State agencies; allow to charge other agencies for short-term rental of event space., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Appropriations A

By: Representatives Read, Cockerham

House Bill 1651

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-203, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF
1972, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST A STATE AGENCY
CHARGING ANOTHER STATE AGENCY A FEE FOR ANY AGENCY FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT
EVENT SPACE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1.  Section
27-104-203, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-203.  From and after
July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee,
assessment, rent, audit fee, personnel fee or other charge for services or
resources received.  The provisions of this section shall not apply (a) to
grants, contracts, pass-through funds, project fees or other charges for
services between state agencies and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions
of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College
Board, any public community or junior college, and the State Department of
Education, nor (b) to charges for services between the Board of Trustees of
State Institutions of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi
Community College Board, any public community or junior college, and the State
Department of Education, nor (c) to federal grants, pass-through funds, cost
allocation charges, surplus property charges or project fees between state
agencies as approved or determined by the State Fiscal Officer, nor (d) to
telecommunications, data center services, and/or other information technology
services that are used on an as-needed basis and those costs shall be passed
through to the using agency, nor (e) to federal grants, special funds, or pass-through
funds, available for payment by state agencies to the Department of Finance and
Administration related to Mississippi Management and Reporting Systems (MMRS)
Statewide Application charges and utilities as approved or determined by the
State Fiscal Officer, nor (f) to grants, contracts, pass-through funds, project
fees or charges for services between the State Department of Health and the
State Department of Revenue, and other state agencies or entities, including,
but not limited to, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher
Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College Board, any
public community or junior college, and the State Department of Education, for
the operation of the medical cannabis program as established by the Mississippi
Medical Cannabis Act, nor (g) to charges between the Department of Human
Services and the Department of Child Protection Services for services or
resources received by either department from the other, nor (h) to charges
by a state agency to another state agency, public university, or public
community or junior college for the short-term rental of event space that is
owned, operated, or managed by the charging agency and made available for
rental to generate operating revenue, provided that the charge does not exceed
fifty percent (50%) of the rate customarily charged by the agency for
comparable use of the space.  The Board of Trustees of State Institutions
of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College
Board, any public community or junior college, and the State Department of
Education shall retain the authority to charge and be charged for expenditures
that they deemed nonrecurring in nature by the State Fiscal Officer.

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