SB 3273 expands the Sebastopol Natural Gas District to include specific sections of land across Scott, Newton, Leake, and Neshoba counties in Mississippi. It authorizes county boards of supervisors to join the district through formal resolutions, with Scott County leading the district's formation. The bill creates a temporary six-member board of commissioners (including county supervisors and appointed residents) to oversee the district's natural gas service expansion. This change directly affects residents in the newly defined geographic area by enabling the district to provide natural gas infrastructure and services to those communities. The legislation establishes the district as a local utility authority to carry out this purpose.
HB 1894 authorizes Mississippi to issue $20 million in state bonds for higher education campus improvements, $10 million for the ACE Fund, and additional funds for business incentives, port/airport revitalization, and infrastructure projects. It increases bond limits for existing programs like the Mississippi Business Investment Act by $25 million and expands the Industry Incentive Fund by $20 million. The bill also sunsetted certain tax credits and incentives for alternative energy jobs and business expansions after 2025. This legislation died in conference on March 29, 2025, and did not become law.
SB 3166 requires Mississippi's Department of Revenue to create a separate category for commercial solar and wind facilities in its annual inflation factor table for industrial property assessments. This directly affects owners of commercial solar and wind energy facilities by changing how their property value is calculated for ad valorem taxes. The bill mandates that if Marshall Valuation Service doesn't provide an inflation factor for these facilities in a given year, the Department must set it at 1.000 (meaning no adjustment). This ensures these facilities are assessed using a dedicated multiplier rather than being grouped with other industrial properties, potentially lowering their tax burden compared to the previous system.
SB 3169 ends several existing economic development tax incentives in Mississippi after specific dates in 2025. It stops income tax credits for job creation in alternative energy projects after 2025, eliminates sales tax exemptions for construction/expansion after July 2025, and halts new applications for the Mississippi Advantage Jobs Act incentives after December 2025. The bill also removes outdated incentive tiers that expired before 2025. These changes directly affect businesses currently using these tax credits or exemptions to support job growth or facility expansion. The law phases out overlapping incentives to streamline the state's economic development programs.
HB 186 extends the deadline for repealing rules governing energy efficiency service contracts in Mississippi. It clarifies that public entities - including schools, hospitals, and state agencies - can use any available funding sources to enter into these contracts. The bill specifically updates Section 31-7-14 to maintain existing contract terms for energy efficiency projects (like HVAC upgrades or lighting systems) that were already competitively bid. It ensures these agreements, which may include shared-savings or performance-based payments, remain valid beyond the original expiration date. The change focuses on administrative continuity, not altering contract requirements or funding eligibility.
HB 968 extends the expiration date of existing rules allowing Mississippi public entities (like schools, hospitals, and government agencies) to enter energy efficiency service contracts. It does not change the contract requirements or definitions but delays when those specific provisions will automatically expire. The bill ensures current energy efficiency contracting rules remain in effect longer, maintaining the process for entities to select qualified energy service providers and use performance-based contracts. This change applies to all public entities currently using or planning such contracts under the existing framework.
SB 2079 extends the deadline for public entities (like schools, hospitals, and state agencies) to use energy efficiency contracts under existing rules. It amends Mississippi Code § 31-7-14 to delay the expiration date of provisions allowing these contracts for equipment/services that reduce operating costs, such as HVAC systems or lighting upgrades. The bill clarifies definitions for "energy services providers" and requires prequalification by the Energy Division, ensuring contracts meet criteria like 20-year simple payback periods. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, so it did not become law.
