Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 1317 *HR26/R247* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R247
PAGE 1 (MCL\KW)
To: Business and Commerce;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Crudup, Powell, Yates
HOUSE BILL NO. 1317
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE HAZARD MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND 1
PROGRAM TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR PROJECTS THAT WILL REDUCE 2
DISASTER RISKS FOR HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESSES, NONPROFIT 3
ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE LOSS OF 4
LIFE AND PROPERTY, THE COST OF INSURANCE, FEDERAL DISASTER 5
PAYMENTS, OR AS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW; TO PROVIDE THAT 6
THE MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY WILL ADMINISTER THE 7
PROGRAM; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS RELATING TO THE PROGRAM; TO 8
PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ENTITIES THAT DESIRE TO 9
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE HAZARD MITIGATION 10
REVOLVING LOAN FUND AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO 11
PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SHALL 12
HAVE ALL POWERS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; 13
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 14
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 15
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following words 16
and phrases have the meanings as defined in this subsection unless 17
the context clearly indicates otherwise: 18
(a) "MEMA" means the Mississippi Emergency Management 19
Agency. 20
(b) "Eligible recipient" means a political subdivision, 21
public trust, agency, or commission of the state, or a private 22
entity, to the extent permitted by federal law or federal 23
regulations. 24
H. B. No. 1317 *HR26/R247* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R247
PAGE 2 (MCL\KW)
(c) "Federal law" means the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 25
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), 42 USC 5131 et 26
seq., as amended by the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk 27
Mitigation (STORM) Act, Public Law 11611 284, and any amendments 28
thereto relating to state hazard mitigation revolving loan funds. 29
(d) "Political subdivision" means any county, 30
municipality, utility, district, agency, department, institution, 31
instrumentality, or other governmental unit created under state 32
law. 33
(2) There is established a Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan 34
Fund Program to provide assistance for projects that will reduce 35
disaster risks for homeowners, businesses, nonprofit 36
organizations, and communities in order to decrease the loss of 37
life and property, the cost of insurance, federal disaster 38
payments, or as otherwise required by federal law. The program 39
shall be administered by the MEMA, and the MEMA shall establish 40
application procedures and eligibility criteria for loans from the 41
fund. 42
(3) An eligible recipient desiring assistance under the 43
program established under this section must submit an application 44
to the MEMA. The application must contain: 45
(a) A description of: 46
(i) The purpose or purposes for which the 47
assistance is requested, 48
H. B. No. 1317 *HR26/R247* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R247
PAGE 3 (MCL\KW)
(ii) The type of work the applicant will perform 49
as part of the purpose or purposes for which assistance is 50
requested, 51
(iii) The amount of funds from any other source 52
available for the purpose or purposes for which assistance is 53
requested, if any, and 54
(iv) The amount of assistance in loan funds 55
requested; and 56
(b) Any other information requested by the MEMA. 57
(4) (a) The MEMA shall review such application and 58
determine whether the eligible recipient is eligible for 59
assistance under the program. If the MEMA approves the eligible 60
recipient for assistance under the program, it shall provide a 61
certificate to the eligible recipient designating the eligible 62
recipient as eligible for assistance. An eligible recipient 63
approved for assistance under the program may use loan proceeds 64
for purposes including, but not limited to, projects or activities 65
that mitigate the impacts of natural hazards; zoning, land use, 66
floodplain management, and hazard mitigation planning changes; and 67
establishing and carrying out the latest published editions of 68
relevant building codes, specifications, and standards for the 69
purpose of protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of a 70
building's users against disasters and natural hazards. 71
(b) Monies repaid to the state from loans authorized 72
under this section shall be deposited into the revolving fund. 73
H. B. No. 1317 *HR26/R247* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R247
PAGE 4 (MCL\KW)
(5) There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to 74
be designated as the "Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund", 75
referred to in this section as "revolving fund". The revolving 76
fund shall consist of repayment of loans made under the program, 77
interest earned on amounts in the fund, and any appropriations, 78
bond proceeds, grants, gifts, donations and any other funds from 79
any source, public or private, designated for deposit into the 80
fund. The revolving fund shall be maintained in perpetuity for 81
the purposes established in this section. Unexpended amounts 82
remaining in the revolving fund at the end of a fiscal year shall 83
not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned on 84
amounts in the revolving fund shall be deposited to the credit of 85
the fund. Monies in the revolving fund may not be used or 86
expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section, 87
and may be expended only in amounts appropriated by the 88
Legislature. Any federal funds in the revolving fund shall be 89
used and expended only in accordance with federal laws, rules and 90
regulations governing the expenditure of those funds. 91
(6) An eligible recipient that is a political subdivision 92
may use loan proceeds for the purpose of offering loan funds to 93
private property owners to use for hazard mitigation projects for 94
buildings. Each private property owner applying for a loan 95
pursuant to the provisions of this section shall demonstrate on 96
the loan application both a need for the loan and the ability to 97
repay the loan, if required. 98
H. B. No. 1317 *HR26/R247* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R247
PAGE 5 (MCL\KW)
ST: Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund
Program; establish.
(7) If a property owner has received a loan pursuant to the 99
provisions of this section, upon the sale of the property the 100
outstanding loan principal shall be repaid unless the purchaser 101
assumes the loan. 102
(8) The MEMA shall have all powers necessary to implement 103
and administer the program established under this section, and the 104
MEMA shall promulgate rules, in accordance with the Mississippi 105
Administrative Procedures Law, as necessary for the implementation 106
of this section. 107
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 108
and after its passage. 109