of three (3) hours of training. The content of the basic and continuing education courses and when and where such courses are to be conducted shall be determined by the committee. The committee shall issue certificates of completion to those municipal officials who complete such courses.
(5) All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic and continuing education courses shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the committee upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature, or by the individual municipalities.
SECTION 3. This act shall only apply to incorporated municipalities with a population of at least ten thousand (10,000) residents.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2020.
