SB 3051 Mississippi Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of.

SB 3051 allocates $86.8 million in state funds for Mississippi's Department of Finance and Administration to cover operations during fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). It specifically sets $25.98 million for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and benefits), requiring the department to stay within this budget when annualizing personnel costs and using vacancy funds *only* to fill open positions - not for raises or promotions. The bill mandates strict compliance with the State Personnel Board’s Variable Compensation Plan and prohibits exceeding the allocated funds without legislative approval for new positions or programs. This funding mechanism directly affects state employees and department budgeting practices, ensuring salary spending aligns with fiscal constraints.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Feb 23, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed the upper → Current version · 16 edits

MAJOR

The bill was updated from its Senate passage version to the version sent to the Governor, featuring significant increases in total appropriations and specific line-item funding. The most notable change is a substantial increase in the Department of Finance and Administration's budget, rising from approximately $37.7 million to $38.4 million in total appropriations, with a major jump in the General Fund allocation. Additionally, the bill introduces several new sections authorizing funding for specific projects, including storm damage repairs in Rolling Fork, sidewalk paving in Ocean Springs, and major infrastructure upgrades for the State Police Automated Highway and Radio System (SPAHRS).

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded by adding new sections that authorize specific capital improvements and grants to various cities and organizations, which were not present in the previous version.

FISCAL

The total appropriation for the Department of Finance and Administration increased from $37,697,472.00 to $38,379,920.00, with the General Fund portion rising from $20,015,556.00 to $20,348,004.00.

The total appropriation for Personal Services within the Department of Finance and Administration increased from $25,979,117.00 to $26,440,851.00, including a rise in Vacancy Funding from $383,187.00 to $620,611.00.

New Section 21 authorizes $35,000,000.00 for the repair, renovation, and improvement of state-owned facilities, universities, and community colleges.

New Section 33 reappropriates $2,679,278.00 specifically for maintenance, refresh, and upgrades to the State Police Automated Highway and Radio System (SPAHRS).

New Section 35 allocates $6,130,000.00 to assist cities with specific projects, including $1,000,000.00 for Ocean Springs sidewalk paving and $5,000,000.00 for Vicksburg street repairs.

New Section 36 provides $200,000.00 to the United Way of the Capital Area to support the 211 Mississippi helpline.

New Section 37 allocates $300,000.00 for SPAHRS updates.

New Section 38 allocates $4,500,000.00 for fire alarm inspection and updates.

New Section 39 authorizes $608,100,000.00 derived from various capital improvement funds for the Department of Finance and Administration.

New Section 40 appropriates $10,000,000.00 from the FIRE Grant Fund.

New Section 41 appropriates $4,000,000.00 from the Fire Equipment Grant Fund.

New Section 42 allocates $14,729,000.00 from the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund Revolving Loan Program for various projects, including facility expansions and medical park development.

New Section 43 authorizes up to $200,000,000.00 for eligible uses at the direction of the Governor from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.

TIMELINE

The effective date clause was simplified; the previous version stated the act would stand repealed after June 30, 2026, while the new version only states it takes effect on July 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

Throughout the document, inconsistent spacing and formatting in section headers and monetary values were standardized.

Quotes around terms like 'Personal Services' and 'Vacancy Funding' were standardized to use double quotation marks.

As Introduced → As Passed the upper · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to reflect the Senate's final approval, updating the title and sponsor list while significantly reorganizing the text into a clearer, standardized format. The most substantive change is the addition of detailed funding breakdowns and strict personnel restrictions for multiple state agencies, including the Department of Finance and Administration, Tort Claims Board, and Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women. These new provisions limit how funds can be used for salaries and vacancies, require specific compliance with state personnel plans, and mandate that any increase in staff costs must be approved by the Department of Finance and Administration.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include explicit funding allocations and personnel restrictions for several additional agencies (Tort Claims Board, Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women, State Property Insurance, Mississippi Home Corporation, BEAM, and Mississippi Industries for the Blind) that were previously only mentioned in the general appropriation sections.

TECHNICAL

The document header and title were updated to reflect the bill's status as 'As Passed the Senate,' and the text was restructured to remove page numbers and formatting codes.

FISCAL

Detailed funding breakdowns were added for the Department of Finance and Administration, Tort Claims Board, Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women, State Property Insurance, Mississippi Home Corporation, BEAM, and Mississippi Industries for the Blind, specifying exact dollar amounts for General Funds, Special Funds, and Total Funds.

REQUIREMENT

Strict personnel restrictions were added to multiple sections, limiting 'Personal Services' funds to salaries, wages, and fringe benefits only, prohibiting their use for promotions or title changes, and requiring State Personnel Board approval for any salary escalations.

New provisions were added to prevent the replacement of federal or special funds with general funds and to ensure compliance with IRS reporting rules for contract employees.

A new requirement was added for the Department of Finance and Administration to maintain detailed accounting records and submit budget requests for Fiscal Year 2028 in a format comparable to previous years.

ELIGIBILITY

New eligibility criteria were established for the Mississippi Home Corporation grant, restricting funds to individuals with specific histories of mental illness, homelessness, or recent discharge from psychiatric facilities.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2026 · House Mar 12, 2026

How they voted

50–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 52

Feb 19, 2026

D Democratic18

17 Yea 1

94% Yea

R Republican34

33 Yea 1

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 13, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Report Adopted

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Recommitted For Further Conf

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference Report Filed

upper

Mar 29, 2026

Committee

Recommitted For Further Conf

lower

Mar 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Report Filed

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Committee

Referred To Appropriations D;Appropriations A

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Referred To Appropriations

upper

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors