AN ACT TO REENACT SECTIONS 37-159-1, 37-159-5, 37-159-7, 37-159-9, 37-159-11, 37-159-13 AND 37-159-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MISSISSIPPI CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE ACT OF 1998 AND INCLUDE THE UNIVERSITY ASSISTED TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GRANT PROGRAM, THE MISSISSIPPI EMPLOYER-ASSISTED HOUSING TEACHER PROGRAM, AND A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF RENTAL HOUSING FOR TEACHERS IN THE WEST TALLAHATCHIE SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO AMEND SECTION 37-159-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE MISSISSIPPI CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE ACT OF 1998; TO AMEND SECTION 37-106-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE AWARD CRITERIA OF THE WILLIAM F. WINTER AND JACK REED, SR., TEACHER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE FINANCIAL AID BOARD SHALL DEVELOP RULES FOR ENSURING THAT EXPENSES OF THE PROGRAM IN A FISCAL YEAR DO NOT EXCEED FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM IN THAT FISCAL YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE FINANCIAL AID BOARD MAY LIMIT THE ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS AND MAY LIMIT THE NUMBER OF AWARDS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS WHO HAVE AT LEAST 30 YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE IN THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, WHO WERE EMPLOYED AS PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AT THE TIME OF THEIR RETIREMENT AND WHO HAVE BEEN RETIRED AT LEAST 90 DAYS AND RECEIVING A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE, MAY BE EMPLOYED AS TEACHERS IN CERTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AFTER THEIR RETIREMENT AND RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE FROM THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM DURING THEIR EMPLOYMENT AS TEACHERS IN ADDITION TO A SET SALARY; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH RETIRED TEACHERS SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO RETURN TO TEACHING AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE A RETIREMENT BENEFIT FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE YEARS; TO STIPULATE THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH AVAIL THEMSELVES OF REEMPLOYING RETIRED TEACHERS TO PERS; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY TIME WORKED BY A RETIRED TEACHER IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS LESS THAN A FULL CONTRACTUAL TERM OF TRADITIONAL TEACHERS SHALL CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE FIVE YEARS OF POST-RETIREMENT TEACHING ELIGIBILITY AND THE SALARY AUTHORIZED FOR SUCH INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE PRORATED FOR ANY TIME WORKED LESS THAN A FULL ACADEMIC YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT A RETIRED TEACHER SHALL NOT BE RESTRICTED TO TEACHING IN ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR HIS OR HER PERIOD OF POST-RETIREMENT TEACHING ELIGIBILITY; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY EMPLOY RETIRED TEACHERS BASED ON CERTAIN CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE CRITERIA DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MINIMUM SALARY FOR RETIRED TEACHERS RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM; TO ALLOW RETIRED TEACHERS WHO HAD RECEIVED NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION PRIOR TO RETIREMENT TO CONTINUE RECEIVING THE ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT FOR SUCH CERTIFICATION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-123 AND 25-11-127, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; TO AMEND SECTION 37-41-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE SCHOOL BOARDS TO ALLOW MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN SCHOOL BUSES TO BE USED TO TRANSPORT SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS FOR SCHOOL-RELATED ACTIVITIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 37-159-19
As Passed by the House: 37-159-19
Approved by the Governor: 37-159-19, 37-106-36, 37-19-7, 25-11-123, 25-11-127, 37-41-27