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: Appropriations D; Appropriations A By: Representatives Mims, Read, Barton, Cockerham, Faulkner, Hood, McKnight, Rushing, Watson House Bill 1924 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Office of the Attorney General for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.......................... ............................................ $ 33,974,056.00. SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Office of the Attorney General which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the office, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the office for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.................................................. ............................................ $ 44,248,184.00. SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, not more than the following amount of funds, with the exception of the provisions in this section, shall be expended only for “Personal Services,” which includes “Vacancy Funding,” for the following authorized number of employment headcount: FUNDING: General Funds: $ 26,225,588.00 Special Funds: $ 4,843,690.00 Total Funds: $ 31,069,278.00 PERSONAL SERVICES: Employee Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits: $ 30,836,382.00 Progressions: $ 0.00 Vacancy Funding: $ 232,896.00 Total Personal Services: $ 31,069,278.00 AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 91 Time-Limited: 209 As used in this section, the term “Personal Services” shall mean funds provided under the major object of expenditure category Personal Services for Salaries, Wages, and Fringe Benefits. Funds in this category shall not be transferred to any other category. It is the intention of the Legislature to ensure compliance with the Variable Compensation Plan, as outlined in Section 25-9-147, Mississippi Code of 1972. Payment from these funds shall be in accordance with the Variable Compensation Plan promulgated by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. It is the Legislature’s intention that no employee’s salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. The State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annual cost of “Personal Services” based on monthly and year-to-date payroll expenditures in compliance with the provisions of this act. With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that no single personnel action or combination of personnel actions, when annualized, exceeds the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriation for “Personal Services” with the exception of escalated funds. Further, it shall be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that funds required to be appropriated for “Personal Services” for Fiscal Year 2028 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2027 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. If, at the time the agency takes any action to change “Personal Services,” the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken or will take an action that would cause the agency to exceed the funds appropriated in this act when annualized for Fiscal Year 2027 or increase the need for “Personal Services” for Fiscal Year 2028, when annualized, the State Personnel Board shall process no salary actions until such time as the requirements of the provisions of this section are met with the exception of new hires determined to be essential for the agency. When used in this section, “Vacancy Funding” shall mean funds included in the Total Personal Services amount listed above and designated for approved vacancies in Fiscal Year 2027. These funds are to be utilized to increase the number of filled headcounts that were authorized but unfilled as of the last day of Fiscal Year 2026. If the agency fills additional headcounts after March 1, 2026, until the end of Fiscal Year 2026, the amount of available Vacancy Funding may be proportionally adjusted to reflect the updated number of filled headcounts. The agency shall be responsible for ensuring that “Vacancy Funding” is used to increase headcounts and not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary adjustments, or any other mechanism for increasing salaries for current employees. Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions or increase the Personal Services total without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or headcounts without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level. Unless specifically noted, all Fiscal Year 2026 escalated headcounts have been accounted for and shall be converted to authorized time-limited headcounts. No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. If the agency’s total authorized headcount decreases from Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2027, it will be the agency’s discretion as to what headcounts are removed. SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Office of the Attorney General shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2026. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. SECTION 5. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below: FY2027 Performance Measures Target Supportive Services Cost of Support Services as Percent of Budget 5.50 Training Ratings of Continuing Legal Education Training Presentation by Participants 95.00 Ratings of CRIMES System Training Presentation by Participants 0.00 Litigation Minimum Affirmations of Criminal Convictions 95.00 Minimum Affirmations of Death Penalty Appeals 90.00 Minimum Denial of Relief in Federal Habeas Corpus 100.00 Minimum Pos Results of Civil Cases 96.00 Percent Change of Affirmations of Criminal Convictions Attained 0.00 Percent Change of Death Penalty Review Cases Affirmed 0.00 Percent of Change of Appeals for Relief in Federal Habeas Corpus Cases Denied 0.00 Percent Change of Positive Results from Civil Cases 1.00 Opinions Percent Assigned to Attorneys in 3 Days or Less 100.00 Percent of Opinions Completed in 30 Days or Less 75.00 Percent Change of Opinion Requests Assigned to Attorneys within 3 Days or Less 0.00 Percent Change of Opinion Requests Completed within 30 Days or Less 0.00 State Agency Contracts Percent of Good and Excellent Ratings for Legal Services 100.00 Percent Change of Good/Excellent Ratings for Legal Services 0.00 Insurance Integrity Enforcement Minimum Positive Results of Workers' Compensation Cases 99.00 Minimum Positive Results of Insurance Cases 99.00 Percent Change of Positive Results of Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud 0.00 Percent Change of Positive Results of Other Insurance Cases 0.00 Other Mandated Programs Medicaid Fraud Convictions vs Dispositions 100.00 Medicaid Abuse Convictions vs Dispositions 95.00 Minimum Defendants Convicted after Indictments (PID) 95.00 Response to Consumer Complaints (Days) 5 Average Number of Days to Respond to Consumer Complaints 5 Percent Change of Medicaid Fraud Convictions vs Dispositions 0.00 Percent Change of Medicaid Abuse Convictions vs Dispositions 0.00 Percent Change of Defendants Convicted After Indictment 0.00 Crime Victims Compensation Percent of Claims Processed in 12 Weeks or Less 75.00 Percent Change of Claims Processed Timely 0.00 Telephone "no-call" Number of No-Call Complaints 12,000 Registered Telephone Solicitors (Number of) 64 Total Telephone Customers Served (Number of) 13,000 Solicitors Accessed Penalties 1 Penalties Collected 10,000 A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 2028. SECTION 6. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, funds included therein which are derived from penalties and/or other funds collected by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit shall be available for the purpose of providing the state match for federal funds available for the support of the unit, or for other lawful purposes as deemed appropriate by the Attorney General. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that any penalties and/or other funds collected and/or expended shall be accounted for separately as to source and/or application of such funds. SECTION 7. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, the amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be made available for expenditure by the Prosecutors Training Division. SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, the sum of Six Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($680,000.00) is provided from the Department of Health for the Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement Unit. SECTION 9. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, it is the intention of the Legislature that Five Million Seven Hundred Twenty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-three Dollars ($5,727,583.00) may be allocated for the programs supported from General Fund court assessments as follows: State Prosecutor Education................. $ 662,582.00 Crime Victims Compensation................. $ 1,901,332.00 Vulnerable Persons Training, Invest and Prosecution Trust..................... $ 565,165.00 Child Support Prosecution Trust............. $ 128,475.00 Law Enforcement & Firefighters Disability Benefits Trust........................ $ 133,666.00 Cyber Crime Unit........................... $ 944,722.00 Domestic Violence Training................. $ 376,580.00 Children's Advocacy Centers................ $ 554,489.00 Crime Victims Compensation Admin............ $ 347,547.00 Motorcycle Officer Training................ $ 100,000.00 District Attorney Operations............... $ 13,025.00 It is the intention of the Legislature that the Attorney General’s Office shall prepare and submit a quarterly report to the Chairmen of the Appropriation Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives that details the expenditures made for programs supported from General Fund court assessments allocated in this section. This report shall be submitted no later than the 15th day of the month succeeding the end of each calendar quarter. SECTION 10. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Attorney General's Office to administer the Mississippi Telephone Solicitation Act, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027 $ 100,000.00. SECTION 11. No part of the money herein appropriated shall be used, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of paying any clerk, stenographer, assistant, deputy or other person who may be related by blood or marriage within the third degree, computed by the rules of civil law, to the official employing or having the right of employment or selection thereof; and in the event of any such payment, then the official or person approving and making or receiving such payment shall be jointly and severally liable to return to the State of Mississippi and to pay into the State Treasury three (3) times any such amount so paid or received; however, when the relationship is by affinity and the person through whom the relationship was established is dead, this provision shall not apply. SECTION 12. As a condition of receiving the funds appropriated by this act, the Attorney General’s Office shall assess the feasibility and administrative cost associated with registration and disclosure of Foreign Third Party Litigation Funding from countries adversarial to the United States. SECTION 13. Of the funds provided in Section 1, Three Million Fifty Thousand Dollars ($3,050,000.00) is provided for distribution to Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi for the purpose of conducting forensic interviews. Of this amount, the Office of the Attorney General is authorized to retain up to Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for administration of this program. SECTION 14. None of the funds appropriated by this act shall be expended for any purpose that is not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties of the Office of the Attorney General that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law. SECTION 15. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids. SECTION 16. Of the funds appropriated in this act, funds are provided to defray the expenses of litigation defending the constitutionality of Mississippi statutes. SECTION 17. As a condition of receiving and expending the funds appropriated to the Office of the Attorney General under Sections 18 and 19, a recipient designated under this section shall certify in writing and under oath to the Agency that no contract of compensation dependent on the success or failure of legislation or executive action prohibited under Section 5-8-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, has been entered into by the recipient, with any individual or entity, in pursuance of such funding. None of the funds appropriated by this act shall be disbursed to a recipient or used by a recipient who fails to make such certification or is found to be in violation of such certification. SECTION 18. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 of this act, Three Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,900,000.00) shall be derived from the Opioid Settlement Fund as created in Section 27-103-305, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the support and maintenance of the Office of the Attorney General and for the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors. These non-abatement funds provided in this section shall be allocated as follows: Funding for administrative fees for the Office of the Attorney General........................................ $ 400,000.00. For the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors for construction at the jail facilities for short-term detention of individuals presenting with substance use impairment and/or co-occurring medical or psychiatric conditions...................................... $ 3,500,000.00. SECTION 19. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 of this act, Thirty Million Three Hundred Twenty-four Thousand Six Hundred Seventeen Dollars ($30,324,617.00) shall be derived from the Opioid Settlement Fund as created in Section 27-103-305, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the support and maintenance of the grants to support the Office of the Attorney General and the recipients listed in this section. These abatement funds provided in this section shall be allocated as follows: (a) For Amite County Medical Services for funding to reduce the risk of opioid misuse in Amite and Pike Counties by expanding access to integrated mental health services, identifying at-risk individuals early and strengthening care coordination............................. ................................................. $ 200,000.00 (b) For the Mississippi Hospital Association for funding to train emergency department personnel to identify and refer patients in crisis related to opioid misuse to appropriate treatment and community resources................................................. $ 2,100,000.00 (c) For the South Mississippi Mental Health Center for funding to reduce the risk of opioid misuse among children and youth by promoting healthy coping strategies, resilience and substance abuse education in a school-based therapeutic setting................................ ................................................. $ 700,000.00 (d) For the Harrison County Board of Supervisors for funding to establish and support a centralized, trauma-informed Diversion Center that will provide immediate triage, assessment, psychiatric treatment and service planning as an alternative to jails and emergency rooms. $ 1,900,000.00 (e) For ARCare dba MSCare for funding to deliver innovative, evidence-based addiction treatment and to expand the addiction medicine workforce through clinical training and mentorship............... ................................................. $ 900,000.00 (f) For Stercus Bioanalytics for funding to develop a pilot program to provide $100,000.00 for the three (3) areas in the state as described in Section 77-1-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, and to introduce an innovative, evidence-based wastewater monitoring program to provide population-level insights into opioid consumption across the state................................................. $ 300,000.00 (g) For Communicare for funding to create a substance use residential and crisis residential program for adolescents by purchasing a psychiatric facility; if the program ceases for any reason, the property is to return to the state................. $ 5,235,000.00 (h) For Mission Vigilant for funding to provide private, confidential, certified counseling to Mississippi veterans, first responders and family members struggling with opioid addiction... ................................................. $ 50,000.00 (i) For HarborPath funding to prevent fatal opioid overdoses on Mississippi college campuses and to increase awareness and accessibility of Naloxone on college campuses................................. ................................................. $ 1,100,000.00 (j) For the Exodus Project for funding to expand access to evidence-based residential treatment for justice-involved individuals by educating and supporting recovery through the Exodus Project Intervention Course (EPIC)..................................... $ 49,867.00 (k) For Hope Village for funding for a first-of-its-kind residential treatment program for youth in foster care with both a behavioral health diagnosis and substance use disorder diagnosis. ................................................. $ 151,000.00 (l) For the Chase Project for funding to purchase residential treatment properties free and clear, renovate housing, compliance, and renovate tiny homes for mothers with children, and secure a long-term expansion to the property; if the program ceases for any reason the property is to return to the state.............................. ................................................. $ 360,000.00 (m) For the Foundation on the Rock for funding to build a community of tiny homes that will foster recovery, stability and independence for individuals with substance use disorder; if the program ceases for any reason the property is to return to the state...... $ 500,000.00 (n) For the Freedom Center for funding to construct a new facility to support its 15-week residential substance use disorder treatment program; if the program ceases for any reason the property is to return to the state...................................... $ 250,000.00 (o) For the Family Health Center for funding to implement protocols to ensure seamless transitions, including medication assisted treatment (MAT) programs, adherence support and coordination with community pharmacies........................................ $ 50,000.00 (p) For Thrive Way for funding to implement a Peer Helpers PLUS program to mitigate negative impacts on youth and adolescents from the opioid crisis by providing tools to proactively identify and help students in need.................................. $ 500,000.00 (q) For the Hope Squad for funding to help mitigate negative impacts on youth and adolescents from the opioid crisis by providing tools to proactively identify and help students in need.......... ................................................. $ 500,000.00 (r) For the Home of Grace for funding to offer a program scholarship to eligible participants to continue treatment at Home of Grace............................................ $ 1,200,000.00 (s) For Access Family Health for funding to expand the availability of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), support evidence-based services, provide counseling and peer-support to people with OUD in treatment and recovery............................ $ 250,000.00 (t) For MS PHI for funding to create a sustainable, trained peer support workforce capable of addressing the unique needs of pregnant postpartum women affected by opioids and mental health disorders................................................. $ 183,750.00 (u) For QuickMD for funding to expand access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) via telehealth for individuals with opioid use disorder, focusing on residents living in areas with few treatment options or significant access barriers..................................... ................................................. $ 500,000.00 (v) For Community Housing Development Association and the River City Rescue for funding for a Recovery Re-entry Academy to serve adult men completing residential addiction treatment at River City Rescue Mission and preparing them to re-enter the community by equipping them with practical life skills...................................... ................................................. $ 100,000.00 (w) For Canopy Children’s Solution for funding to develop an Integrated Data and Analytics System designed to transform how data drives prevention, treatment and coordination across the state's child and family-serving systems........................ $ 1,835,000.00 (x) For the Chase Project for funding for the Chase House of Restoration sober living and recovery housing expansion; if the program ceases for any reason the property is to return to the state................................................. $ 360,000.00 (y) For the Mercy House for funding to remodel and expand its recently purchased residential recovery campus in Learned, Mississippi to serve women and women with children impacted by opioid use disorder $ 3,000,000.00 (z) For End it for Good for funding to offer evidence-based family and community support services in the state, including skills training and to facilitate regular meetings of peer support groups $ 200,000.00 (aa) For Pathway Healthcare for funding to increase access to care by placing Pathway representative in hospitals, expand intensive outpatient programming as a structured recovery option, launch Pathway for Mothers and prepare mobile units to reach isolated areas statewide................................................. $ 4,000,000.00 (bb) For Gulf Coast Center for NonViolence, Inc. for funding to expand access to evidence-based residential treatment and recovery services, including counseling and peer support................. ................................................. $ 800,000.00 (cc) For the Magee Foundation for funding for a statewide educational film and materials for the Dear William Project...... ................................................. $ 800,000.00 (dd) For the Mississippi Center for Police and Sheriffs for funding to establish and operate a 16-bed residential recovery facility to provide safe housing, clinical oversight, peer support and services for long-term recovery and launch statewide prevention for safe drug deactivation pouches through law enforcement and United Way 211. $ 2,000,000.00 (ee) For Finally First for funding Life Skills, Training in fifteen (15) public schools across four (4) counties and train community leaders to lead and support community outreach.......................... ................................................. $ 250,000.00 SECTION 20. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. SECTION 21. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
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