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 By: Senator(s) Hopson, DeBar, Blackwell, McLendon, Parks, Simmons (13th), Wiggins Senate Bill 3070 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The following sum of money, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi Development Authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.......................... ............................................ $ 22,530,799.00. SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Development Authority or the appropriate special fund for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the operation of the various divisions of the authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027 $ 296,325,957.00. 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: $ 12,980,883.00 Special Funds: $ 3,251,514.00 Total Funds: $ 16,232,397.00 PERSONAL SERVICES: Employee Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits: $ 14,609,157.00 Progressions: $ 0.00 Vacancy Funding: $ 1,623,240.00 Total Personal Services: $ 16,232,397.00 AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 162 Time-Limited: 43 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. The Legislature authorized two (2) new headcounts, which are included in the authorized headcount above for Fiscal Year 2027. New Headcount Titles Authorized: Project Management Family – 2 SECTION 4. 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 Economic Dev & Incentives Number of National Recruitment Contacts 1,000 Number of International Investment Contracts 1,800 Number of International Trade Contacts 3,000 Number of Qualified National Prospects 225 Return on Investment 10.00 Number of New Businesses - Global Contacts 15 Number of New Jobs from Global Contacts 3,000 Number of Minority and Small Business Contacts 8,000 Number of Minority Business Certification Applications Processed 150 Technical Assistance to Disadvantaged Contacts 2,500 State Contracting with Minority Business 55,000,000 Number of Interactions with Interested Businesses 3,000 Number of Qualified Contacts 750 Number of Expansions 30 Number of Jobs Created from Expansions 3,000 Number of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Direct Contacts 10,000 Community Dev & Incentives Number of Requests for Financing or Incentives 225 Awarded Grants and Loans for Community and Economic Development 50,000,000 Number of Grants and Loans Awarded 100 Support Services Program Administration as a Percent of Total Budget 9.50 Tourism (visit Ms) Number of Tourist Inquiries Generated 42,312 Number of Visitors per Year 44,135,000 Travel Revenue ($ in Billions) 12.00 Number of Tourists Registered 2,371,161 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 5. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, the amount of Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($800,000.00) shall be provided from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to defray the expenses of the Mississippi Development Authority in operating the state welcome centers. SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority 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 7. Of the funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2 of this act, the amount of Four Million Eight Hundred Seventy-six Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-eight Dollars ($4,876,298.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is provided for the purpose of supporting Mississippi Tourism Advertising and Promotion for Fiscal Year 2027, and shall not be expended for any type of cultural exchange program. Of the funds appropriated herein and allocated within this section, Two Hundred Ninety-nine Thousand Dollars ($299,000.00) is provided for Tourism Grant Development Awards. SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds appropriated above shall be expended unless members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate are notified at least five (5) days prior to a public ceremony announcing the award of any grant in their district or any public announcement or ceremony regarding the groundbreaking or opening of a facility, roadway or bridge for which the Legislature has made funds available. Any signage regarding any public event or any new facility, roadway or bridge shall include the following language: "Funds were made available for this project by the Mississippi State Legislature." SECTION 9. 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 10. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) is provided for the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Areas. SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) is provided for the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area. SECTION 12. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority is hereby authorized to escalate, budget, and expend funds from any source not to exceed Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds. SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority shall submit a notification of any General Fund Transfers out of the major category Subsidies into any other major categories to the Legislative Budget Office. SECTION 14. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, Twenty Thousand Twenty-five Dollars ($20,025.00) shall be provided for the support of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission. SECTION 15. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Million Seventeen Thousand Dollars ($1,017,000.00) shall be transferred to Innovate Mississippi. SECTION 16. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, One Hundred Fifty-six Thousand Dollars ($156,000.00) is provided for the Energy High School Academy, established in Section 37-69-7, Mississippi Code of 1972. SECTION 17. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, it is the intention of the Legislature that Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) shall be allocated to the Mississippi Book Festival. SECTION 18. Of the funds appropriated herein, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) shall be provided to the Mississippi Main Street Association for statewide support and operations. SECTION 19. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority shall provide quarterly reports on the status of Gulf Coast Restoration Fund projects to the Legislative Budget Office and the Department of Finance and Administration. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority shall provide the Joint Legislative Budget Committee a detailed report and other such related information on each project's expenditures with the subsequent fiscal year's budget submission. SECTION 20. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund not otherwise appropriated to the Mississippi Development Authority for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, as provided in Senate Bill No. 2046, 2025 First Extraordinary Session, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027........................................ ................................................. $ 617,065.00. These funds are provided for administrative expenses at the Mississippi Development Authority as outlined in Section 57-119-7, Mississippi Code of 1972. 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 21. 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 Mississippi Development Authority for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Capital Expense Funds for the Air Service Development Act, as authorized in Senate Bill No. 2046, 2025 First Extraordinary Session, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027........................ $ 93,897.00. 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 22. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority may provide operational support to any park operated by the United States National Park Service in Mississippi during the event of a government shutdown that materially affects the operations of such park. SECTION 23. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this act, the following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated out of the following funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Development Authority for the purpose of Mississippi Major Economic Impact Projects for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027: (a) Triple Crown Fund for the purposes described in Section 57-1-651, Mississippi Code of 1972............. $ 25,162,916.00. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Development Authority provide the reporting requirements of each fund appropriated in this section on or before January 5 of each year. SECTION 24. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Three Hundred Fifty-six Thousand Dollars ($356,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be derived out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Project Poppy Fund, as created in Section 57-1-631, Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office and One Million Six-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,600,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be derived out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Project Atlas Fund, as created in Section 57-1-641, Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office. These funds are provided for expediting services needed for Project Poppy and Project Atlas. SECTION 25. In addition to all other funds appropriated herein, 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, to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority for the purposes enumerated in Section 51-27-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027 $ 253,789.00. SECTION 26. In addition to all other funds appropriated herein, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized for expenditure out of any special source funds which are collected by or otherwise become available for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027 $ 357,802.00. SECTION 27. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 25 and 26 of this act, the following positions are authorized: AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 3 Time-Limited: 0 Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law. No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. SECTION 28. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, Fourteen Million Dollars ($14,000,000.00), or so much thereof, shall be derived out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Site Development Grant Fund, as created in Section 57-1-701, Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office. These funds are provided to defray expenses for Mississippi Site Development Grants. SECTION 29. Of the funds provided in Section 1 of this act, Eight Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($880,000.00) is provided for marketing activities, which include updating strategic plans to improve the measurement of program performance and effectiveness, updating websites and branding materials, and performing marketing research to provide stronger program outcomes. SECTION 30. 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 31. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
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