MS HC17

Amends Section 203 of the Mississippi Constitution to replace the appointed State Board of Education with an elected board beginning January 6, 2020.

Changes board composition from nine appointed members to five elected members: one from each of the four congressional districts and one elected at-large.

Board members are elected at general elections in November 2019 and every four years thereafter, using the same procedures as gubernatorial elections.

A board member may be removed by a three-fifths vote of the Mississippi House of Representatives, followed by a special election to fill the vacancy.

Freezes new appointments to the current board as of June 30, 2019, with existing members serving until the newly elected board takes office in January 2020.