Local and Private

This bill authorizes Lowndes County, Mississippi, to create an industrial zone emergency response district near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport to provide fire protection, emergency medical care, and other emergency services to local industrial businesses. The district would be established through a county board resolution requiring a petition from industrial taxpayers representing at least 80% of the area's economic participation, followed by public notice and a hearing. Once created, the district would levy special assessments based on property value and employee count to fund its operations, issue bonds for construction or equipment, and enjoy tax exemptions on its property and revenue. The bill also outlines procedures for appointing commissioners, defining the district's powers and duties, and providing for its eventual dissolution.

This bill authorizes Jackson County, Mississippi, to establish a public improvement district that can levy a retail assessment on businesses within the district. The district would be created to fund projects connected to private developments of at least $70 million, with the retail assessment capped at one percent of gross sales and certain retail food sales. Businesses in the district would collect this assessment from customers at the point of sale, and the funds would be used for project costs, debt service, or reimbursing developers under agreements lasting up to 30 years. Before the assessment can be imposed, an election must be held, and the district must maintain separate accounts with annual audits to ensure proper financial management.

SB 2210 authorizes Bolivar County to create a utility district specifically for the Choctaw Sewer Association system in the community of Choctaw, Mississippi. This district will take ownership, operation, and maintenance of the existing sewer system (including pipes, lift stations, and treatment lagoons), directly affecting residents who rely on this infrastructure. The bill enables the county board to transfer assets, funds, and property to the new district and appoint a governing board of commissioners (3-5 members) to manage the system, bypassing standard utility district formation rules. The goal is to address the system’s "continual disrepair" by establishing a dedicated entity responsible for repairs, upgrades, and efficient service.

This bill extends the expiration date of a local hotel and motel tax in Jackson County, Mississippi, allowing the county Board of Supervisors to continue collecting a 2% tax on overnight room rentals to fund tourism promotion. The tax applies only to hotels and motels, excluding medical facilities and non-overnight day-use rooms, and must be approved by voters through a referendum requiring at least 60% support before implementation. Revenue collected from the tax must be used exclusively for tourism-related activities in Jackson County, with separate accounting and annual audits if funds are directed to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This bill authorizes the Forrest County Board of Supervisors in Mississippi to purchase radar speed detection equipment for the county sheriff's department. The equipment would be used to enforce speed limits on public county roads and state highways located outside city limits. The sheriff and deputies would be required to ensure the radar devices are properly certified, calibrated, and operated according to state laws and training standards. This legislation allows the county to use available funds for the purchase and enables law enforcement to utilize radar technology for traffic enforcement in unincorporated areas.