Tishomingo County Water District; revise provisions relating to compensation and reimbursement., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Public Utilities

By: Representative Carpenter

House Bill 1558

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 19-5-171, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972,
TO STIPULATE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE TISHOMINGO COUNTY WATER DISTRICT
SHALL BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR SERVICES AT A RATE UP TO $84.00 PER DAY UNDER
CERTAIN CONDITIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1.  Section
19-5-171, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-171.  (1)  Every
resident citizen of the county in which is located in any district
created under Sections 19-5-151 through 19-5-207, of good reputation, being the
owner of land or the conductor of a business situated within the district and
being over twenty-five (25) years of age and of sound mind and judgment, shall
be eligible to hold the office of commissioner.

(2)  Except as provided in
Section 19-5-164(3), each person appointed or elected as a commissioner, before
entering upon the discharge of the duties of the person's office, shall be
required to execute a bond payable to the State of Mississippi in the penal sum
of not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) conditioned that the
person will faithfully discharge the duties of the office.  Each bond shall be
approved by the clerk of the board of supervisors and filed with the clerk.

(3)  Each commissioner shall
take and subscribe to an oath of office prescribed in Section 268, Mississippi
Constitution of 1890, before the clerk of the board of supervisors that the
person will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of commissioner,
which oath shall also be filed with the clerk and preserved with the official
bond.

(4)  Except as provided in
subsection (5), the commissioners so appointed or elected and qualified shall
be compensated for their services for each meeting of the board of commissioners
attended, either regular or special, at a rate to be fixed by the board of
supervisors, not to exceed the rate established in Section 25-3-69 for officers
of state boards, commissions and agencies, and shall be reimbursed for all
expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their official duties in
accordance with Section 25-3-41.  However, in no one (1) calendar year shall
any commissioner be compensated for more than twenty-four (24) meetings.

(5)  (a)  The commissioners
of the Hancock County Water and Sewer District shall be compensated for their
services at a rate up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per day for each meeting
of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or special, and shall be
reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their
official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

(b)  The commissioners
of the Kiln Utility and Fire District of Hancock County shall be compensated
for their services at a rate up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per day for
each meeting of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or special,
and shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge
of their official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

(c)  The commissioners
of the Pearlington Water and Sewer District of Hancock County shall be
compensated for their services at a rate up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per
day for each meeting of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or
special, and shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the
discharge of their official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

(d)  The commissioners
of the Diamondhead Water and Sewer District of Hancock County shall be compensated
for their services at a rate up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per day for
each meeting of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or special,
and shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge
of their official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

(e)  The commissioners
of the Hancock County Solid Waste Authority shall be compensated for their
services at a rate up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per day for each meeting
of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or special, and shall be
reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their
official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

(f)  The
commissioners of the Tishomingo County Water District shall be compensated for
their services at a rate of up to Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00) per day for each
meeting of the board of commissioners attended, either regular or special, and
shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of
their official duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41.

SECTION 2.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.