Transportation (Freight)

HB 45 appropriates $1.48 billion from state funds to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). It allocates $194.2 million specifically for salaries, benefits, and approved vacancies ("Personal Services"), with strict rules preventing salary reductions below state board minimums and requiring unused "Vacancy Funding" to fill unfilled positions rather than raise existing salaries. The bill also directs $1.02 billion for construction, $274.6 million for maintenance, $81.8 million for debt service, and $37.5 million for aeronautics/rails, plus $650,000 to the Agriculture Department for beaver control and $5 million to Public Safety for commercial truck enforcement. This is a routine funding measure for ongoing transportation operations, not a new policy.