HB 1000 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi Fair Commission; reestablish and transfer associated duties from Department of Agriculture.

HB 1000 reestablishes the Mississippi Fair Commission, transferring management of the State Fairgrounds and related duties back to the Commission from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture (which held these responsibilities since 2020 under House Bill 1566). The Commission, composed of appointed members from agricultural groups (including the Agriculture Commissioner as chair), will now set rules for distributing state funds for fair premiums, manage the Jackson fairgrounds, and handle fundraising through donations and naming-rights agreements for buildings/events. It may establish a private foundation to accept non-public donations for fairgrounds improvements, separate from state operating funds, and lease naming rights to entities (excluding vendors selling illegal products to minors). This bill directly affects fair organizers, agricultural stakeholders, and the Department of Agriculture by restoring the Commission's oversight of Mississippi's State Fair operations.

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Jan 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 31, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Mississippi Fair Commission's operating procedures, financial reporting requirements, and funding mechanisms. Key changes include clarifying premium award distribution rules, modifying how special funds are managed for fairgrounds, and adjusting reporting responsibilities to state officials.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Mississippi Fair Commission, but operational details regarding funding, audits, and reporting have been refined.

FISCAL

Premium award minimums and caps were restructured to clarify that amounts are appropriated based on commission recommendations submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

Special fund management for State Fairgrounds was clarified to ensure unexpended funds do not lapse into the State General Fund and interest earnings remain in the fund.

REQUIREMENT

Financial reporting requirements were updated to include submission of detailed financial statements to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and various committee chairs by January 1 each year.

Audit requirements for private foundations or nonprofits working with the commission were clarified to ensure they undergo annual financial audits by the State Auditor and donor auditors.

TECHNICAL

Formatting and punctuation changes were made throughout the document, including adjustments to section headers and spacing in certain provisions.

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The Committee Substitute version of HB 1000 significantly restructures the Mississippi Fair Commission by re-establishing it as an independent advisory council rather than transferring its powers to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce. This reverses a 2020 decision that had consolidated fair operations under the Department, restoring the commission's ability to manage fairgrounds, set premium awards, and oversee fair operations with a multi-stakeholder membership structure.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from transferring commission powers to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce (as introduced) to re-establishing an independent Mississippi Fair Commission with restored powers and duties (in committee substitute).

SCOPE

Re-established the Mississippi Fair Commission as an independent advisory council with powers transferred back from the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, reversing the 2020 consolidation.

COMPOSITION

Changed commission membership from seven positions including the Director of Visit Mississippi to seven positions including the Director of Vocational Education, Farm Bureau Federation, Director of Mississippi Development Authority, Mayor of the City, and Dean of Alcorn State University School of Agriculture.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the commission to form a private foundation or nonprofit corporation to receive private donations for fairground support, with separate financial reporting and audit requirements.

ENFORCEMENT

Authorized the commission to hire area law enforcement officers on a contractual basis with specific training requirements and confidentiality protections for officer identities.

FISCAL

Established authority to issue revenue bonds up to $4 million for fairground construction and improvements, with proceeds restricted to fairground-related expenses.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to July 1, 2025, allowing time for the re-established commission to organize and begin operations.

Floor votes · House Jan 29, 2025

How they voted

112–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 119

Jan 29, 2025

D Democratic39

37 Yea 2

94% Yea

I Independent2

1 Yea 1

50% Yea

R Republican78

74 Yea 4

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Agriculture;Appropriations

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Agriculture

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor