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H. B. No. 1197 *HR26/R831* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R831
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To: State Affairs;
Accountability, Efficiency,
Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Hobgood-Wilkes
HOUSE BILL NO. 1197
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 39-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REVISE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY 2
BOARD OF TRUSTEES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 39-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
39-5-3. The Department of Archives and History shall be 7
under the control of a board of nine (9) trustees. * * * From and 8
after July 1, 2026, the board shall be reconstituted to consist of 9
nine (9) trustees, eight (8) trustees from each of the four (4) 10
congressional districts, two (2) trustees from each district, as 11
such districts existed on July 1, 2026, and one (1) trustee to be 12
selected from the state at large, all of whom shall be appointed 13
by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The 14
initial appointments to the board shall be for staggered terms, to 15
be designated by the Governor at the time of appointment as 16
follows: two (2) trustees to serve for five (5) years, two (2) 17
trustees to serve for four (4) years, two (2) trustees to serve 18
H. B. No. 1197 *HR26/R831* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Department of Archives and History; revise
board of trustees of.
for three (3) years, two (2) trustees to serve for two (2) years, 19
and one (1) member, the at-large trustee, to serve for one (1) 20
year. When the board is reconstituted on July 1, 2026, all 21
trustees serving on the board on that date shall continue to serve 22
for a term of one (1) year. After the initial appointments, all 23
trustees chosen to succeed the present members or their successors 24
shall serve for a term of six (6) years. The board of trustees 25
shall hold at the State Capitol at least one (1) regular meeting 26
during the year, and as many special meetings as may be necessary, 27
and at * * * those meetings five (5) members shall constitute a 28
quorum. The Director of the Department of Archives and History, 29
hereinafter provided, shall be secretary of the board. The 30
trustees shall receive no compensation for their services other 31
than the amount of their necessary expenses actually paid out 32
while in attendance on the meetings of the board or the business 33
of the department. The board is empowered to adopt rules for its 34
own government and for the government of the department, to elect 35
and fix the compensation of a director not to exceed the maximum 36
set by the Legislature, and other officials or employees, and to 37
do and perform such other acts and things as may be necessary to 38
carry out the true intent and purposes of this chapter. 39
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 40
and after July 1, 2026. 41