Appropriations A

HB 1653 revises which specific local projects receive funding from two existing state funds: the 2024 Local Improvements Projects Fund and the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund. The bill amends several sections to adjust the project descriptions and funding amounts for various infrastructure, public safety, and facility improvements across Mississippi counties. For example, it specifies funding for projects like courthouse repairs in Chickasaw and Lee Counties, water infrastructure upgrades in Columbus, fire department equipment, and airport improvements in Panola County. The changes affect local governments, school districts, and public agencies by modifying how monies from these established funds are allocated to approved projects.

This bill revises how Mississippi's public universities can use funds from the 2022 Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Capital Improvements Fund for facility projects. It adjusts the specific project descriptions (e.g., renovation, construction, or repair details) for allocations at institutions like Alcorn State University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The bill requires universities to account for unused funds after four years and directs transfers of certain funds during fiscal year 2027. It does not create new funding but clarifies existing fund usage rules for capital improvements.

This bill reorganizes existing Mississippi budget code sections (27-103-125, 139, 203, 211, 213, and 303) to make them easier to amend in the future. It directs the State Treasurer, with the State Fiscal Officer, to transfer specific funds from the Capital Expense Fund during fiscal year 2027. The bill does not create new policy but consolidates current budget process rules about expenditure limits, revenue estimates, and balanced budget requirements. It affects state budget administration and future legislative amendments to budget code. This is a procedural bill focused on code organization and a specific fund transfer, not substantive policy changes.

SB 3105 is a funding bill that allocates additional state capital expense funds for specific agencies during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It provides $0.00 for the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, $0.00 for the Governor's Office-Division of Medicaid (under the Department of Finance and Administration), $0.00 for the Department of Public Safety, and $1.00 for the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure. The funds are drawn from existing state capital expense reserves and are intended to cover operational costs for these agencies during the specified fiscal periods. As a procedural appropriations measure, it does not create new policies but adjusts budget allocations for existing state operations.

SB 3104 allocates additional state funds to cover legal expenses related to specific court cases for multiple Mississippi state agencies. It provides $294,000 for the Attorney General's office to handle costs in cases like Curtis Flowers v. State and $720,000 for other legal matters including election-related lawsuits. Additional funds include $2.475 million for the Emergency Management Agency (for a settlement agreement) and $149,500 for Educational Television to cover related legal costs. The appropriations, covering fiscal years 2026-2027, are limited to existing legal obligations and do not create new policies.