Appropriation; IHL - University of Mississippi Medical Center., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Hopson, DeBar, Parks, Boyd, Butler, DeLano,
Suber

Senate Bill 3061

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING
THE EXPENSES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER 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 hereby appropriated out of any money in the State
General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of defraying the
expenses of the University of Mississippi Medical Center for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027 $
190,004,192.00.

SECTION 2.  The following sum of money, or so much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized and approved for expenditure
out of the proceeds derived from patient fees, student fees or any other
special source funds which are collected by or otherwise become available, for
the support and maintenance of the University of Mississippi Medical Center for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending
June 30, 2027..................................................

............................................ $
2,232,723,926.00.

SECTION 3.  With the
funds appropriated and authorized for expenditure under the provisions of
Sections 1 and 2 of this act, the University of Mississippi Medical Center
shall maintain the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, the School of
Nursing, the School of Health Related Professions, the School of Population
Health, the Teaching Hospital and the Medical Center Service Area.  The
University of Mississippi Medical Center shall prepare and make available to
the Legislature an accounting of expenditures for each of the divisions listed
in this section at the beginning of the legislative session.

SECTION 4.  Due to
critical nurse shortages and staffing, it is the intention of the Legislature
to enhance recognition of excellence and expand the experience factor in
attracting qualified registered nurses.

SECTION 5.  Of the
funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, and the funds authorized to be
expended in Section 2 of this act, none may be used to provide medical services
on behalf of any state agency, institution or political subdivision, except to
the extent that such agency, institution or political subdivision reimburses
the hospital for the cost of the services provided.  Upon the rendering of
medical services to any such agency, institution or political subdivision, the
hospital shall issue an invoice for the charges which shall be paid within
ninety (90) days.  In the event that payment is not made within ninety (90)
days, the hospital shall discontinue providing services to that agency,
institution or political subdivision until all outstanding charges have been
paid.

SECTION 6.  Any funds
appropriated pursuant to this act and paid as a fee to or deposited in a
financial institution shall be in compliance with Section 109 of the
Constitution of the State of Mississippi and Section 25-4-105, Mississippi Code
of 1972.

SECTION 7.  It is the
intention of the Legislature that the University of Mississippi Medical Center'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 8.  Of the
funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, the following sums, or so much of
those sums as may be necessary, are derived out of any money in the State
Treasury to the credit of the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Sections
27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, as follows:

(a)  Education activities or
scholarships    $  6,888,029.00.

(b)  Rural Physicians
Scholarship Program    $    340,000.00.

(c)  Rural Dentists
Scholarship Program      $    105,000.00.

TOTAL.............. $  7,333,029.00.

SECTION 9.  Of the
funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 of this act, Two Million
Three Hundred Eighty Thousand Four Hundred Thirty-one Dollars ($2,380,431.00)
shall be derived from the Health Care Expendable Fund created in Section 43-13-407,
Mississippi Code of 1972, for the support and maintenance of the University of
Mississippi Medical Center.

SECTION 10.  Of the funds appropriated under the
provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of this act, the sum of Four Hundred Twenty
Thousand Dollars ($420,000.00) is hereby provided for scholarships for the
Rural Dentists Scholarship Program as described in Section
37-146-1, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 11.  Of the
funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2 of this act, Two Million One Hundred
Seventy Thousand Dollars ($2,170,000.00) is hereby provided for scholarships
for the Rural Physicians Scholarship Program as described in Section 37-141-1,
Mississippi Code of 1972.  Of this amount, Thirty-five Thousand Dollars
($35,000.00) is provided for a Psychiatrist Scholarship as described in Section
37-144-3, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 12.  Of the
funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2 of this act, Two Hundred Eighty Thousand
Eight Hundred Forty-eight Dollars ($280,848.00) is provided for the
administration of the Rural Physicians Scholarship Program and the Rural
Dentists Scholarship Program.

SECTION 13.  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 14.  Of the
funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of this act, Four
Million Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($4,750,000.00) shall be derived
from the State General Fund and Four Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars
($4,250,000.00) shall be derived from any special source funds collected by or
otherwise become available for the support and maintenance of the University of
Mississippi Medical Center for the University of Mississippi Medical Center
Cancer Institute.

SECTION 15.  Of the
funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, Five Hundred Ninety-five Thousand
Dollars ($595,000.00) is hereby appropriated for A Comprehensive Tobacco (ACT)
Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

SECTION 16.  None of
the funds appropriated and/or authorized for expenditure under this act shall
be used for research that kills or destroys an existing human embryo.

SECTION 17.  Of the funds appropriated under the
provisions of Section 1 of this act, One Million Three Hundred Forty-nine
Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-eight Dollars ($1,349,998.00) shall be provided
from General Funds and shall be provided to the Center of Excellence at the
Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children for the care of abused and neglected
children, and expended to improve, enlarge and/or construct the physical facilities
of the Children's Safe Center and for support and maintenance of the center.

SECTION 18.  It is
the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be
expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that
no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their
appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon
their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this
provision.

SECTION 19.  Of the funds appropriated under the
provisions of Section 1 of this act, Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00)
shall be provided to the MIND Center at the University of Mississippi Medical
Center.

SECTION 20.  It is
the intention of the Legislature that any cash balances at the Children's Safe
Center, and the MIND Center shall only be spent in support of those divisions.

SECTION 21.  Of the
funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Million Two Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($1,200,000.00) shall be provided for the Child Health and
Developmental Promotion (CHDP) Fellowship Program.

SECTION 22.  The following sum, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Capital Expense
Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the University of Mississippi Medical
Center for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Capital Expense
Funds for the Asylum Hill Project, as authorized in SB 2009, 2025 First
Extraordinary Session, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026,
and ending June 30, 2027........................................

............................................ $
1,356,003.00.

Notwithstanding the amount
reappropriated under this section, the amount that may be expended under the
authority of this section shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds
remaining as of June 30, 2026, from the amount authorized for the previous
fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not change the
purpose for which the funds were originally authorized.

SECTION 23.  The following sum, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Capital Expense
Fund not otherwise appropriated for the University of Mississippi Medical
Center for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Capital Expense
Fund, as appropriated in SB 2009, 2025 First Extraordinary Session, for the
operations and support of the Mississippi Rare Disease Advisory Council created
in Section 41-145-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027  $    79,566.00.

Notwithstanding the amount
reappropriated under this section, the amount that may be expended under the
authority of this section shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds
remaining as of June 30, 2026, from the amount authorized for the previous
fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not change the
purpose for which the funds were originally authorized.

SECTION 24. Of
the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, Three Million Sixty-one
Thousand Nine Hundred Five Dollars ($3,061,905.00), shall be derived from funds
in the Education Enhancement Fund deposited pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and
27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated in a manner as determined by
the Treasurer's Office. These funds are provided for the equivalent of a
Two Thousand Dollar ($2,000.00) salary increase for all professors and adjunct
professors at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, at the discretion of
the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs.

SECTION 25.  Of the
funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, Five Million Dollars
($5,000,000.00), or so much thereof, shall be derived out of any money in the
State Treasury to the credit of the Education Enhancement Fund and deposited
pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, and
allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office. This
appropriation is made for the purpose of expenditures related to the
replacement, repair, renovation, and modernization of the UMMC grounds and
infrastructure.

SECTION 26. Of
the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 of this act, Five
Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00) shall be derived from the Opioid Settlement
Fund as created in Section 27-103-305. These funds are provided to the
University of Mississippi Medical Center for the purposes of conducting
research for the Ibogaine Drug Development Clinical Trial Act. These non-abatement
funds provided in this section shall be allocated as follows:

Ibogaine Drug Development Clinical Trial Act as created
in House Bill 314, 2026 Regular Session.................. $  5,000,000.00.

SECTION 27. As
a condition of receiving and expending the funds appropriated to the University
of Mississippi Medical Center under Section 26, a recipient designated under
this section shall certify in writing and under oath to the University of
Mississippi Medical Center 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 28.  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 29.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.