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Mississippi Legislature· HB 325Approved by Governor (Chapter 302)

Lottery and gaming fees; revise distribution to State Highway Fund and Education Enhancement Fund., the official text

Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Mississippi Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. This is the enrolled version. The official bill page.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Transportation

By: Representative Massengill

House Bill 325

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-115-85, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972,
TO REQUIRE ALL LOTTERY PROCEEDS TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE HIGHWAY FUND AND
THE EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 75-76-129, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF
1972, TO DELETE THE REVERTER ON THE PROVISION OF LAW REQUIRING CERTAIN FEES
COLLECTED UNDER THE MISSISSIPPI GAMING CONTROL ACT AS A RESULT OF WAGERS ON
SPORTING EVENTS TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE HIGHWAY FUND AND USED SOLELY FOR
THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES; TO BRING FORWARD
SECTION 27-115-51, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE DEPOSIT OF
SALES FROM LOTTERY TICKETS, FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED
PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1.  Section
27-115-85, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-115-85. * * *Until June 30, 2028, All net proceeds
generated by the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law, created pursuant to
this chapter and deposited into the Lottery Proceeds Fund under Section 27-115-51(2),
except as otherwise provided in this section, shall be paid into the State
Highway Fund by warrant issued by the State Fiscal Officer upon requisition of
the State Transportation Commission as needed to provide funds to repair,
renovate and maintain highways and bridges of the state; however, funds paid
into the State Highway Fund under this section shall be first used for matching
federal funds authorized to the state pursuant to any federal highway
infrastructure program implemented after September 1, 2018.  However, all such
monies deposited into the Lottery Proceeds Fund over Eighty Million Dollars
($80,000,000.00) in a fiscal year shall be transferred into the Education
Enhancement Fund for the purposes of funding the Early Childhood Learning Collaborative,
the Classroom Supply Fund and/or other educational purposes. * * *From and after July 1, 2028, the net proceeds shall be
deposited into the Lottery Proceeds Fund and shall be transferred to the State
General Fund, except for the amounts over Eighty Million Dollars
($80,000,000.00) which shall continue to be deposited in the Education
Enhancement Fund as provided above.

SECTION 2.  Section
75-76-129, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

* * *[Through June 30, 2028, this section shall read as
follows:]

75-76-129.  (1)  On or
before the last day of each month all taxes, fees, interest, penalties,
damages, fines or other monies collected by the Department of Revenue during
that month under the provisions of this chapter, with the exception of (a) the
local government fees imposed under Section 75-76-195, and (b) an amount equal
to Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the revenue collected pursuant to
the fee imposed under Section 75-76-177(1)(c), and (c) the revenue collected
pursuant to the fee imposed under Section 75-76-177(1)(c) as a result of wagers
on sporting events shall be paid by the Department of Revenue to the State
Treasurer to be deposited in the State General Fund.  The local government fees
shall be distributed by the Department of Revenue pursuant to Section 75-76-197.

(2)  An amount equal to
Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the revenue collected during that
month pursuant to the fee imposed under Section 75-76-177(1)(c) shall be
deposited by the Department of Revenue into the bond sinking fund created in
Section 1(3) of Chapter 479, Laws of 2015.

(3)  Revenue collected
pursuant to the fee imposed under Section 75-76-177(1)(c) as a result of wagers
on sporting events shall be deposited into the State Highway Fund to be used
solely for the repair and maintenance of highways and bridges of the State of
Mississippi.  This revenue shall be used first for matching funds made
available to the state for such purposes pursuant to any federal highway
infrastructure program implemented after September 1, 2018.

* * *[From and after July 1, 2028, this section shall read as
follows:]

75‑76‑129.
On or before the last day of each month all taxes, fees, interest, penalties,
damages, fines or other monies collected by the Department of Revenue during
that month under the provisions of this chapter, with the exception of (a) the
local government fees imposed under Section 75‑76‑195, and (b) an
amount equal to Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the revenue collected
pursuant to the fee imposed under Section 75‑76‑177(1)(c) shall be
paid by the Department of Revenue to the State Treasurer to be deposited in the
State General Fund.  The local government fees shall be distributed by the
Department of Revenue pursuant to Section 75‑76‑197.  An amount
equal to Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) of the revenue collected during
that month pursuant to the fee imposed under Section 75‑76‑177(1)(c)
shall be deposited by the Department of Revenue into the bond sinking fund
created in Section 1(3) of Chapter 479, Laws of 2015.

SECTION 3.  Section
27-115-51, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

27-115-51.  (1)  (a)  All
monies received by the corporation from the sale of lottery tickets and all
other sources shall be deposited into a corporate operating account.  Such
account shall be established in a custodian financial institution domiciled in
the State of Mississippi and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation and collateralized as prescribed by Section 27-105-5.  The
corporation may use all monies in the corporate operating account for the
purposes of paying prizes and the necessary expenses of the corporation and
dividends to the state.  The corporation shall estimate and allocate the amount
to be paid by the corporation to prizewinners.

(b)  (i)  The
investment of monies in the corporate operating account, other than the amount
specifically required for the purchase of securities for payment of deferred
prizes, shall be invested in a manner prescribed by the board, consistent with
law.  Such securities purchased as investments by the corporation shall be
issued in the name of the corporation and shall be kept at a custodian
financial institution domiciled in the State of Mississippi insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

(ii)  The
investment of monies in the corporate operating account, other than the amount
specifically required for the purchase of securities for deferred prize
payments to winners, shall be invested only in securities in a manner
prescribed by the board, consistent with law.  Such securities purchased as
investments by the corporation shall be issued in the name of the corporation
and shall be safe kept at a custodian financial institution domiciled in the
State of Mississippi insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

(iii)  These
instruments may be in varying maturities and may be in book-entry form.

(iv)  For the
purpose of deferred prize payments to winners, the corporation shall purchase
or invest in only those securities prescribed by the board, consistent with
law.

(c)  Within twenty (20)
days following the close of each calendar month, the corporation shall transfer
to the Lottery Proceeds Fund in the State Treasury the amount of net proceeds.

(d)
The apportionment of the total gross revenues accruing from the sale of lottery
tickets or shares and from all other sources shall be as follows:

(i)
The payment of prizes to the holders of winning lottery tickets or
shares which in any case shall be no less than fifty percent (50%) of the total
gross revenues accruing from the sale of lottery tickets.

(ii)
The payment of costs incurred in the operation and administration of the
lottery, including the expenses of the corporation and the costs resulting from
any contract or contracts entered into for promotional, advertising or
operational services or for the purchase or lease of lottery equipment and
materials, which in no case shall exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total
gross revenues accruing from the sale of lottery tickets.  However, this
restriction shall not apply until after the first twelve (12) months of revenue
generation.

(2)  A Lottery Proceeds Fund
is hereby established in the State Treasury.  Net proceeds shall be deposited
into this fund as provided in subsection (1) of this section.  Monies deposited
into the Lottery Proceeds Fund shall be invested by the state in accordance
with state investment practices, and all earnings from such investments shall
accrue to this account.  No monies shall be allotted or expended from this
account unless pursuant to a warrant issued as provided under Section 27-115-85.

SECTION 4.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
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