SB 2687

AN ACT TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL ATTORNEY PROGRAM ACT; TO DEFINE TERMS; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL ATTORNEYS PROGRAM WITHIN THE MISSISSIPPI BAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING AND RECRUITING QUALIFIED ATTORNEYS TO PRACTICE LAW IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED AREAS; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL ATTORNEYS COMMISSION WITHIN THE MISSISSIPPI BAR; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSION SHALL BE DIRECTED BY A BOARD; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION AND PROCEDURES OF THE BOARD; TO SET FORTH THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD; TO DIRECT THE COMMISSION, THROUGH THE USE OF GENERALLY APPLICABLE DEFINITIONS, TO DESIGNATE AREAS OF THE STATE AS RURAL AND UNDERSERVED; TO PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR ADMISSION INTO THE PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE FOR A MINIMUM NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS TO THE PROGRAM EACH YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT A PARTICIPANT ADMITTED TO THE PROGRAM SHALL RECEIVE A STIPEND FROM THE COMMISSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING A LAW FIRM IN A RURAL AND UNDERSERVED AREA OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A PARTICIPANT PRACTICES LAW IN A RURAL AND UNDERSERVED AREA OF MISSISSIPPI FOR FIVE YEARS THE STIPEND SHALL BE FORGIVEN; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ESTABLISH A PRACTICE SUPPORT SYSTEM AND MENTORSHIPS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.