SB 2015 Mississippi Senate · 2025 First Extraordinary Session

Appropriation; Public Safety, Department of.

SB 2015 appropriates $168,604,209 from the State General Fund and $117,126,547 from Special Funds to cover the Department of Public Safety's expenses for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). It specifically allocates $154,691,960 for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and benefits), with strict limits on spending to prevent exceeding budgeted amounts when annualized. The bill authorizes 4 new positions (including Medical Examiner and Sexual Assault Kits staff) and requires that "Vacancy Funding" ($705,000) be used solely to fill unfilled roles, not for raises or promotions. It also mandates that funds must comply with Mississippi’s Variable Compensation Plan and prohibits using state funds to replace withdrawn federal or special funds.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced May 28, 2025 Signed Jun 17, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed the upper → Current version · 10 edits

MAJOR

The bill was formally sent to the Governor for signature after passing the Senate. The most significant substantive change is the renumbering of several sections, which shifted Section 24 to Section 25, Section 25 to Section 26, Section 26 to Section 27, Section 27 to Section 28, Section 28 to Section 29, Section 29 to Section 30, Section 30 to Section 31, and added a new Section 32. This renumbering appears to be a technical correction to align the bill with the House version or previous legislative history, rather than a change in policy. Other changes are primarily formatting, such as converting single quotes to double quotes and adjusting spacing around dollar amounts.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from "As Passed the Senate" to "As Sent to Governor," indicating the bill has completed the legislative process and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

Section 24 regarding Capitol Police detainee housing was renumbered to Section 25, shifting all subsequent sections down by one number.

Section 25 regarding Capital Expense Fund reappropriation was renumbered to Section 26, with formatting changes to the dollar amount display.

Section 26 regarding Forensics case backlogs was renumbered to Section 27, with minor formatting updates to the text.

Section 27 regarding furniture and parking lots was renumbered to Section 28, with minor formatting updates to the text.

Section 28 regarding bulletproof vests was renumbered to Section 29, with minor formatting updates to the text.

Section 29 regarding the Driver Service Bureau license system was renumbered to Section 30, with minor formatting updates to the text.

Section 30 regarding the Capitol Security Platform was renumbered to Section 31, with minor formatting updates to the text.

A new Section 32 was added regarding vendor payments for expenses from Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024, which was previously Section 32 but is now renumbered to Section 32 after the insertion of the new section.

Throughout the document, single quotes were replaced with double quotes for terms like "Personal Services" and "Vacancy Funding," and spacing around dollar amounts was standardized.

As Introduced → As Passed the upper · 29 edits

MAJOR

This bill appropriates $168.6 million for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for fiscal year 2026, with $154.7 million designated for personal services (salaries, wages, and benefits) and $117.1 million for operational expenses. The bill establishes strict headcount limits, performance targets across multiple divisions, and new funding allocations for specific programs like human trafficking coordination, forensic backlogs, and driver license system upgrades.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a standard appropriation to include detailed performance metrics, specific headcount authorizations, and targeted funding for specialized programs including human trafficking, forensic analysis, and capital improvements.

FISCAL

Added detailed funding breakdown showing $154.7 million for personal services and $117.1 million for operations, with specific allocations for General Funds ($130.6M) and Special Funds ($24.1M).

Created new specific appropriations including $2.5M for forensic case backlogs, $3.5M for driver license system replacement, and $900K for Capitol Police detainee housing.

Added $5M transfer from Department of Transportation for Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division operations.

Added Section 25 reappropriating $6.1M from Capital Expense Fund for vehicles, training academy facilities, driver service upgrades, and forensics equipment.

Added Section 26 allocating $2.5M from Capital Expense Fund specifically to address forensic case backlogs.

Added Section 27 allocating $587,000 for furniture and parking lots for the new headquarters building.

Added Section 28 allocating $50,000 for bulletproof vests for local law enforcement officers.

Added Section 29 allocating $3.5M to replace the driver license system.

Added Section 30 allocating $1.1M for a Capitol Security Platform.

Added Section 31 allocating $1.26M for the Driver Service Bureau Canton building lease.

REQUIREMENT

Added 20+ specific performance measures across enforcement, forensics, training, and safety divisions that the department must achieve by fiscal year 2026.

Established strict headcount limits of 1,698 permanent and 74 time-limited positions, with provisions for vacancy funding only for unfilled positions from the previous fiscal year.

Added requirements for the State Personnel Board to monitor salary actions and prevent exceeding appropriated funds when annualized.

Added prohibition on using appropriated funds for quota-based speed limit citations.

Added new Section 21 creating a Statewide Human Trafficking Coordinator position funded at $250,000.

Added Section 23 authorizing subgrants to Jackson Police Department for Capitol Complex Improvement District activities.

Added Section 24 providing $900,000 to Capitol Police for housing detainees arrested within the Capital Complex Improvement District.

Added Section 15 providing $900 additional compensation for DPS officers who are licensed commercial pilots.

Added Section 16 requiring an annual report on non-employees transported in Highway Patrol aircraft.

Added Section 17 authorizing transfers of up to $20M between special funds with prior written notification requirements.

Added Section 18 authorizing $500,000 for Bureau of Narcotics to create and maintain a forfeiture website.

Added Section 20 authorizing receipt and expenditure of up to $500,000 from Drug Evidence Disposition Funds.

Added Section 22 allocating $242,603 for Mississippi School Safety Act of 2019 operations.

Added Section 12 allowing up to $1,000 annually per officer for clothing for sworn nonuniform law enforcement officers.

Added Section 13 establishing preference for Mississippi Industries for the Blind in purchasing commodities or equipment.

Added Section 14 authorizing technology or equipment upgrades when they generate efficiency savings.

Added Section 19 allocating $4.3M from General Fund court assessments to various funds including Crime Stoppers, Driver Training, Forensics, and Law Enforcement Training.

Added Section 32 authorizing payments of $294,862 to vendors for expenses incurred during fiscal years 2021-2024.

TECHNICAL

Changed document header from 'As Introduced' to 'As Passed the Senate' and updated formatting to match legislative markup conventions.

Floor votes · Senate May 28, 2025 · House May 28, 2025

How they voted

41–9

Passed · 9 other

Total votes 59

May 28, 2025

D Democratic20

8 Yea 9 Nay 3

45% Nay

R Republican39

33 Yea 6

84% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 17, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

May 28, 2025

Committee

Referred To Appropriations A

lower

May 28, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

May 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

May 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

May 28, 2025

Committee

Referred To Appropriations

upper

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors