Bill Text: MS HB945 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program; create.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2015-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB945 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2015-HB945-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Agriculture; Appropriations

By: Representative Gunn

House Bill 945

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL VETERINARIANS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL VETERINARIANS SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DUTIES FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION; TO REQUIRE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED AREAS IN MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPAYMENT OF ALL SCHOLARSHIP MONIES IF THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT PRACTICE IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA WITHIN MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  There is established the Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program for the purpose of identifying and recruiting qualified university and college students from rural areas of the state for veterinary school matriculation. SECTION 2.  (1)  The Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program shall be administered by a commission to be known as the "Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Commission."  The commission shall be directed by a board composed of the following members:

          (a)  Two (2) veterinarians appointed by and from the membership of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, the term of which shall be three (3) years and may be reappointed for one (1) additional term;

          (b)  Two (2) designees of the Dean of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine whose terms are at the discretion of the dean, at least one (1) of whom is a member of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine academic affairs faculty and staff;

          (c)  Two (2) veterinary medicine students, both of whom shall be selected yearly through a process developed by the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine in consultation with the academic affairs faculty.

          (d)  A member of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning; and

          (e)  The Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

     (3)  Vacancies on the commission must be filled in a manner consistent with the original appointments.

     (4)  All appointments to the commission must be made no later than September 1, 2015.  After all the members are appointed the Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences shall set a date for the organizational meeting that is mutually acceptable to the majority of the commission members.  The organizational meeting shall be for the purposes of organizing the commission and establishing rules for transacting its business.  A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum at all commission meetings.  An affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting shall be required in the adoption of rules, reports and in any other actions taken by the commission. At the organizational meeting, the commission shall elect a chair and vice chair from the members appointed according to paragraphs (a) through (e) of subsection (1).  The chair shall serve for a term of two (2) years, upon the expiration of which the vice chair shall assume the office of chair.

     (5)  After the organizational meeting, the commission shall hold no less than two (2) meetings annually.

     (6)  The commission may form an executive committee for the purpose of transacting business that must be conducted before the next regularly scheduled meeting of the commission.  All actions taken by the executive committee must be ratified by the commission at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

     (7)  Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed, subject to the availability of funding, for mileage and actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the commission.

     SECTION 3.  The Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

          (a)  Developing the administrative policy for the commission and the Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program;

          (b)  Promulgating rules and regulations, with the advice and consent of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, pertaining to the implementation and operation of the Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program;

          (c)  Developing and implementing strategies and activities for the identification and recruitment of students and for marketing the program and for the implementation of the program;

          (d)  Establishing a budget, with the advice and consent of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, to support the activities of the program and periodically reviewing and if appropriate, revising, the scholarship and other stipends offered through the program;

          (e)  Advising the College of Veterinary Medicine regarding hiring an executive director and support staff necessary for the commission's work.  The commission shall nominate at least two (2) individuals to serve as executive director;

          (f)  Reviewing participants progress in the program and mentoring students and veterinarians participating in the program;

          (g)  Developing and participating in programs that provide initial practice support in collaboration with other interested professional organizations; and

          (h)  The commission shall have the authority through use of generally applicable definitions, to designate an area of the state as underserved or rural.  The method by which these designations shall be made shall be contained in rules and regulations promulgated by the commission.

     SECTION 4.  (1)  The commission shall develop and implement policies and procedures designed to recruit, identify and enroll undergraduate students who demonstrate necessary interest, commitment, aptitude and academic achievement to pursue careers as veterinarians in rural or underserved areas of Mississippi, and to develop and implement the programs designed to foster successful entry of participants into veterinary school, completion of veterinary school and establishment and maintenance of a career in veterinary medicine in a rural or underserved area of Mississippi.

     (2)  The commission, in conjunction with the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, shall have the authority to provide students selected for scholarship funding with faculty mentors and other programs designed to enhance the students' likelihood of admission to the veterinary college.  The commission and the College of Veterinary Medicine will develop coursework that will provide scholarship students with the skills necessary for sustained and successful veterinary practice in rural Mississippi.

     (3)  Each applicant for admission to the program must submit an application to the commission that conforms to requirements established by the commission.

     (4)  In selecting participants for the program, the board may only accept an applicant if his or her academic record and other characteristics, if given consideration by the College of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Committee, would be considered credible and competitive.

     (5)  An applicant for the program may be admitted only upon a majority vote of the members of the commission.

     (6)  Not more than four (4) students will be admitted to the Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program each year.

     SECTION 5.  (1)  Participants must adhere to the policies and practices as stipulated by the commission to continue in the program.

     (2)  Students in the program may receive tuition or other financial support that may be provided by the commission, not to exceed Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) per year for up to a maximum of four (4) years.  If the student breaches their agreement with the commission, all financial assistance provided to the student must be repaid according to policies adopted by the board.

     (3)  For each year that a student in veterinary school receives financial assistance, the student is obligated for one (1) year of practice as a veterinarian in a rural or underserved area in Mississippi.  Breach of the agreement at any stage of training shall invoke the repayment of all financial assistance provided to the student through the Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program, along with other penalties that may be prescribed in policy by the commission.

     SECTION 6.  The Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program, acting through the commission, shall make every effort to establish an initial practice entry support system for participants in the program.

     SECTION 7.  This chapter may not be construed as granting the Mississippi Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program or its governing commission any governing or administrative authority over any program administered by any college, university, veterinary school or residency program in this state or any other program established by state law.

     SECTION 8.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.

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