Private Acts of 1939 Chapter 129

SECTION 1.  The Board of Education of Hawkins County, Tennessee, shall be composed of seven (7) members, one to be elected from each of the seven (7) county commission districts as set and determined by the Hawkins County Legislative Body.  Candidates must meet eligibility requirements as prescribed by statute, must be residents of the district for which they are elected, and shall be elected by the residents of the county commission district in which they reside.

SECTION 2.  Election of members of the board of education shall be held at the August General Election and shall be conducted on a non-partisan basis.  A person seeking a position on the board may not campaign as the nominee or representative of a political party.

SECTION 3. The members of the board shall be elected for a term of four (4) years, and may succeed themselves.  Incumbents shall serve as members from the district in which they reside and shall complete the term for which they were elected.  The first election, pursuant to this act, shall be held in August 2002.  In order to establish staggered terms of office as required by law, at the August 2002 election, the members from District 3, 4, 6 and 7 shall be elected for a term of four (4) years.  At the August 2004 election the members from District 1, 2, and 5 shall be elected for a term of four (4) years.

SECTION 4. Vacancies occurring on the board shall be filled by the Hawkins County Legislative Body, as provided by law, until a successor is elected at the next general election.  If a member of the board should cease to reside in the district from which such member was elected, the office shall be declared vacant and shall be filled as provided in this section.

SECTION 5. The duties of the members of the board of education shall be as prescribed by the general laws of the state of Tennessee.

SECTION 6.  Compensation for members of the board of education shall be as previously and as hereinafter set by the Hawkins County Legislative Body.

SECTION 7.  If any section, or portion of this act is held to be unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of this act.

SECTION 8.  This act shall have no effect until it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Hawkins County Legislative Body.  Its approval or non-approval shall be proclaimed by the presiding officer of the Hawkins County Legislative Body and certified by the presiding officer of the Hawkins County Legislative Body to the Secretary of State.

SECTION 9.  For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall be effective upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.  For all other purposes, it shall become effective upon being approved as provided in Section 3 aforesaid.

Passed:  February 2, 1939.