Appropriation; Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

HB 1735 allocates $566,298 from the state general fund and $37,484,521 from a special fund to cover the administrative costs and operations of Mississippi's State Soil and Water Conservation Commission for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The bill authorizes 9 permanent and 6 time-limited staff positions to carry out existing programs under Mississippi Code § 69-27-1 et seq. It includes specific rules for personnel spending, requiring funds to cover salaries and positions without exceeding prior-year allocations unless new programs are approved. This is a funding bill for the Commission’s current operations, not a policy change.