(1)

(a) The Mississippi Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center shall prepare and conduct courses of training for basic and continuing education for justice court judges of this state. The basic course of training shall be known as the “Justice Court Judge Training Course” and shall consist of eighty (80) hours of training. The continuing education course shall be known as the “Continuing Education Course for Justice Court Judges,” and shall consist of twenty-four (24) hours of training. The content of the basic and continuing education courses and when and where such courses are to be conducted shall be determined by the Judicial College. The Judicial College shall issue certificates of completion to those justice court judges who complete such courses.

(b) The Mississippi Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center shall prepare and administer a minimum competency examination, as approved by the Mississippi Supreme Court, upon completion of the required basic course of training for justice court judges. If an elected justice court judge fails to complete the examination or fails the examination, there shall be a remedial twenty-four-hour course to be followed by a second opportunity for the justice court judge to achieve a passing score on the minimum competency examination.

(2) All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic and continuing education courses, the remedial basic course, and the minimum competency examination provided for in subsection (1) of this section shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the Judicial College upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature.

(3) The competency examination requirements in Sections 9-11-3 and 9-11-4 shall not apply to any sitting justice court judge as of July 24, 2008.