2003 SESSION
MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jackson, Mississippi
Mid-April 2003
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2003 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
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www.mississippiwebsite.com/legislativecorrupt.htm
Green: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/green.htm
McBride: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/mcbride.htm
Denny: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/denny.htm
Ellzey: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/ellzey.htm
Gadd: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/gadd.htm
Nettles: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/nettles.htm
Read: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/read.htm
Watson: http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/watson.htm
HERE ARE SOME OTHER LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2003 SESSION:
HB 859 requires the Department of Education to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of establishing pre-kindergarten programs and mandating kindergarten. In addition, the Department is directed to study optional graduation diplomas and to report annually on the graduation and dropout rates based on grades 7-12 and grades 9-12 cohort groups, statewide and by district.
SB 2636 establishes an Oversight Committee to conduct an assessment of all pre-kindergarten structured school or school readiness programs, including pilot programs, operated by a public, private or parochial school or a Head Start Program in the state. The Oversight Committee will submit a report of the findings of the assessment and any recommendations based on these findings to the Legislature no later than January 15, 2004.
SB 2339 authorizes local school districts to establish health/physical education advisory councils to make local recommendations regarding health and physical education standards. In addition, the local advisory council may assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district’s health and physical education instruction.
SB 2394 provides that the Compulsory School Attendance Law will apply to five year olds who have enrolled in full day public school kindergarten programs. A parent shall be allowed to de-enroll a child from the program once without the child being deemed a compulsory school student until the child reaches the age of six.
SB 2587 requires school bus drivers to open the service door and driver’s window and listen for approaching trains when stopping at railroad crossings. Failure to follow these procedures may result in a fine of not less that $100 nor more than $250.
SB 2236 creates the Mississippi State Employee Management Training Act to increase efficiency and economy in government by improving the management functions of agencies. The program shall include the Basic Supervisory Training Course, the Certified Public Manager Program and Executive Seminars. All participants will be eligible for educational benchmarks upon completion of the programs. The act could also help the state find new managers at a time when many state agency administrators are nearing retirement age.
SB 2400 authorizes the governor to assess vulnerabilities and capabilities in the state as it pertains to the nation and state’s security and homeland defense. It also clarifies that the prices ordinarily charged for comparable goods or services in the same market area do not include temporarily discounted goods or services. The same market area does not necessarily mean a single provider of goods or services.
HB 454 creates a civil penalty on public bodies for willfully violating the Open Meetings Law. There is a penalty of $100 plus all reasonable legal expenses of the party bringing a lawsuit to enforce the law. Also, HB 583 brings teleconference and video meetings under the Open Meetings Law. There must be a 30-day notice of such a meeting, except for emergency meetings.
HB 637 adds chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction to laws governing bomb threats and unlawful use of explosives.
HB 971 mandates that all drug-related deaths must be reported to the state Bureau of Narcotics.
SB 2348 requires the Department of Corrections to extract a DNA sample from all convicted felons.
HB 1077 provides criminal background checks for certain health-care workers.
SB 2446 creates the criminal offense of fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer and creates a commission to study a policy on police pursuit chases.
HB 800 allows for the creation of teen courts, a crime preventive program for youths 13-17 years old. The teen court is authorized to require eligible offenders who choose to go to teen court in lieu of youth court to perform up to 112 hours of community service, make a personal apology to a victim, submit a research paper on any relevant subject, attend counseling and make restitution or any other disposition authorized by the youth court.
HB 1113 provides a market for residential property insurance in all areas of the state.
HB 1312 exempts a sponsor or advertiser of an event from being held liable for negligence if he does not exercise any control or supervision over any aspect of the event.
SB 2628 provides a temporary market for medical malpractice insurance for physicians and other personnel and for hospitals, institutions for the aged or infirm or other health-care facilities licensed by the state. This is in response to the lack of access to the insurance in some areas. It is not intended that the insurance plan authorized by this act shall become a permanent facility.
HB 860 permits local governments to donate to non-profit primary health-care clinics designed to offer help to citizens who are temporarily unemployed or have no access to health insurance.
HB 46 waives out-of-state college tuition for non-resident military veterans born in Mississippi.
HB 651 updates the state's Administrative Procedures Act to allow more accessibility to rules of state agencies. It provides legislative oversight of powers and duties delegated to agencies; increases public accountability of agencies; increases public access to governmental information; and allows more public participation in the formulation of administrative rules.
SB 2979 gives tax credits to companies providing the infrastructure necessary for bringing high-speed Internet access to all areas of the state.
SB 2445 requires telephone solicitors to purchase the “no-calls” database from the commission or the entity under contract with the commission before making telephone solicitation calls. Some types of charitable calls are exempt as well as some made between persons with a bonafide business relationship.
SB 2001 restores the state's lead-paint program by meeting federal mandates on environmental self-audits.
SB 2682 prohibits the importing of any wildlife that may be susceptible to chronic wasting disease, which has the capability of killing huge numbers of white-tailed deer.
The 2004 regular session begins Jan. 6.