Metro Jackson Water Authority Act; create.

The term for zero-interest loans to cover start-up costs was reduced from 40 years to 30 years.

New provisions were added to the Mississippi Code allowing municipalities to dedicate garbage collection fees to pay for public authority bonds.

A supermajority vote of three-fourths is now required for any rate increase or expenditure exceeding $5 million.

The composition of the Authority's board was significantly altered, replacing specific departmental appointees with at-large members appointed by mayors and adding a representative from the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

The deadline for appointing initial public members was changed from May 1, 2026, to simply 'by May 1, 2026' without the previous conditional language regarding Senate consent.

Created a new legal entity, the Metro Jackson Water Authority, to manage water and wastewater systems.

Defined a specific 13-member board structure including mayors of Jackson, Byram, and Ridgeland, plus appointed public members representing healthcare, business, and community interests.

Authorized the Local Governments and Rural Water Systems Improvement Board and the Department of Environmental Quality to provide zero-interest loans with 40-year terms to cover startup costs and lease acquisitions.

Set specific dates for the authority to assume control (upon court termination of interim managers) and for initial board appointments (by May 1, 2026).

Added new definitions for key terms like 'Authority', 'ITPM' (Interim Third-Party Manager), and 'Major Procurement' (over $1 million).

Established rules for the authority to adopt bylaws, enforce them with civil penalties, and manage contracts for major procurements through competitive bidding.

Amended state code to allow municipalities with populations over 100,000 to dedicate garbage collection fees specifically to pay principal and interest on the new water authority bonds.