Efficiency and Transparency; revise certain laws to increase through state government.

H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 1 (ELS\KW)

To: Accountability,
Efficiency, Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Felsher, Ford (54th)

HOUSE BILL NO. 1529
(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-1-77, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO IDENTIFY 2
UNDERUTILIZED STATE VEHICLES ON AGENCY INVENTORIES; TO REQUIRE THE 3
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO IDENTIFY STATE 4
EMPLOYEES WHO USE PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES IN THEIR OFFICIAL 5
CAPACITY AND CHARGE MORE THAN $15,000.00 IN TRAVEL MILEAGE 6
REIMBURSEMENT IN THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR; TO AMEND 7
SECTION 25-53-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO GRANT THE 8
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CERTAIN 9
POWERS RELATED TO THE OVERSIGHT OF AGENCY PROCUREMENT OF CELLULAR 10
SERVICES AND THE APPROVAL AND OVERSIGHT OF SECURITY PROTOCOLS FOR 11
ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS USED BY STATE AGENCIES; TO CREATE NEW 12
SECTION 25-53-125.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE 13
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO COLLECT CERTAIN 14
INFORMATION ON CELLULAR COMMUNICATION PLANS USED BY STATE 15
AGENCIES; TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 16
REMOVE DISCOUNTS ALLOWED TO VENDORS WHO PAY THEIR SALES TAXES ON 17
TIME; TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-104-7 AND 29-5-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 18
1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO 19
ESTABLISH SHARED OFFICE SPACE AND SHARED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 20
CERTAIN DESIGNATED AGENCIES; TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-33, 21
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND 22
ADMINISTRATION TO COOPERATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION 23
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES FOR DATA SECURITY CONCERNS; TO AMEND SECTION 24
35-7-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR 25
THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VETERANS' HOME 26
PURCHASE BOARD AND TO REQUIRE ETHICS TRAINING FOR CONFIRMED 27
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD; TO AMEND SECTION 35-7-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE 28
OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI VETERANS' HOME PURCHASE 29
BOARD SET ITS INTEREST RATES CONSISTENTLY BETWEEN ONE AND TWO 30
PERCENT BELOW MARKET RATES; TO AMEND SECTION 35-7-45, MISSISSIPPI 31
CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A 2% ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE FOR 32
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VETERANS' HOME PURCHASE BOARD REVOLVING 33
FUND IN CONFORMITY WITH OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW; TO REQUIRE THE 34
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 2 (ELS\KW)

PEER COMMITTEE TO PREPARE A REPORT ON CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 35
IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFICIENCY MEASURES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-5, 36
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 37
TO AID SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CREATING TECHNOLOGY AND DISASTER 38
RECOVERY PLANS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A PLAN 39
TEMPLATE AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS FOR TECHNOLOGY STAFF 40
DEVELOPING SUCH PLANS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT 41
CERTAIN SURVEYS RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS AT LEAST EVERY TWO 42
YEARS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-137, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 43
REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO 44
INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN NUTRITION PROGRAMS; TO 45
AMEND SECTION 37-28-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH 46
STAGGERED TERMS OF OFFICE FOR THE MISSISSIPPI CHARTER SCHOOL 47
AUTHORIZER BOARD; TO AMEND SECTION 37-28-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 48
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZER 49
BOARD MAY RECEIVE UP TO 3% OF ANNUAL PER-PUPIL ALLOCATIONS 50
RECEIVED BY A CHARTER SCHOOL FROM STATE AND LOCAL FUNDS FOR EACH 51
CHARTER SCHOOL IT AUTHORIZES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-37-1, 52
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ANNUALLY 53
REVIEW ITS ACCOUNTING MANUAL TO DETERMINE WHETHER REVISIONS WOULD 54
IMPROVE DETAIL, CLARITY AND ACCURACY OF SCHOOL DISTRICT REVENUES 55
AND EXPENSES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-41-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 56
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS 57
TO IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND REDUCE COSTS RELATED TO BUS 58
ROUTES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-211, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 59
REVISE THE ENROLLMENT FIGURES USED IN THE PRO RATA LOCAL AD 60
VALOREM TAX CALCULATION; TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-579, MISSISSIPPI 61
CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PROGRAM WITHHOLDINGS FROM PARTICIPANTS OF 62
THE PRISON INDUSTRIES CORPORATION'S WORK INITIATIVE PROGRAM TO BE 63
CALCULATED BASED ON PARTICIPANT WAGES AFTER MANDATORY DEDUCTIONS; 64
TO REQUIRE ACCOUNTING OF ANY DEPENDENT SUPPORT PAYMENTS, FINES, 65
RESTITUTIONS, FEES OR COSTS AS ORDERED BY THE COURT BE REPORTED 66
FOR EACH WORK INITIATIVE PARTICIPANT; TO REQUIRE THAT THE 67
REMAINING SENTENCE LENGTH OF WORK INITIATIVE PARTICIPANTS BE 68
COLLECTED, MAINTAINED AND REPORTED; TO REQUIRE THAT A FINANCIAL 69
ACCOUNT CREATION DATE FOR WORK PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BE COLLECTED 70
AND MAINTAINED; TO AMEND SECTION 73-9-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 71
TO REVISE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS PRACTICING 72
UNDER GENERAL SUPERVISION; TO AUTHORIZE GENERAL SUPERVISION 73
PRACTICE FOR NON-INVASIVE ROUTINE SERVICES IN LICENSED NURSING 74
HOMES, INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGED OR INFIRM, AND CORRECTIONAL 75
FACILITIES; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 35-7-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 76
1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 77
57-89-1, 57-89-3, 57-89-7 AND 57-89-51, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972; 78
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 79
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 80
SECTION 1. Section 25-1-77, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 81
amended as follows: 82
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 3 (ELS\KW)

25-1-77. (1) There is created the Bureau of Fleet 83
Management within the Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet 84
Management, Department of Finance and Administration, for the 85
purposes of coordinating and promoting efficiency and economy in 86
the purchase, lease, rental, acquisition, use, maintenance and 87
disposal of vehicles by state agencies. The Executive Director of 88
the Department of Finance and Administration may employ a Fleet 89
Management Officer to manage the bureau and carry out its 90
purposes. The bureau may employ other suitable and competent 91
personnel as necessary. The bureau shall encourage the use of 92
fuel efficient or hybrid vehicles appropriate for the state 93
agency's intended purpose and, when feasible, the use of 94
alternative fuels or energy sources, including, but not limited 95
to, ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas or electric power. The bureau 96
shall prepare a fiscal analysis of the cost-effectiveness of using 97
alternative fuel or energy source vehicles by state agencies, and 98
submit a report of that fiscal analysis to the Legislature by 99
December 15, 2009. Not later than July 1, 2014, at least 100
seventy-five percent (75%) of all vehicles to which the bureau 101
holds title in the name of the state must have a fuel economy 102
estimate by the United States Environmental Protection Agency of 103
forty (40) miles per gallon or higher for highway driving. 104
(2) The Bureau of Fleet Management shall perform the 105
following duties: 106
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 4 (ELS\KW)

(a) To hold title in the name of the State of 107
Mississippi to all vehicles currently in possession of state 108
agencies as defined in Section 25-9-107(d) and to assign vehicles 109
to such agencies for use; however, the bureau shall exempt any 110
agency or agency vehicles from the provisions of this paragraph 111
(a) if it determines that state or federal law requires that title 112
be vested only in the agency; 113
(b) To establish rules and regulations for state agency 114
use of vehicles; 115
(c) To gather information and specify proper fleet 116
management practices for state agencies; 117
(d) To acquire fleet management software and require 118
agencies to provide necessary information for the bureau to 119
properly monitor the size, use, maintenance and disposal of the 120
state's fleet of vehicles; the bureau shall communicate regularly 121
with the fleet managers of each state agency to determine 122
strengths and weaknesses of the various fleet operations; the 123
bureau shall disseminate information to the agencies so that each 124
can take advantage of any beneficial practices being incorporated 125
at other entities; the bureau shall promulgate rules and 126
regulations concerning the mileage reimbursement practices of each 127
state agency; 128
(e) To carry out responsibilities relative to budget 129
recommendations as provided in Section 27-103-129; 130
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 5 (ELS\KW)

(f) To reassign vehicles in the possession of any state 131
agency if the bureau believes that another state agency can make 132
more efficient use of a vehicle * * *; 133
(g) To investigate at any time the vehicle usage 134
practices of any state agency; and 135
(h) To require each agency to submit to the bureau a 136
vehicle acquisition/use/disposal plan on an annual basis. From 137
the plans received, the bureau shall evaluate the proposed plans 138
and shall submit a recommendation to the Legislature prior to 139
January 1 of each year. 140
(3) No state department, institution or agency shall 141
purchase, rent, lease or acquire any motor vehicle, regardless of 142
the source of funds from which the motor vehicle is to be 143
purchased, except under authority granted by the Department of 144
Finance and Administration. The Bureau of Fleet Management, 145
Department of Finance and Administration, shall promulgate rules 146
and regulations governing the purchase, rental, lease or 147
acquisition of any motor vehicle by a state department, 148
institution or agency with regard to the appropriateness of the 149
vehicle to its intended use. The Bureau of Fleet Management, 150
Department of Finance and Administration, shall only grant 151
authority to purchase, rent, lease or acquire a motor vehicle 152
which is the lowest cost vehicle to carry out its intended use. 153
Before the disposal or sale of any vehicle, the Bureau of Fleet 154
Management shall make a determination that the lifetime use and 155
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 6 (ELS\KW)

mileage of the vehicle has been maximized and that it would not be 156
feasible for another state agency to use the vehicle. 157
(4) The department, institution or agency shall maintain 158
proper documentation which provides the intended use of the 159
vehicle and the basis for choosing the vehicle. Such 160
documentation shall show that the department, institution or 161
agency made diligent efforts to purchase, rent, lease or acquire a 162
vehicle that is the lowest cost vehicle for its intended use. 163
Such documentation shall be updated as needed when the intended 164
use of the vehicle or any other facts concerning the vehicle are 165
changed. All such documentation shall be approved by the State 166
Fleet Officer prior to purchase, rental, lease or acquisition or 167
change in use of any vehicle and shall be maintained and made 168
available for review by the State Auditor, any other reviewing 169
agency and the Legislature. The Bureau of Fleet Management shall 170
immediately notify the department head of any agency that has a 171
vehicle found to be in violation of the bureau's rules and 172
regulations. At the same time, the bureau shall notify the 173
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Lieutenant 174
Governor of its findings regarding any such vehicle. If the 175
violation is not rectified within five (5) days of the notice, 176
then the bureau may seize the vehicle and dispose of it as the 177
bureau deems to be in the best interest of the State of 178
Mississippi. 179
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 7 (ELS\KW)

(5) On or before September 1 of each year, the Bureau of 180
Fleet Management shall prepare and deliver to the Senate and House 181
Appropriations Committees and the Joint Legislative Budget 182
Committee a report containing any irregularities that it finds 183
concerning purchases of state-owned vehicles. 184
(6) The Department of Public Safety and the Department of 185
Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks may retain any vehicle seized 186
pursuant to the forfeiture laws of this state, and the total 187
number of vehicles assigned to each such agency shall not be 188
reduced by the number of seized vehicles which the agency retains. 189
(7) The Bureau of Fleet Management, upon request, shall 190
grant an exemption from the provisions of this section for only 191
any vehicle assigned to a sworn officer of the Department of 192
Public Safety or of the Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau of 193
the Department of Agriculture and Commerce and used in undercover 194
operations when the bureau determines that compliance could 195
jeopardize the life, health or safety of the sworn officer. 196
(8) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any 197
state institution of higher learning. 198
(9) When making requests for authority to purchase, rent, 199
lease or acquire vehicles as provided in subsection (3) of this 200
section, agencies shall submit the lowest cost vehicle possible to 201
carry out its intended use. Any such request shall be in writing 202
from the agency head, certifying the vehicle requested is the 203
lowest cost option available and acknowledging that any request 204
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 8 (ELS\KW)

contrary to this provision shall subject the agency head to 205
penalties as provided in Sections 25-1-91, 31-7-55 and 31-7-57, 206
where applicable. The Bureau of Fleet Management shall only 207
approve the lowest cost vehicle, which in its estimation, will 208
carry out the intended use. No agency may purchase any vehicle 209
that the Bureau of Fleet Management has disapproved as being a 210
higher cost option. 211
(10) No requests authorized under subsections (3) and (9) of 212
this section shall be approved by the Bureau of Fleet Management 213
if the requesting agency has not properly maintained in the 214
fleet/asset reporting system all information required by the 215
Bureau of Fleet Management. Agencies shall correct any 216
inadequacies or discrepancies in the system noted by the Bureau of 217
Fleet Management before the bureau may approve any requests. 218
(11) In cooperation with other units of the Department of 219
Finance and Administration, the Bureau of Fleet Management shall 220
review the travel records of any state employees who receive 221
travel reimbursement for their use of private vehicles and shall 222
ascertain the identities of all such employees and their employing 223
agency in cases where the employee has received reimbursement for 224
travel in excess of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) in the 225
most recently completed fiscal year. The Department of Finance 226
and Administration, working in conjunction with the agency 227
employing such employees, shall make arrangements for the employee 228
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 9 (ELS\KW)

to use either a newly purchased vehicle or an available 229
underutilized vehicle currently on state inventory. 230
(12) (a) For purposes of this subsection (12), the term 231
"underutilized vehicle" means a passenger vehicle that was driven 232
less than eight thousand two hundred (8,200) miles in state fiscal 233
year 2025. For purposes of this subsection (12), the term 234
"agency" means that term as defined in Section 25-9-107. 235
(b) The Bureau of Fleet Management shall require all 236
agencies to report the following information to the bureau by 237
October 1, 2026: 238
(i) A list of all underutilized passenger 239
vehicles, including their purpose, location and value; 240
(ii) A listing of all underutilized vehicles that 241
the agency agrees should be disposed of through auction; and 242
(iii) The rationale for keeping underutilized 243
vehicles on the inventory. 244
(c) The Bureau of Fleet Management shall report to the 245
Legislature no later than December 31, 2026, on the cost savings 246
to date from efforts to reduce the number of underutilized 247
vehicles and the number of employees who used private vehicles 248
with reimbursement for milage in excess of Fifteen Thousand 249
Dollars ($15,000.00) in the most recently completed fiscal year. 250
SECTION 2. Section 25-53-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 251
amended as follows: 252
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 10 (ELS\KW)

25-53-5. The authority shall have the following powers, 253
duties, and responsibilities: 254
(a) The authority shall provide for the development of 255
plans for the efficient acquisition and utilization of information 256
technology by all agencies of state government, and provide for 257
their implementation. In so doing, the authority may use the ITS' 258
staff, at the discretion of the executive director of the 259
authority, or the authority may contract for the services of 260
qualified consulting firms in the field of information technology 261
and utilize the service of such consultants as may be necessary 262
for such purposes. 263
(b) The authority shall immediately institute 264
procedures for carrying out the purposes of this chapter and 265
supervise the efficient execution of the powers and duties of the 266
executive director of the ITS. In the execution of its functions 267
under this chapter, the authority shall maintain as a paramount 268
consideration the successful internal organization and operation 269
of the several agencies so that efficiency existing therein shall 270
not be adversely affected or impaired. In executing its functions 271
in relation to the institutions of higher learning and junior 272
colleges in the state, the authority shall take into consideration 273
the special needs of such institutions in relation to the fields 274
of teaching and scientific research. 275
(c) The authority shall adopt rules, regulations, and 276
procedures governing the acquisition of information technology 277
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 11 (ELS\KW)

which shall, to the fullest extent practicable, ensure the maximum 278
of competition between all manufacturers of supplies or equipment 279
or services. In the writing of specifications, in the making of 280
contracts relating to the acquisition of such information 281
technology, and in the performance of its other duties the 282
authority shall provide for the maximum compatibility of all 283
information systems hereafter installed or utilized by all state 284
agencies and may require the use of common computer languages 285
where necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. The 286
authority may establish by regulation and charge reasonable fees 287
on a nondiscriminatory basis for the furnishing to bidders of 288
copies of bid specifications and other documents issued by the 289
authority. 290
(d) The authority shall adopt rules and regulations 291
governing the sharing with, or the sale or lease of information 292
technology services to any nonstate agency or person. Such 293
regulations shall provide that any such sharing, sale or lease 294
shall be restricted in that same shall be accomplished only where 295
such services are not readily available otherwise within the 296
state, and then only at a charge to the user not less than the 297
prevailing rate of charge for similar services by private 298
enterprise within this state. 299
(e) The authority may, in its discretion, establish a 300
special technical advisory committee or committees to study and 301
make recommendations on matters within the competence of the 302
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 12 (ELS\KW)

authority as the authority may see fit. Persons serving on any 303
such committees shall be entitled to receive their actual and 304
necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of such 305
duties, together with mileage as provided by law for state 306
employees, provided the same has been authorized by a resolution 307
duly adopted by the authority and entered on its minutes prior to 308
the performance of such duties. For the purposes of this 309
paragraph, such committee meetings are exempt from the 310
requirements of Sections 25-41-1 through 25-41-17. 311
(f) The authority may provide for the development and 312
require the adoption of standardized computer programs and may 313
provide for the dissemination of information to and the 314
establishment of training programs for the personnel of the 315
various information technology centers of state agencies and 316
personnel of the agencies utilizing the services thereof. 317
(g) The authority shall adopt reasonable rules and 318
regulations requiring the reporting to the authority through the 319
office of executive director of such information as may be 320
required for carrying out the purposes of this chapter and may 321
also establish such reasonable procedures to be followed in the 322
presentation of bills for payment under the terms of all contracts 323
for the acquisition of information technology now or hereafter in 324
force as may be required by the authority or by the executive 325
director in the execution of their powers and duties. 326
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 13 (ELS\KW)

(h) The authority shall require such adequate 327
documentation of information technology procedures utilized by the 328
various state agencies and may require the establishment of such 329
organizational structures within state agencies relating to 330
information technology operations as may be necessary to 331
effectuate the purposes of this chapter. 332
(i) The authority may adopt such further reasonable 333
rules and regulations as may be necessary to fully implement the 334
purposes of this chapter. All rules and regulations adopted by 335
the authority shall be published in readily accessible form to all 336
affected state agencies, and to all current suppliers of computer 337
equipment and services to the state, and to all prospective 338
suppliers requesting the same. Such rules and regulations shall 339
be kept current, be periodically revised, and copies thereof shall 340
be available at all times for inspection by the public at 341
reasonable hours in the offices of the authority. Whenever 342
possible no rule, regulation or any proposed amendment to such 343
rules and regulations shall be finally adopted or enforced until 344
copies of the proposed rules and regulations have been published. 345
(j) The authority shall establish rules and regulations 346
which shall provide for the submission of all contracts proposed 347
to be executed by the executive director for information 348
technology, including cloud computing, to the authority for 349
approval before final execution, and the authority may provide 350
that such contracts involving the expenditure of less than such 351
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 14 (ELS\KW)

specified amount as may be established by the authority may be 352
finally executed by the executive director without first obtaining 353
such approval by the authority. 354
(k) The authority is authorized to consider new 355
technologies, such as cloud computing, to purchase, lease, or rent 356
information technology and to operate that information technology 357
when in its opinion such operation will provide maximum efficiency 358
and economy in the functions of any such agency or agencies. 359
(l) Upon the request of the governing body of a 360
political subdivision or instrumentality, the authority shall 361
assist the political subdivision or instrumentality in its 362
development of plans for the efficient acquisition and utilization 363
of information technology. An appropriate fee shall be charged 364
the political subdivision by the authority for such assistance. 365
(m) The authority shall adopt rules and regulations 366
governing the protest procedures to be followed by any actual or 367
prospective bidder, offerer or contractor who is aggrieved in 368
connection with the solicitation or award of a contract for the 369
acquisition of information technology. Such rules and regulations 370
shall prescribe the manner, time and procedure for making protests 371
and may provide that a protest not timely filed shall be summarily 372
denied. The authority may require the protesting party, at the 373
time of filing the protest, to post a bond, payable to the state, 374
in an amount that the authority determines sufficient to cover any 375
expense or loss incurred by the state; however, in no event may 376
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 15 (ELS\KW)

the amount of the bond required exceed a reasonable estimate of 377
the total project cost. The authority, in its discretion, also 378
may prohibit any prospective bidder, offerer or contractor who is 379
a party to any protest or litigation involving any such contract 380
with the state, the authority or any agency of the state to 381
participate in any other such bid, offer or contract, or to be 382
awarded any such contract, during the pendency of the protest or 383
litigation. 384
(n) The authority shall make a report in writing to the 385
Legislature each year in the month of January. Such report shall 386
contain a full and detailed account of the work of the authority 387
for the preceding year as specified in Section 25-53-29(3). 388
All acquisitions of information technology involving the 389
expenditure of funds in excess of the dollar amount established in 390
Section 31-7-13(c), or rentals or leases in excess of the dollar 391
amount established in Section 31-7-13(c) for the term of the 392
contract, shall be based upon bid. The authority may reserve the 393
right to reject any or all bids, and if all bids are rejected, the 394
authority may negotiate a contract within the limitations of the 395
specifications so long as the terms of any such negotiated 396
contract are equal to or better than the lowest bidder, and so 397
long as the total cost to the State of Mississippi does not exceed 398
the lowest bid. If the authority accepts one (1) of such bids, it 399
shall be that which is the lowest and best. The provisions of 400
this paragraph shall not apply to acquisitions of information 401
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 16 (ELS\KW)

technology equipment and services made by the Mississippi 402
Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Revenue for 403
the purposes of implementing, administering and enforcing the 404
provisions of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act by June 30, 405
2024. 406
(o) When applicable, the authority may procure 407
information technology in accordance with the law or regulations, 408
or both, which govern the Bureau of Purchasing of the Office of 409
General Services or which govern the Mississippi Department of 410
Information Technology Services procurement of information 411
technology. 412
(p) The authority is authorized to purchase, lease, or 413
rent information technology for the purpose of establishing pilot 414
projects to investigate emerging technologies. These acquisitions 415
shall be limited to new technologies and shall be limited to an 416
amount set by annual appropriation of the Legislature. These 417
acquisitions shall be exempt from the advertising and bidding 418
requirement. 419
(q) To promote the maximum use and benefit from 420
technology and services now in operation or which will in the 421
future be placed in operation and to identify opportunities, 422
minimize duplication, reduce costs and improve the efficiency of 423
providing common technology services the authority is authorized 424
to: 425
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 17 (ELS\KW)

(i) Enter into master agreements for information 426
technology, including cloud computing, available for shared use by 427
state agencies, institutions of higher learning and governing 428
authorities; and 429
(ii) Enter into contracts for the acquisition of 430
information technology, including cloud computing, that have been 431
acquired by other entities, located within or outside of the State 432
of Mississippi, so long as it is determined by the authority to be 433
in the best interest of the state. The acquisitions provided in 434
this paragraph (q) shall be exempt from the advertising and 435
bidding requirements of Sections 25-53-1 et seq. and 31-7-1 et 436
seq. 437
(r) All fees collected by the Mississippi Department of 438
Information Technology Services shall be deposited into the 439
Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services 440
Revolving Fund unless otherwise specified by the Legislature. 441
(s) The authority shall work closely with the council 442
to bring about effective coordination of policies, standards and 443
procedures relating to procurement of remote sensing and 444
geographic information systems (GIS) resources. 445
(t) The authority shall manage one or more State Data 446
Centers to provide information technology services on a 447
cost-sharing basis. In determining the appropriate services to be 448
provided through the State Data Center, the authority should 449
consider those services that: 450
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 18 (ELS\KW)

(i) Result in savings to the state as a whole; 451
(ii) Improve and enhance the security and 452
reliability of the state's information and business systems; and 453
(iii) Optimize the efficient use of the state's 454
information technology assets, including, but not limited to, 455
promoting partnerships with the state institutions of higher 456
learning and community colleges to capitalize on advanced 457
information technology resources. 458
(u) The authority shall oversee the Mississippi 459
Statewide Data Exchange, ensuring compliance with the requirements 460
of Section 25-53-281. The Department of Information Technology 461
Services shall have the authority to promulgate rules and 462
regulations necessary to develop, implement and oversee the 463
Mississippi Statewide Data Exchange. The department shall engage 464
with state agencies and other stakeholders to identify 465
data-sharing opportunities and address potential barriers. 466
Additionally, the department shall establish a Chief Information 467
Officer (CIO) Council, composed of information technology 468
leadership from state agencies, to provide strategic oversight, 469
promote interoperability and recommend policies to enhance the 470
effectiveness and security of statewide data-sharing initiatives. 471
(v) The authority shall increase federal participation 472
in the cost of the State Data Center to the extent provided by law 473
and its shared technology infrastructure through providing such 474
shared services to agencies that receive federal funds. With 475
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 19 (ELS\KW)

regard to state institutions of higher learning and community 476
colleges, the authority may provide shared services when mutually 477
agreeable, following a determination by both the authority and the 478
Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the 479
Mississippi Community College Board, as the case may be, that the 480
sharing of services is mutually beneficial. 481
(w) The authority, in its discretion, may require new 482
or replacement agency business applications to be hosted at the 483
State Data Center. With regard to state institutions of higher 484
learning and community colleges, the authority and the Board of 485
Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the 486
Mississippi Community College Board, as the case may be, may agree 487
that institutions of higher learning or community colleges may 488
utilize business applications that are hosted at the State Data 489
Center, following a determination by both the authority and the 490
applicable board that the hosting of those applications is 491
mutually beneficial. In addition, the authority may establish 492
partnerships to capitalize on the advanced technology resources of 493
the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or 494
the Mississippi Community College Board, following a determination 495
by both the authority and the applicable board that such a 496
partnership is mutually beneficial. 497
(x) The authority shall provide a periodic update 498
regarding reform-based information technology initiatives to the 499
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 20 (ELS\KW)

Chairmen of the House and Senate Accountability, Efficiency and 500
Transparency Committees. 501
(y) The authority shall establish security standards 502
for electronic payments as established in Section 27-104-33 and 503
review the compliance of all state agencies using electronic 504
payments. The authority shall enforce security compliance by 505
state agencies and contracted third parties and shall notify the 506
Department of Finance and Administration of any security risks. 507
From and after July 1, 2018, the expenses of this agency 508
shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund. 509
In addition, in order to receive the maximum use and benefit from 510
information technology and services, expenses for the provision of 511
statewide shared services that facilitate cost-effective 512
information technology shall be defrayed by pass-through funding 513
and shall be deposited into the Mississippi Department of 514
Information Technology Services Revolving Fund unless otherwise 515
specified by the Legislature. These funds shall only be utilized 516
to pay the actual costs incurred by the Mississippi Department of 517
Information Technology Services for providing these shared 518
services to state agencies. Furthermore, state agencies shall 519
work in full cooperation with the Board of the Mississippi 520
Department of Information Technology Services to identify 521
information technology to minimize duplication, reduce costs, and 522
improve the efficiency of providing common technology services 523
across agency boundaries. 524
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 21 (ELS\KW)

SECTION 3. The following shall be codified as Section 525
25-53-125.1, Mississippi Code of 1972: 526
25-53-125.1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Information 527
Technology Services shall carry out the following functions 528
supplemental to its responsibilities relative to the procurement 529
of cellular services. 530
(2) The department shall require that each state agency 531
submit the following information to the department by September 532
30, 2026: 533
(a) An acknowledgement that each agency has reviewed 534
its usage and cost information received from its vendor through 535
the vendor's portal; 536
(b) A signed statement from the agency's executive 537
director asserting that the agency has re-solicited for cellular 538
services and is either: 539
(i) Currently using the best priced plan that 540
matches current levels of usage and needs; or 541
(ii) Has converted to best priced cellular service 542
plan that better matches usage and needs; 543
(c) The annual costs savings of any adjustments to the 544
agency cellular services plans as a result of this effort. 545
(3) The department shall prepare a report on the information 546
received from agencies under subsection (2) of this section and 547
present this report to the committee chairs of the House and 548
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 22 (ELS\KW)

Senate Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committees no 549
later than December 31, 2026. 550
SECTION 4. Section 27-65-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 551
amended as follows: 552
27-65-33. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this 553
section, the taxes levied by this chapter shall be due and payable 554
on or before the twentieth day of the month next succeeding the 555
month in which the tax accrues, except as otherwise provided. 556
Returns and payments placed in the mail must be postmarked by the 557
due date in order to be considered timely filed, except when the 558
due date falls on a weekend or holiday, returns and payments 559
placed in the mail must be postmarked by the first working day 560
following the due date in order to be considered timely filed. 561
The taxpayer shall make a return showing the gross proceeds of 562
sales or the gross income of the business, and any and all 563
allowable deductions, or exempt sales, and compute the tax due for 564
the period covered. 565
* * * 566
( * * *b) As compensation for collecting any tax 567
imposed under the authority of a local and private law of the 568
State of Mississippi which is collected and paid to the Department 569
of Revenue in the same or similar manner that state sales taxes 570
are collected and paid, complying fully with such applicable law, 571
filing returns and supplements thereto and paying all taxes by the 572
twentieth of the month following the period covered, the taxpayer 573
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 23 (ELS\KW)

may discount and retain two percent (2%) of the liability on each 574
return subject to the following limitations: 575
(i) The compensation or discount shall not apply 576
to taxes collected by a county official or state agency. 577
(ii) The compensation or discount shall not exceed 578
Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per month, or Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) 579
per calendar year, per business location on each tax return. 580
(iii) The compensation or discount allowed and 581
taken for any filing period may be reassessed and collected when 582
an audit of a taxpayer's records reveals a tax deficiency for that 583
period. 584
(2) All returns shall be sworn to by the taxpayer, if made 585
by an individual, or by the president, vice president, secretary 586
or treasurer of a corporation, or authorized agent, if made on 587
behalf of a corporation. If made on behalf of a partnership, 588
joint venture, association, trust, estate, or in any other group 589
or combination acting as a unit, any individual delegated by such 590
firm shall swear to the return on behalf of the taxpayer. The 591
commissioner may prescribe methods by which the taxpayer may swear 592
to his return. 593
(3) The commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations to 594
require or permit filing periods of any duration, in lieu of 595
monthly filing periods, for any taxpayer or group thereof. 596
(4) The commissioner may require the execution and filing by 597
the taxpayer with the commissioner of a good and solvent bond with 598
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 24 (ELS\KW)

some surety company authorized to do business in Mississippi as 599
surety thereon in an amount double the aggregate tax liability by 600
such taxpayer for any previous three-month period within the last 601
calendar year or estimated three (3) months' tax liability. The 602
bond is to be conditioned for the prompt payment of such taxes as 603
may be due for each such return. 604
(5) The commissioner, for good cause, may grant such 605
reasonable additional time within which to make any return 606
required under the provisions of this chapter as he may deem 607
proper, but the time for filing any return shall not be extended 608
beyond the twentieth of the month next succeeding the regular due 609
date of the return without the imposition of interest at the rate 610
of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) per month or fractional 611
part of a month from the time the return was due until the tax is 612
paid. 613
(6) For persistent, willful or recurring failure to make any 614
return and pay the tax shown thereby to be due by the time 615
specified, there shall be added to the amount of tax shown to be 616
due ten percent (10%) damages, or interest at the rate of one-half 617
of one percent (1/2 of 1%) per month, or both. 618
(7) Any taxpayer may, upon making application therefor, 619
obtain from the commissioner an extension of time for the payment 620
of taxes due on credit sales until collections thereon have been 621
made. When such extension is granted, the taxpayer shall 622
thereafter include in each monthly or quarterly report all 623
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 25 (ELS\KW)

collections made during the preceding month or quarter, and shall 624
pay the taxes due thereon at the time of filing such report. Such 625
permission may be revoked or denied at the discretion of the 626
commissioner when, in his opinion, a total sales basis will best 627
reflect the taxable income or expedite examination of the 628
taxpayer's records. 629
(8) Any taxpayer reporting credit sales before collection 630
thereof has been made may take credit on subsequent returns or 631
reports for bad debts actually charged off, if such amounts 632
charged off have previously been included in taxable gross income 633
or taxable gross proceeds of sales, as the case may be, and the 634
tax paid thereon. However, any amounts subsequently collected on 635
accounts that have been charged off as bad debts shall be included 636
in subsequent reports and the tax shall be paid thereon. 637
(9) In cases where an extension of time has been granted by 638
the commissioner for payment of taxes due on credit sales and the 639
taxpayer thereafter discontinues the business, such taxpayer shall 640
be required to file with the commissioner within ten (10) days, or 641
such further time as the commissioner may direct, from the date of 642
the discontinuance of such business, a special report showing the 643
amounts of any credit sales which have not been included in 644
determining the measure of the tax previously paid and any other 645
information with reference to credit sales as the commissioner may 646
require. The commissioner shall thereupon investigate the facts 647
with reference to credit sales and the condition of the accounts, 648
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 26 (ELS\KW)

and shall determine, from the best evidence available, the value 649
of all open accounts, notes or other evidence of debt arising from 650
credit sales. The value of all notes, open accounts and other 651
evidence of debt, as thus determined by the commissioner, shall be 652
used in determining the amount of the tax for which such taxpayer 653
shall be liable. When the amount of the tax shall have been 654
ascertained, the taxpayer shall be required to pay the same within 655
ten (10) days or such further time as the commissioner may allow, 656
notwithstanding the fact that such note or accounts may still 657
remain uncollected. 658
SECTION 5. Section 27-104-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 659
amended as follows: 660
27-104-7. (1) (a) There is created the Public Procurement 661
Review Board, which shall be reconstituted on January 1, 2018, and 662
shall be composed of the following members: 663
(i) Three (3) individuals appointed by the 664
Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; 665
(ii) Two (2) individuals appointed by the 666
Lieutenant Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; and 667
(iii) The Executive Director of the Department of 668
Finance and Administration, serving as an ex officio and nonvoting 669
member. 670
(b) The initial terms of each appointee shall be as 671
follows: 672
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 27 (ELS\KW)

(i) One (1) member appointed by the Governor to 673
serve for a term ending on June 30, 2019; 674
(ii) One (1) member appointed by the Governor to 675
serve for a term ending on June 30, 2020; 676
(iii) One (1) member appointed by the Governor to 677
serve for a term ending on June 30, 2021; 678
(iv) One (1) member appointed by the Lieutenant 679
Governor to serve for a term ending on June 30, 2019; and 680
(v) One (1) member appointed by the Lieutenant 681
Governor to serve for a term ending on June 30, 2020. 682
After the expiration of the initial terms, all appointed 683
members' terms shall be for a period of four (4) years from the 684
expiration date of the previous term, and until such time as the 685
member's successor is duly appointed and qualified. 686
(c) When appointing members to the Public Procurement 687
Review Board, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall take into 688
consideration persons who possess at least five (5) years of 689
management experience in general business, health care or finance 690
for an organization, corporation or other public or private 691
entity. Any person, or any employee or owner of a company, who 692
receives any grants, procurements or contracts that are subject to 693
approval under this section shall not be appointed to the Public 694
Procurement Review Board. Any person, or any employee or owner of 695
a company, who is a principal of the source providing a personal 696
or professional service shall not be appointed to the Public 697
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 28 (ELS\KW)

Procurement Review Board if the principal owns or controls a 698
greater than five percent (5%) interest or has an ownership value 699
of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the source's business, 700
whichever is smaller. No member shall be an officer or employee 701
of the State of Mississippi while serving as a voting member on 702
the Public Procurement Review Board. 703
(d) Members of the Public Procurement Review Board 704
shall be entitled to per diem as authorized by Section 25-3-69 and 705
travel reimbursement as authorized by Section 25-3-41. 706
(e) The members of the Public Procurement Review Board 707
shall elect a chair from among the membership, and he or she shall 708
preside over the meetings of the board. The board shall annually 709
elect a vice chair, who shall serve in the absence of the chair. 710
No business shall be transacted, including adoption of rules of 711
procedure, without the presence of a quorum of the board. Three 712
(3) members shall be a quorum. No action shall be valid unless 713
approved by a majority of the members present and voting, entered 714
upon the minutes of the board and signed by the chair. Necessary 715
clerical and administrative support for the board shall be 716
provided by the Department of Finance and Administration. Minutes 717
shall be kept of the proceedings of each meeting, copies of which 718
shall be filed on a monthly basis with the chairs of the 719
Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committees of the 720
Senate and House of Representatives and the chairs of the 721
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 29 (ELS\KW)

Appropriations Committees of the Senate and House of 722
Representatives. 723
(2) The Public Procurement Review Board shall have the 724
following powers and responsibilities: 725
(a) Approve all purchasing regulations governing the 726
purchase or lease by any agency, as defined in Section 31-7-1, of 727
commodities and equipment, except computer equipment acquired 728
pursuant to Sections 25-53-1 through 25-53-29; 729
(b) Adopt regulations governing the approval of 730
contracts let for the construction and maintenance of state 731
buildings and other state facilities as well as related contracts 732
for architectural and engineering services. 733
The provisions of this paragraph (b) shall not apply to such 734
contracts involving buildings and other facilities of state 735
institutions of higher learning which are self-administered as 736
provided under this paragraph (b) or Section 37-101-15(m); 737
(c) Adopt regulations governing any lease or rental 738
agreement by any state agency or department, including any state 739
agency financed entirely by federal funds, for space outside the 740
buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department of Finance and 741
Administration. These regulations shall require each agency 742
requesting to lease such space to provide the following 743
information that shall be published by the Department of Finance 744
and Administration on its website: the agency to lease the space; 745
the terms of the lease; the approximate square feet to be leased; 746
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 30 (ELS\KW)

the use for the space; a description of a suitable space; the 747
general location desired for the leased space; the contact 748
information for a person from the agency; the deadline date for 749
the agency to have received a lease proposal; any other specific 750
terms or conditions of the agency; and any other information 751
deemed appropriate by the Division of Real Property Management of 752
the Department of Finance and Administration or the Public 753
Procurement Review Board. The information shall be provided 754
sufficiently in advance of the time the space is needed to allow 755
the Division of Real Property Management of the Department of 756
Finance and Administration to review and preapprove the lease 757
before the time for advertisement begins; 758
(d) Adopt, in its discretion, regulations to set aside 759
at least five percent (5%) of anticipated annual expenditures for 760
the purchase of commodities from minority businesses; however, all 761
such set-aside purchases shall comply with all purchasing 762
regulations promulgated by the department and shall be subject to 763
all bid requirements. Set-aside purchases for which competitive 764
bids are required shall be made from the lowest and best minority 765
business bidder; however, if no minority bid is available or if 766
the minority bid is more than two percent (2%) higher than the 767
lowest bid, then bids shall be accepted and awarded to the lowest 768
and best bidder. However, the provisions in this paragraph shall 769
not be construed to prohibit the rejection of a bid when only one 770
(1) bid is received. Such rejection shall be placed in the 771
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 31 (ELS\KW)

minutes. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "minority 772
business" means a business which is owned by a person who is a 773
citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who 774
is: 775
(i) Black: having origins in any of the black 776
racial groups of Africa; 777
(ii) Hispanic: of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, 778
Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture 779
or origin regardless of race; 780
(iii) Asian-American: having origins in any of 781
the original people of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian 782
subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands; 783
(iv) American Indian or Alaskan Native: having 784
origins in any of the original people of North America; or 785
(v) Female; 786
(e) In consultation with and approval by the Chairs of 787
the Senate and House Public Property Committees, approve leases, 788
for a term not to exceed eighteen (18) months, entered into by 789
state agencies for the purpose of providing parking arrangements 790
for state employees who work in the Woolfolk Building, the Carroll 791
Gartin Justice Building or the Walter Sillers Office Building; 792
(f) (i) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph 793
(ii) of this paragraph, promulgate rules and regulations governing 794
the solicitation and selection of contractual services personnel, 795
including personal and professional services contracts for any 796
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 32 (ELS\KW)

form of consulting, policy analysis, public relations, marketing, 797
public affairs, legislative advocacy services or any other 798
contract that the board deems appropriate for oversight, with the 799
exception of: 800
1. Any personal service contracts entered 801
into by any agency that employs only nonstate service employees as 802
defined in Section 25-9-107(c); 803
2. Any personal service contracts entered 804
into for computer or information technology-related services 805
governed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology 806
Services; 807
3. Any personal service contracts entered 808
into by the individual state institutions of higher learning; 809
4. Any personal service contracts entered 810
into by the Mississippi Department of Transportation; 811
5. Any personal service contracts entered 812
into by the Department of Human Services through June 30, 2019, 813
which the Executive Director of the Department of Human Services 814
determines would be useful in establishing and operating the 815
Department of Child Protection Services; 816
6. Any personal service contracts entered 817
into by the Department of Child Protection Services through June 818
30, 2019; 819
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 33 (ELS\KW)

7. Any contracts for entertainers and/or 820
performers at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds entered into by 821
the Mississippi Fair Commission; 822
8. Any contracts entered into by the 823
Department of Finance and Administration when procuring aircraft 824
maintenance, parts, equipment and/or services; 825
9. Any contract entered into by the 826
Department of Public Safety for service on specialized equipment 827
and/or software required for the operation of such specialized 828
equipment for use by the Office of Forensics Laboratories; 829
10. Any personal or professional service 830
contract entered into by the Mississippi Department of Health or 831
the Department of Revenue solely in connection with their 832
respective responsibilities under the Mississippi Medical Cannabis 833
Act from February 2, 2022, through June 30, 2026; 834
11. Any contract for attorney, accountant, 835
actuary auditor, architect, engineer, anatomical pathologist, or 836
utility rate expert services; 837
12. Any personal service contracts approved 838
by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and 839
Administration and entered into by the Coordinator of Mental 840
Health Accessibility through June 30, 2022; 841
13. Any personal or professional services 842
contract entered into by the State Department of Health in 843
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 34 (ELS\KW)

carrying out its responsibilities under the ARPA Rural Water 844
Associations Infrastructure Grant Program through June 30, 2026; 845
14. And any personal or professional services 846
contract entered into by the Mississippi Department of 847
Environmental Quality in carrying out its responsibilities under 848
the Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant 849
Program Act of 2022, through June 30, 2026; 850
15. Any personal or professional services 851
contract entered into by an agency for the design, operation or 852
maintenance of museum exhibits. An agency making a purchase under 853
this exemption shall publicly advertise a Request for 854
Qualifications but shall be otherwise exempt. Any contracts 855
arising from the use of this exemption must be approved by the 856
Public Procurement Review Board prior to execution by the agency; 857
16. Any personal or professional services 858
contract entered into by the Mississippi Department of 859
Environmental Quality in carrying out its responsibilities under 860
Section 49-2-13(l). This item 16 shall stand repealed on July 1, 861
2028; and 862
17. Any contract entered into by the State 863
Department of Health for service on specialized equipment and/or 864
software required for the operation of such specialized equipment 865
for the use by the Public Health Laboratory. 866
Any such rules and regulations shall provide for maintaining 867
continuous internal audit covering the activities of such agency 868
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 35 (ELS\KW)

affecting its revenue and expenditures as required under Section 869
7-7-3(6)(d). Any rules and regulation changes related to personal 870
and professional services contracts that the Public Procurement 871
Review Board may propose shall be submitted to the Chairs of the 872
Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committees of the 873
Senate and House of Representatives and the Chairs of the 874
Appropriation Committees of the Senate and House of 875
Representatives at least fifteen (15) days before the board votes 876
on the proposed changes, and those rules and regulation changes, 877
if adopted, shall be promulgated in accordance with the 878
Mississippi Administrative Procedures Act. 879
(ii) From and after July 1, 2024, the Public 880
Procurement Review Board shall promulgate rules and regulations 881
that require the Department of Finance and Administration to 882
conduct personal and professional services solicitations as 883
provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph for those services 884
in excess of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) for the 885
Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Wildlife, 886
Fisheries and Parks, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency 887
and the Mississippi Development Authority, with assistance to be 888
provided from these entities. Any powers that have been conferred 889
upon agencies in order to comply with the provisions of this 890
section for personal and professional services solicitations shall 891
be conferred upon the Department of Finance and Administration to 892
conduct personal and professional services solicitations for the 893
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 36 (ELS\KW)

Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Wildlife, 894
Fisheries and Parks, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency 895
and the Mississippi Development Authority for those services in 896
excess of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00). The 897
Department of Finance and Administration shall make any 898
submissions that are required to be made by other agencies to the 899
Public Procurement Review Board for the Department of Marine 900
Resources, the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the 901
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi 902
Development Authority. 903
The provisions of this subparagraph (ii) shall stand repealed 904
on June 30, 2027; 905
(g) Approve all personal and professional services 906
contracts involving the expenditures of funds in excess of 907
Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00), except as provided in 908
paragraph (f) of this subsection (2) and in subsection (8); 909
(h) Develop mandatory standards with respect to 910
contractual services personnel that require invitations for public 911
bid, requests for proposals, record keeping and financial 912
responsibility of contractors. The Public Procurement Review 913
Board shall, unless exempted under this paragraph (h) or under 914
paragraph (i) or (o) of this subsection (2), require the agency 915
involved to submit the procurement to a competitive procurement 916
process, and may reserve the right to reject any or all resulting 917
procurements; 918
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 37 (ELS\KW)

(i) Prescribe certain circumstances by which agency 919
heads may enter into contracts for personal and professional 920
services without receiving prior approval from the Public 921
Procurement Review Board. The Public Procurement Review Board may 922
establish a preapproved list of providers of various personal and 923
professional services for set prices with which state agencies may 924
contract without bidding or prior approval from the board; 925
(i) Agency requirements may be fulfilled by 926
procuring services performed incident to the state's own programs. 927
The agency head shall determine in writing whether the price 928
represents a fair market value for the services. When the 929
procurements are made from other governmental entities, the 930
private sector need not be solicited; however, these contracts 931
shall still be submitted for approval to the Public Procurement 932
Review Board. 933
(ii) Contracts between two (2) state agencies, 934
both under Public Procurement Review Board purview, shall not 935
require Public Procurement Review Board approval. However, the 936
contracts shall still be entered into the enterprise resource 937
planning system; 938
(j) Provide standards for the issuance of requests for 939
proposals, the evaluation of proposals received, consideration of 940
costs and quality of services proposed, contract negotiations, the 941
administrative monitoring of contract performance by the agency 942
and successful steps in terminating a contract; 943
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 38 (ELS\KW)

(k) Present recommendations for governmental 944
privatization and to evaluate privatization proposals submitted by 945
any state agency; 946
(l) Authorize personal and professional service 947
contracts to be effective for more than one (1) year provided a 948
funding condition is included in any such multiple year contract, 949
except the State Board of Education, which shall have the 950
authority to enter into contractual agreements for student 951
assessment for a period up to ten (10) years. The State Board of 952
Education shall procure these services in accordance with the 953
Public Procurement Review Board procurement regulations; 954
(m) Request the State Auditor to conduct a performance 955
audit on any personal or professional service contract; 956
(n) Prepare an annual report to the Legislature 957
concerning the issuance of personal and professional services 958
contracts during the previous year, collecting any necessary 959
information from state agencies in making such report; 960
(o) Develop and implement the following standards and 961
procedures for the approval of any sole source contract for 962
personal and professional services regardless of the value of the 963
procurement: 964
(i) For the purposes of this paragraph (o), the 965
term "sole source" means only one (1) source is available that can 966
provide the required personal or professional service. 967
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 39 (ELS\KW)

(ii) An agency that has been issued a binding, 968
valid court order mandating that a particular source or provider 969
must be used for the required service must include a copy of the 970
applicable court order in all future sole source contract reviews 971
for the particular personal or professional service referenced in 972
the court order. 973
(iii) Any agency alleging to have a sole source 974
for any personal or professional service, other than those 975
exempted under paragraph (f) of this subsection (2) and subsection 976
(8), shall publish on the procurement portal website established 977
by Sections 25-53-151 and 27-104-165, for at least fourteen (14) 978
days, the terms of the proposed contract for those services. In 979
addition, the publication shall include, but is not limited to, 980
the following information: 981
1. The personal or professional service 982
offered in the contract; 983
2. An explanation of why the personal or 984
professional service is the only one that can meet the needs of 985
the agency; 986
3. An explanation of why the source is the 987
only person or entity that can provide the required personal or 988
professional service; 989
4. An explanation of why the amount to be 990
expended for the personal or professional service is reasonable; 991
and 992
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 40 (ELS\KW)

5. The efforts that the agency went through 993
to obtain the best possible price for the personal or professional 994
service. 995
(iv) If any person or entity objects and proposes 996
that the personal or professional service published under 997
subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph (o) is not a sole source 998
service and can be provided by another person or entity, then the 999
objecting person or entity shall notify the Public Procurement 1000
Review Board and the agency that published the proposed sole 1001
source contract with a detailed explanation of why the personal or 1002
professional service is not a sole source service. 1003
(v) 1. If the agency determines after review that 1004
the personal or professional service in the proposed sole source 1005
contract can be provided by another person or entity, then the 1006
agency must withdraw the sole source contract publication from the 1007
procurement portal website and submit the procurement of the 1008
personal or professional service to an advertised competitive bid 1009
or selection process. 1010
2. If the agency determines after review that 1011
there is only one (1) source for the required personal or 1012
professional service, then the agency may appeal to the Public 1013
Procurement Review Board. The agency has the burden of proving 1014
that the personal or professional service is only provided by one 1015
(1) source. 1016
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 41 (ELS\KW)

3. If the Public Procurement Review Board has 1017
any reasonable doubt as to whether the personal or professional 1018
service can only be provided by one (1) source, then the agency 1019
must submit the procurement of the personal or professional 1020
service to an advertised competitive bid or selection process. No 1021
action taken by the Public Procurement Review Board in this appeal 1022
process shall be valid unless approved by a majority of the 1023
members of the Public Procurement Review Board present and voting. 1024
(vi) The Public Procurement Review Board shall 1025
prepare and submit a quarterly report to the House of 1026
Representatives and Senate Accountability, Efficiency and 1027
Transparency Committees that details the sole source contracts 1028
presented to the Public Procurement Review Board and the reasons 1029
that the Public Procurement Review Board approved or rejected each 1030
contract. These quarterly reports shall also include the 1031
documentation and memoranda required in subsection (4) of this 1032
section. An agency that submitted a sole source contract shall be 1033
prepared to explain the sole source contract to each committee by 1034
December 15 of each year upon request by the committee; 1035
(p) Assess any fines and administrative penalties 1036
provided for in Sections 31-7-401 through 31-7-423 * * *; 1037
(q) To administer a shared office space and shared 1038
services program for office space leasing as provided in Section 7 1039
of this act. 1040
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 42 (ELS\KW)

(3) All submissions shall be made sufficiently in advance of 1041
each monthly meeting of the Public Procurement Review Board as 1042
prescribed by the Public Procurement Review Board. If the Public 1043
Procurement Review Board rejects any contract submitted for review 1044
or approval, the Public Procurement Review Board shall clearly set 1045
out the reasons for its action, including, but not limited to, the 1046
policy that the agency has violated in its submitted contract and 1047
any corrective actions that the agency may take to amend the 1048
contract to comply with the rules and regulations of the Public 1049
Procurement Review Board. 1050
(4) All sole source contracts for personal and professional 1051
services awarded by state agencies, other than those exempted 1052
under Section 27-104-7(2)(f) and (8), whether approved by an 1053
agency head or the Public Procurement Review Board, shall contain 1054
in the procurement file a written determination for the approval, 1055
using a request form furnished by the Public Procurement Review 1056
Board. The written determination shall document the basis for the 1057
determination, including any market analysis conducted in order to 1058
ensure that the service required was practicably available from 1059
only one (1) source. A memorandum shall accompany the request 1060
form and address the following four (4) points: 1061
(a) Explanation of why this service is the only service 1062
that can meet the needs of the purchasing agency; 1063
(b) Explanation of why this vendor is the only 1064
practicably available source from which to obtain this service; 1065
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 43 (ELS\KW)

(c) Explanation of why the price is considered 1066
reasonable; and 1067
(d) Description of the efforts that were made to 1068
conduct a noncompetitive negotiation to get the best possible 1069
price for the taxpayers. 1070
(5) In conjunction with the State Personnel Board, the 1071
Public Procurement Review Board shall develop and promulgate rules 1072
and regulations to define the allowable legal relationship between 1073
contract employees and the contracting departments, agencies and 1074
institutions of state government under the jurisdiction of the 1075
State Personnel Board, in compliance with the applicable rules and 1076
regulations of the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for 1077
federal employment tax purposes. Under these regulations, the 1078
usual common law rules are applicable to determine and require 1079
that such worker is an independent contractor and not an employee, 1080
requiring evidence of lawful behavioral control, lawful financial 1081
control and lawful relationship of the parties. Any state 1082
department, agency or institution shall only be authorized to 1083
contract for personnel services in compliance with those 1084
regulations. 1085
(6) No member of the Public Procurement Review Board shall 1086
use his or her official authority or influence to coerce, by 1087
threat of discharge from employment, or otherwise, the purchase of 1088
commodities, the contracting for personal or professional 1089
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 44 (ELS\KW)

services, or the contracting for public construction under this 1090
chapter. 1091
(7) Notwithstanding any other laws or rules to the contrary, 1092
the provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not be 1093
applicable to the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport. 1094
(8) Nothing in this section shall impair or limit the 1095
authority of the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees' 1096
Retirement System to enter into any personal or professional 1097
services contracts directly related to their constitutional 1098
obligation to manage the trust funds, including, but not limited 1099
to, actuarial, custodial banks, cash management, investment 1100
consultant and investment management contracts. Nothing in this 1101
section shall impair or limit the authority of the State Treasurer 1102
to enter into any personal or professional services contracts 1103
involving the management of trust funds, including, but not 1104
limited to, actuarial, custodial banks, cash management, 1105
investment consultant and investment management contracts. 1106
(9) Through December 31, 2026, the provisions of this 1107
section related to rental agreements or leasing of real property 1108
for the purpose of conducting agency business shall not apply to 1109
the Office of Workforce Development created in Section 37-153-7. 1110
SECTION 6. Section 27-104-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1111
amended as follows: 1112
27-104-33. The State Department of Finance and 1113
Administration shall establish policies that allow the payment of 1114
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 45 (ELS\KW)

various fees and other accounts receivable to state agencies, and 1115
the payment for retail merchandise sold by state agencies, by 1116
credit cards, charge cards, debit cards and other forms of 1117
electronic payment in the discretion of the department. Any fees 1118
or charges associated with the use of such electronic payments 1119
shall be assessed to the user of the electronic payment as an 1120
additional charge for processing the electronic payment, so that 1121
the user will pay the full cost of using the electronic payment. 1122
Agencies, with the approval of the Department of Finance and 1123
Administration, may bear the full cost of processing such 1124
electronic payments if the agency can demonstrate to the 1125
department's satisfaction that they are able to assume these costs 1126
and provide the related service for the same or lesser cost. 1127
However, state agencies may bear the full cost of processing such 1128
electronic payments for retail merchandise sold by state agencies. 1129
The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services 1130
shall cooperate with the Department of Finance and Administration 1131
in reviewing the security components of any and all electronic 1132
payment agreements and notify the Department of Finance and 1133
Administration of any security risks. The Department of 1134
Information Technology Services shall enforce compliance in any 1135
breach of security standards. 1136
SECTION 7. Section 29-5-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1137
amended as follows: 1138
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 46 (ELS\KW)

29-5-2. The duties of the Department of Finance and 1139
Administration shall be as follows: 1140
(a) (i) To exercise general supervision and care over 1141
and keep in good condition the following state property located in 1142
the City of Jackson: the New State Capitol Building, the Woolfolk 1143
State Office Building and Parking Garage, the Carroll Gartin 1144
Justice Building, the Walter Sillers Office Building and Parking 1145
Garage, the War Veterans' Memorial Building, the Charlotte Capers 1146
Building, the William F. Winter Archives and History Building, the 1147
Mississippi Museum Complex, the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Train Depot 1148
(GM&O Depot), the Old State Capitol Building, the Governor's 1149
Mansion, the Heber Ladner Building, the Robert E. Lee Office 1150
Building, the Robert E. Lee Parking Garage, the former Naval 1151
Reserve Center, 515 East Amite Street, 620 North Street, 660 North 1152
Street, 700 North State Street, 350 High Street, 401 North Lamar 1153
Street, 455 North Lamar Street, the State Records Center, the 1154
Robert G. Clark, Jr. Building, the Mississippi State Fairgrounds 1155
Complex, the former Central High Building, the Mississippi 1156
Workers' Compensation Commission Office Building, as well as all 1157
state-owned or leased buildings situated on seat of government 1158
property. 1159
(ii) To exercise general supervision and care over 1160
and keep in good condition the Dr. Eldon Langston Bolton Building 1161
located in Biloxi, Mississippi. 1162
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 47 (ELS\KW)

(iii) To exercise general supervision and care 1163
over and keep in good condition the State Service Center, located 1164
at the intersection of U.S. Highway 49 and John Merl Tatum 1165
Industrial Drive in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 1166
(iv) To exercise general supervision and care over 1167
and keep in good condition any property purchased, constructed or 1168
otherwise acquired by the State of Mississippi for conducting 1169
state business and not specifically under the supervision and care 1170
by any other state entity, but which is reasonably assumed the 1171
department would be responsible for such, as approved by the 1172
Public Procurement Review Board, including, but not limited to: 1173
1. The National Aeronautics and Space 1174
Administration (NASA) Shared Services Center and Lockheed Martin 1175
Building at Stennis Space Center; 1176
2. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame; 1177
3. The Mississippi Crafts Center; 1178
4. The Mississippi Children's Museum; and 1179
5. The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment 1180
Center. 1181
(b) To assign suitable office space for the various 1182
state departments, officers and employees who are provided with an 1183
office in any of the buildings under the jurisdiction or control 1184
of the Department of Finance and Administration. However, the 1185
assignment of space in the New Capitol Building shall be 1186
designated by duly passed resolution of the combined Senate Rules 1187
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 48 (ELS\KW)

Committee and the House Management Committee, meeting as a joint 1188
committee, approved by the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the 1189
House of Representatives. A majority vote of the members of the 1190
Senate Rules Committee and a majority vote of the members of the 1191
House Management Committee shall be required on all actions taken, 1192
resolutions or reports adopted, and all other matters considered 1193
by the full combined committee on occasions when the Senate Rules 1194
Committee and the House Management Committee shall meet as a full 1195
combined committee. 1196
(c) To approve or disapprove with the concurrence of 1197
the Public Procurement Review Board, any lease or rental 1198
agreements by any state agency or department, including any state 1199
agency financed entirely by federal and special funds, for space 1200
outside the buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department of 1201
Finance and Administration, including space necessary for parking 1202
to be used by state employees who work in the Woolfolk Building, 1203
the Carroll Gartin Justice Building or the Walter Sillers Office 1204
Building. In no event shall any employee, officer, department, 1205
federally funded agency or bureau of the state be authorized to 1206
enter into a lease or rental agreement without prior approval of 1207
the Department of Finance and Administration and the Public 1208
Procurement Review Board. 1209
The Department of Finance and Administration is authorized to 1210
use architects, engineers, building inspectors and other personnel 1211
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 49 (ELS\KW)

for the purpose of making inspections as may be deemed necessary 1212
in carrying out its duties and maintaining the facilities. 1213
This section is not intended to apply to locations for which 1214
the Department of Finance and Administration has decided to 1215
solicit proposals in accordance with subsection (e) of this 1216
section. 1217
(d) To acquire by lease, lease-purchase agreement, or 1218
otherwise, as provided in Section 27-104-107, and to assign 1219
through the Office of General Services, by lease or sublease 1220
agreement from the office, and with the concurrence of the Public 1221
Procurement Review Board, to any state agency or department, 1222
including any state agency financed entirely by federal and 1223
special funds, appropriate office space in the buildings acquired. 1224
(e) To solicit and approve or disapprove, 1225
notwithstanding any rule of law to the contrary, and with the 1226
concurrence of the Public Procurement Review Board, any lease, use 1227
or rental agreement for a charge or other consideration for space 1228
not exceeding three thousand (3,000) square feet in any individual 1229
building listed in subsection (a) of this section, with a private 1230
entry who will provide food and/or catering services for state 1231
employees, visitors and the general public. 1232
The department shall select the entity using a competitive 1233
process which shall be publicly advertised. In addition to 1234
satisfying any other requirements for the Public Procurement 1235
Review Board's approval, the department must demonstrate that any 1236
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 50 (ELS\KW)

agreement entered into under this section will neither result in a 1237
net cost to the state, nor impair or impede the function of state 1238
agencies at such location. 1239
(f) To implement a shared space and shared services 1240
program under which certain agencies are co-located in an office 1241
space located in the Central Business District of Jackson, 1242
Mississippi, under the conditions set out in this section. The 1243
goal of this program is to reduce the amount of funds expended 1244
annually to lease property from private lessors. The following 1245
agencies shall be participants in this program: 1246
(i) Board of Architecture; 1247
(ii) Board of Contractors; 1248
(iii) Board of Dental Examiners; 1249
(iv) Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional 1250
Counselors; 1251
(v) Board of Funeral Service; 1252
(vi) Board of Medical Licensure; 1253
(vii) Board of Nursing; 1254
(viii) Board of Nursing Home Administrators; 1255
(ix) Board of Optometry; 1256
(x) Board of Pharmacy; 1257
(xi) Board of Physical Therapy; 1258
(xii) Board of Public Accountancy; 1259
(xiii) Department of Banking and Consumer Finance; 1260
(xiv) Motor Vehicle Commission; 1261
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 51 (ELS\KW)

(xv) Oil and Gas Board; 1262
(xvi) Real Estate Commission; and 1263
(xvii) Soil and Water Conservation Commission. 1264
Consolidation of office space shall be affected by June 30, 1265
2027, provided that the Department of Finance and Administration 1266
determines that office space is available for these agencies at 1267
rates which will result in cost savings to the state. The 1268
Department of Finance and Administration may substitute agencies 1269
if good cause exists for such substitutions. 1270
(g) The Department of Finance and Administration is 1271
authorized to establish a support services division to provide 1272
administrative and programmatic support for the agencies using 1273
shared space. Any vacant positions of the agencies listed in 1274
paragraph (f) of this section shall be frozen and held vacant from 1275
and after the effective date of this act. The Department of 1276
Finance and Administration shall, with assistance of the 1277
Mississippi State Personnel Board, identify positions that could 1278
be eliminated or used in a shared services division. The 1279
Department of Finance and Administration is authorized to: 1280
(i) Allow for a frozen position to be filled if it 1281
determines such is necessary to provide effective program 1282
administration; 1283
(ii) Recommend to the Legislature the transfer of 1284
positions to the department to manage a support services division 1285
rendering services to the enumerated agencies; 1286
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 52 (ELS\KW)

(iii) Establish a system by which the agencies 1287
participating in the shared services program pay assessment fees 1288
to the State General Fund to cover the cost of administering the 1289
support services division. 1290
SECTION 8. Section 35-7-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1291
amended as follows: 1292
35-7-7. The administration of the provisions hereof is 1293
vested in a Veterans' Home Purchase Board consisting of six (6) 1294
members who shall be appointed, or reappointed, by the Governor, 1295
with the advice and consent of the Senate. * * * Two (2) members 1296
of the board shall possess at least five (5) years of experience 1297
in the mortgage industry that enables them to carry out the duties 1298
of the board. All remaining members appointed to the board shall 1299
be veterans of either World War II, the Korean Conflict, the 1300
Southeast Asia Conflict, the Persian Gulf Conflict or have served 1301
in active duty for at least one hundred eighty (180) days and 1302
shall possess a background in business, banking, real estate or 1303
the legal profession that enables them to carry out the duties of 1304
the board. No state/department commander of any federally 1305
recognized veterans organization, no national officer of any 1306
federally recognized veterans organization and no member of the 1307
Mississippi Council of Veterans Organizations shall be eligible 1308
for appointment to the board until the expiration of a period of 1309
three (3) years after the termination of his service in such 1310
disqualifying positions. Appointments shall be staggered, with 1311
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 53 (ELS\KW)

each Governor appointing or reappointing two (2) members in the 1312
first year of his administration, one (1) member in the second 1313
year, two (2) members in the third year, and one (1) member in the 1314
fourth year. Appointments for terms that expire in 1988 shall be 1315
made as follows: one (1) shall be made for a term ending on July 1316
1, 1989; one (1) shall be made for a term ending on July 1, 1991; 1317
and two (2) shall be made for a term ending on July 1, 1992. 1318
Persons appointed to succeed the two (2) members whose terms 1319
expired in 1986, or any such member holding over after 1986 1320
because no successor was appointed, shall serve until July 1, 1321
1990. After the expiration of the foregoing terms, all 1322
appointments shall be for a term of four (4) years from the 1323
expiration date of the previous term. From and after July 1, 1324
1988, one (1) appointee shall be selected from each of the five 1325
(5) congressional districts of this state as such districts are 1326
composed on May 1, 1987, and one (1) appointee shall be selected 1327
from the state at large. Any vacancy occurring during a term 1328
shall be filled by appointment of a member for the unexpired 1329
portion of the term. 1330
The Veterans' Home Purchase Board, created by former Section 1331
35-7-7, is continued and reconstituted as follows: Effective 1332
January 1, 2028, one (1) appointed member shall be from each 1333
Supreme Court District as they * * * existed on January 1, 2025, 1334
and * * * three (3) from the state at large. Effective January 1, 1335
2028, the appointed members of the board designated in this 1336
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 54 (ELS\KW)

section * * * shall be appointed by the Governor to terms of 1337
office of four (4) years, with the advice and consent of the 1338
Senate, provided that three (3) such members shall be appointed in 1339
2028 to a term ending December 31, 2031, and three (3) such 1340
members shall be appointed in 2030 to a term ending December 31, 1341
2033. Appointments made at the beginning of the four-year cycle 1342
shall be made to fill any member's term which actually expires 1343
that year and any member's term which expires next until the 1344
majority of the membership of the board or commission is reached. 1345
Appointments made at the beginning of the third year of the 1346
four-year cycle shall be made for the remainder of the membership 1347
positions irrespective of the time of their prior appointment. 1348
Any question regarding the order of appointments shall be 1349
determined by the Secretary of State in accordance with the 1350
specific statute. All appointment procedures, vacancy provisions, 1351
interim appointment provisions and removal provisions specifically 1352
provided for in Section 7-1-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be 1353
fully applicable to appointments to the Veterans' Home Purchase 1354
Board. 1355
The board is hereby authorized and empowered to make and 1356
promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations under this 1357
chapter as it shall deem to be necessary or advisable and to 1358
enforce the same. The board shall have authority to render the 1359
final decision on the purchase application process, approval of 1360
purchases, funding of purchase commitments, servicing loans and 1361
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 55 (ELS\KW)

default, property security, management, resale, release from 1362
security, and all other matters relating to the purchases and 1363
loans made under this law. The board shall likewise, by an order 1364
spread on its minutes, elect a chairman and vice chairman to serve 1365
for one-year terms, and all such officers are eligible to succeed 1366
themselves in such offices. The chairman may appoint a 1367
three-member loan committee from the membership of the board and 1368
shall specify the conditions, responsibilities and authority of 1369
such committee. 1370
Each member of the board and his successor shall be 1371
reimbursed all of his actual and necessary traveling and other 1372
expenses incurred in the attendance of the meetings of the board 1373
or in the performance of other duties in connection with the 1374
business of the board as provided for state officers and employees 1375
in Section 25-3-41, and shall be allowed a per diem as provided in 1376
Section 25-3-69 for such attendance; provided that the number of 1377
days per diem shall not exceed sixty-six (66) days for the 1378
chairman and fifty (50) days for other members of the board during 1379
any one (1) fiscal year. The above limitation of days per year 1380
shall not apply to board members appointed on a full-time basis to 1381
the loan committee. 1382
The board is authorized to appoint an executive director for 1383
a term of four (4) years, with the advice and consent of the 1384
Senate, and consistent with the provisions of Section 7-1-35, 1385
Mississippi Code of 1972. The director, or other executive 1386
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 56 (ELS\KW)

officer employed by the board, shall execute a surety bond in the 1387
sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00), conditioned 1388
upon the faithful performance of his duties and upon his 1389
accounting for all monies coming into his hands; and each employee 1390
handling funds shall execute a like bond in the sum of Fifteen 1391
Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00), and the premiums thereon shall be 1392
paid from the funds provided for administering this chapter. 1393
The board may designate one (1) of its employees as the 1394
acting director or executive officer by a vote of the majority of 1395
the members of the board, officially recorded in the minutes of a 1396
regular or special meeting, and such acting director shall be 1397
vested with all the authority conferred upon the director by the 1398
provisions of this chapter. The acting director, when so 1399
designated, will be required to furnish surety bond in the same 1400
amount and under the same conditions as the director. The purpose 1401
of this provision is to designate an executive officer during any 1402
temporary illness, absence or incapacity of the regularly 1403
designated director. 1404
The board may designate one (1) of its employees by a vote of 1405
the majority of the members of the board, officially recorded in 1406
the minutes of a regular or special meeting, to be authorized to 1407
sign a Deed of Conveyance or other closing documents necessary as 1408
to not delay the closing or settlement of a home purchase during 1409
the absence or unavailability of the director. 1410
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 57 (ELS\KW)

The executive director, or the acting director or executive 1411
officer if there is no executive director, shall establish, with 1412
the assistance of the Mississippi Ethics Commission, an ethics 1413
training program to be provided to all new and current board 1414
members. 1415
The board may select and employ such expert, technical and 1416
clerical assistance as in its judgment may be necessary in the 1417
proper administration of said board and fix the salaries of such 1418
employees. 1419
The board is empowered to employ auditors and accountants to 1420
examine the books, accounts and records of the board if it so 1421
desires, and the board is also authorized to employ legal counsel 1422
if it deems such a course necessary in the proper administration 1423
of its affairs. 1424
SECTION 9. Section 35-7-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1425
amended as follows: 1426
35-7-25. (1) When a veteran has been authorized by the 1427
board to select the home he desires, he shall submit his selection 1428
in such form as may be prescribed by the board. If the board is 1429
satisfied of the desirability of the property submitted and if 1430
such veteran has agreed with the board to actually reside upon 1431
such property within sixty (60) days from the date of purchase by 1432
the board, and if the price of said property to the board does not 1433
exceed the maximum provided in Section 35-7-17, then the board 1434
shall be empowered to purchase said property from the owner 1435
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 58 (ELS\KW)

thereof, including the veteran under the provisions of Section 1436
35-7-17(1), upon such terms as may be by them agreed upon. The 1437
board, in its discretion, is authorized to enter into a contract 1438
with the veteran for the sale and to consummate the sale of said 1439
property to said veteran. The board shall fix the selling price 1440
of such property by adding to the purchase price of said property 1441
or to the value of said property as determined by the board when 1442
such property is acquired by the board in a manner other than by 1443
purchase, as in foreclosure or repossession, all expenses incurred 1444
and estimated to be incurred by the board in relation thereto, 1445
inclusive of interest, administration, appraisals, examination of 1446
title, incidental expenses and such sum as shall be deemed 1447
necessary to meet unforeseen contingencies. The purchaser shall 1448
make an initial payment of at least twenty percent (20%) of the 1449
selling price of the property; however, the board may reduce or 1450
waive said initial payment for any veteran provided the loan 1451
contract is underwritten or guaranteed by the Veterans' 1452
Administration in accordance with the terms of the Servicemen's 1453
Readjustment Act of 1944, as amended. The balance of said selling 1454
price may be amortized over a period to be fixed by the board, but 1455
not exceeding thirty (30) years, together with interest thereon at 1456
a rate which shall be fixed by the board, * * *' which shall be 1457
one percent (1%) to two percent (2%) below market rates at the 1458
time the board sets the rates. The purchaser shall have the right 1459
at any time to pay any or all installments still remaining unpaid. 1460
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 59 (ELS\KW)

In any individual case, the board may for good cause postpone from 1461
time to time, upon such terms as the board may deem proper, the 1462
payment of the whole or any part of any installment of the selling 1463
price or interest thereon. The board is empowered in each 1464
individual case to specify the terms of the contract entered into 1465
with the purchaser, not contrary to the provisions of this 1466
chapter. 1467
(2) Before the purchase of any property by the board, there 1468
must be filed with said board an appraisement of the fair and 1469
reasonable value of such property by a qualified appraiser. Each 1470
appraisement shall state, among other things, that it is made in 1471
good faith and that the valuation is honestly determined and 1472
represents the bona fide opinion of the maker. 1473
(3) The board, before consummating the purchase under the 1474
provisions of this section, shall be satisfied that title to the 1475
property sought to be purchased is good. 1476
SECTION 10. Section 35-7-45, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1477
amended as follows: 1478
35-7-45. (a) Any money previously appropriated to the 1479
revolving fund of the board or that may be hereinafter 1480
appropriated shall be commingled, exclusive of escrow funds 1481
provided for in Section 35-7-31, into a general revolving fund for 1482
carrying out the provisions of this chapter. The expense of 1483
administering this chapter shall be paid from the revolving fund 1484
within the limitations provided by Section 35-7-9. The revolving 1485
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 60 (ELS\KW)

fund of the board will constitute a trust fund and shall be 1486
segregated from all other funds in the State Treasury. All 1487
interest earned by the State Treasury on any investment of the 1488
Veterans' Home Purchase Board Revolving Fund shall be placed to 1489
the credit of such fund. The State Fiscal Management Board is 1490
authorized and directed to draw warrants upon such funds from time 1491
to time upon requisition of the board executed by its executive 1492
officer, and the State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed 1493
to pay such warrants. 1494
(b) The money repaid by the purchaser shall be deposited in 1495
the board's revolving fund and shall be available under the same 1496
conditions as the original appropriation. The board shall have 1497
continuing authority to expend funds up to the maximum amount 1498
received into the special revolving fund, limited to the 1499
discretionary best judgment of the board as to reserve. The board 1500
shall submit to the State Fiscal Management Board, the Legislative 1501
Budget Office, legislative appropriation committees, and other 1502
such authority as may arise or be deemed necessary, an annual 1503
budget, using the standard general fund budget format as a model, 1504
but modified to reflect an accurate and management-oriented view 1505
of the revolving fund, and an annual report reflecting a detailed 1506
analysis of all revenue and expenditures. All funds in the 1507
revolving fund in excess of the * * * two percent (2%) 1508
administrative expense allowance shall be expended or committed 1509
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 61 (ELS\KW)

for new loans with the exception of the reserve judged necessary 1510
by the board. 1511
(c) The board, with the advice and consent of the State Bond 1512
Commission, may also sell or hypothecate its mortgage loans to the 1513
Reconstruction Finance Corporation of the United States Government 1514
or to any subsidiary agency thereof, or to any other agency, 1515
private or public, when a sale of such mortgage loans would be to 1516
the advantage of the board. However, no mortgage loans may be 1517
sold for less than the prevailing market value, which may include 1518
sale at a discount from book value when discounted to present 1519
value to equate to market yields, of said loans as determined by 1520
the State Bond Commission. The provisions of this section may 1521
also include the discounting to present value of lower interest 1522
rate loans to the mortgagor to encourage early payoff of the loan. 1523
(d) The board may issue its notes in such amounts and for 1524
such terms as the board may deem advisable to provide additional 1525
funds for purchase of veterans' homes, and such notes shall be 1526
eligible for purchase by any agency of the State of Mississippi. 1527
The repayment of such notes shall be guaranteed by the board, and 1528
any and all income to the board from the repayments of the 1529
principal and interest on its purchases by veterans shall be first 1530
pledged to repayment of any maturing notes. The maturity dates, 1531
denomination or amount, and rate of interest of such notes shall 1532
be determined by the board; however, such notes shall in no event 1533
exceed a term of thirty (30) years nor bear a higher rate of 1534
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 62 (ELS\KW)

interest than one percent (1%) below that received by the board on 1535
its mortgages and deeds of trust. Notwithstanding any other 1536
provisions of this chapter, the board may apply the proceeds from 1537
the issuance of its notes under this section or the issuance of 1538
its bonds under any other applicable law, as follows: 1539
(i) Refinancing of permanent mortgage loans, subject to 1540
the conditions specified in Section 35-7-17(5). 1541
(ii) Increasing the purchase limit on homes as provided 1542
in Section 35-7-17(1). 1543
The board shall have the authority to sell outright its 1544
mortgages and deeds of trust at market value, or discounted to 1545
present value, as hereinabove provided and to service said 1546
mortgages for the purchaser, collecting the principal and interest 1547
due the owner of such mortgages, and to charge therefor a 1548
reasonable service fee to be mutually agreed upon by the purchaser 1549
of such mortgages and the board. 1550
Any notes issued by the board must be approved at a regular 1551
meeting of the board, upon favorable vote by a majority of four 1552
(4) members of the board, who shall authorize the chairman and the 1553
executive director of said board to issue and sign such notes as 1554
the official deed and act of the whole board. 1555
(e) Any additional monies appropriated or obtained to extend 1556
the benefits of this chapter shall be commingled with and become 1557
an integral part of the revolving fund provided by this section, 1558
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 63 (ELS\KW)

and the method of accounting therefor shall be the same as used 1559
with respect to any other monies in the revolving fund. 1560
SECTION 11. (1) The committee shall be responsible for 1561
carrying out certain specific responsibilities related to the 1562
evaluation of education programs in the public schools of the 1563
state. The committee shall: 1564
(a) Prepare a list of all efficiency measures that the 1565
committee's designated contractor has recommended for use by local 1566
school districts that are being used by districts to measure their 1567
efficiency; and 1568
(b) Summarize actions school districts have taken to 1569
reduce costs and improve efficiency based on the recommendations 1570
made by the committee's designated contractor. 1571
(2) By December 31, 2026, the committee shall compile a 1572
report on school district cost savings to be made available to the 1573
Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives 1574
and the committee chairs of the House and Senate Education 1575
committees. 1576
(3) This section shall stand repealed from and after January 1577
1, 2027. 1578
SECTION 12. Section 11 of this act shall be codified in 1579
Chapter 3, Title 5, Mississippi Code of 1972. 1580
SECTION 13. Section 37-3-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1581
amended as follows: 1582
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 64 (ELS\KW)

37-3-5. (1) The State Department of Education is * * * 1583
charged with the execution of all laws relating to the 1584
administrative, supervisory and consultative services to the 1585
public schools and agricultural high schools of the school 1586
districts throughout the State of Mississippi. The State 1587
Department of Education is also authorized to grant property to 1588
public school districts and agricultural high schools of the State 1589
of Mississippi. 1590
(a) The department shall aid school districts in 1591
creating technology and disaster recovery plans. The department 1592
shall develop a plan template and provide guidance documents for 1593
technology staff to use when developing these plans. 1594
(b) In order for the department to better understand 1595
the resources and support needed to assist districts in improving 1596
their technology programs, the department shall conduct the 1597
following surveys at least every two (2) years: 1598
(i) A detailed technology survey for district 1599
technology leaders; and 1600
(ii) A detailed survey for teaching staff 1601
regarding technology use in the classroom, including analysis of 1602
the effectiveness of the Equity in Distance Learning Act (Section 1603
37-68-1 et seq.). 1604
(2) Subject to the direction of the State Board of Education 1605
as provided by law, the administration, management and control of 1606
the department is * * * vested in the State Superintendent of 1607
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 65 (ELS\KW)

Public Education, who shall be directly responsible for the 1608
rightful functioning thereof. 1609
SECTION 14. Section 37-13-137, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1610
amended as follows: 1611
37-13-137. (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt 1612
regulations as provided in this section not later than March 1, 1613
2008, which shall be effective for compliance by school districts 1614
beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, for the Child Nutrition 1615
School Breakfast and Lunch Programs that are not in conflict with 1616
the regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture 1617
(USDA). The regulations shall take into account the most recent 1618
and advanced scientific principles regarding good human health and 1619
fitness, and the effect of the regulations must be that the good 1620
health, well-being and fitness of Mississippi school children 1621
shall be advanced. The regulations shall include, but not be 1622
limited to, the following areas: 1623
(a) Healthy food and beverage choices; 1624
(b) Healthy food preparation; 1625
(c) Marketing of healthy food choices to students and 1626
staff; 1627
(d) Food preparation ingredients and products; 1628
(e) Minimum and maximum time allotment for students and 1629
staff lunch and breakfast periods; 1630
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 66 (ELS\KW)

(f) The availability of food items during the lunch and 1631
breakfast periods of the Child Nutrition School Breakfast and 1632
Lunch Programs; and 1633
(g) Methods to increase participation in the Child 1634
Nutrition School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. 1635
(2) The Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of 1636
Education shall provide comprehensive training for 1637
superintendents, business managers, food service directors and 1638
food service managers of a local school district, or the designees 1639
appointed by those individuals for training purposes, as required 1640
by the department on marketing healthy foods, creating a healthy 1641
cafeteria environment, effective and efficient food service 1642
operations, the standards and expectations of food service staff, 1643
and other topics as identified by the department. The department 1644
may determine the time and location of the trainings and the 1645
frequency with which they are held. Persons employed by a local 1646
school district having the certification as a Food Service 1647
Administrator III or IV shall be exempt from the training 1648
requirements of this subsection. 1649
(3) Local school districts may adopt rules and regulations 1650
that may be more stringent but not in conflict with those adopted 1651
by the State Board of Education under this section. 1652
(4) (a) The Department of Education shall develop guidance 1653
to help school districts improve their nutrition programs and 1654
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 67 (ELS\KW)

their meals per labor hour to ensure efficiency and productivity 1655
in food service in schools. 1656
(b) The department shall develop guidance for school 1657
districts on using any excess reserves in their nutrition funds 1658
for allowable expenses that could contribute to a more efficient 1659
nutrition program. 1660
(c) The department shall develop a standardized guide 1661
to assist school districts with strategies to increase their 1662
breakfast participation rates. 1663
SECTION 15. Section 37-28-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1664
amended as follows: 1665
37-28-7. (1) There is created the Mississippi Charter 1666
School Authorizer Board as a state agency with exclusive 1667
chartering jurisdiction in the State of Mississippi. Unless 1668
otherwise authorized by law, no other governmental agency or 1669
entity may assume any charter authorizing function or duty in any 1670
form. 1671
(2) (a) The mission of the Mississippi Charter School 1672
Authorizer Board is to authorize high-quality charter schools, 1673
particularly schools designed to expand opportunities for 1674
underserved students, consistent with the purposes of this 1675
chapter. Subject to the restrictions and conditions prescribed in 1676
this subsection, the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board 1677
may authorize charter schools within the geographical boundaries 1678
of any school district. 1679
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 68 (ELS\KW)

(b) The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board may 1680
approve a maximum of fifteen (15) qualified charter applications 1681
during a fiscal year. 1682
(c) In any school district designated as an "A," "B" or 1683
"C" school district by the State Board of Education under the 1684
accreditation rating system at the time of application, the 1685
Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board may authorize charter 1686
schools only if a majority of the members of the local school 1687
board votes at a public meeting to endorse the application or to 1688
initiate the application on its own initiative. 1689
(3) The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board shall 1690
consist of seven (7) members, to be appointed as follows: 1691
(a) Three (3) members appointed by the Governor, with 1692
one (1) member being from each of the Mississippi Supreme Court 1693
Districts. 1694
(b) Three (3) members appointed by the Lieutenant 1695
Governor, with one (1) member being from each of the Mississippi 1696
Supreme Court Districts. 1697
(c) One (1) member appointed by the State 1698
Superintendent of Public Education. 1699
All appointments must be made with the advice and consent of 1700
the Senate. In making the appointments, the appointing authority 1701
shall ensure diversity among members of the Mississippi Charter 1702
School Authorizer Board. 1703
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 69 (ELS\KW)

(4) Members appointed to the Mississippi Charter School 1704
Authorizer Board collectively must possess strong experience and 1705
expertise in public and nonprofit governance, management and 1706
finance, public school leadership, assessment, curriculum and 1707
instruction, and public education law. Each member of the 1708
Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board must have demonstrated 1709
an understanding of and commitment to charter schooling as a 1710
strategy for strengthening public education. 1711
(5) To establish staggered terms of office, the initial term 1712
of office for the three (3) Mississippi Charter School Authorizer 1713
Board members appointed by the Governor shall be * * * staggered 1714
with one (1) member serving a one (1) year term, one (1) member 1715
serving a two (2) year term, and one (1) member serving a three 1716
(3) year term; the initial term of office for the three (3) 1717
members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor * * * staggered with 1718
one (1) member serving a one (1) year term, one (1) member serving 1719
a two (2) year term, and one (1) member serving a three (3) year 1720
term; and the initial term of office for the member appointed by 1721
the State Superintendent of Public Education shall be two (2) 1722
years * * *. After the expiration of the initial terms, members 1723
of the board shall serve terms of three (3) years from the 1724
expiration date of the previous term. No member may serve more 1725
than two (2) consecutive terms. The initial appointments must be 1726
made before * * * July 1, 2026. 1727
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 70 (ELS\KW)

(6) The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board shall 1728
meet as soon as practical after September 1, 2013, upon the call 1729
of the Governor, and shall organize for business by selecting a 1730
chairman and adopting bylaws. Subsequent meetings shall be called 1731
by the chairman. 1732
(7) An individual member of the Mississippi Charter School 1733
Authorizer Board may be removed by the board if the member's 1734
personal incapacity renders the member incapable or unfit to 1735
discharge the duties of the office or if the member is absent from 1736
a number of meetings of the board, as determined and specified by 1737
the board in its bylaws. Whenever a vacancy on the Mississippi 1738
Charter School Authorizer Board exists, the original appointing 1739
authority shall appoint a member for the remaining portion of the 1740
term. 1741
(8) No member of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer 1742
Board or employee, agent or representative of the board may serve 1743
simultaneously as an employee, trustee, agent, representative, 1744
vendor or contractor of a charter school authorized by the board. 1745
(9) The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board shall 1746
appoint an individual to serve as the Executive Director of the 1747
Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. The executive 1748
director shall possess the qualifications established by the board 1749
which are based on national best practices, and shall possess an 1750
understanding of state and federal education law. The executive 1751
director, who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board, 1752
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 71 (ELS\KW)

shall devote his full time to the proper administration of the 1753
board and the duties assigned to him by the board and shall be 1754
paid a salary established by the board, subject to the approval of 1755
the State Personnel Board. Subject to the availability of 1756
funding, the executive director may employ such administrative 1757
staff as may be necessary to assist the director and board in 1758
carrying out the duties and directives of the Mississippi Charter 1759
School Authorizer Board. 1760
(10) The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board is 1761
authorized to obtain suitable office space for administrative 1762
purposes. In acquiring a facility or office space, the authorizer 1763
board shall adhere to all policies and procedures required by the 1764
Department of Finance and Administration and the Public 1765
Procurement Review Board. 1766
SECTION 16. Section 37-28-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1767
amended as follows: 1768
37-28-11. (1) To cover the costs of overseeing charter 1769
schools in accordance with this chapter, the authorizer shall 1770
receive up to three percent (3%) of annual per-pupil allocations 1771
received by a charter school from state and local funds for each 1772
charter school it authorizes. 1773
(2) The authorizer may receive appropriate gifts, grants and 1774
donations of any kind from any public or private entity to carry 1775
out the purposes of this chapter, subject to all lawful terms and 1776
conditions under which the gifts, grants or donations are given. 1777
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 72 (ELS\KW)

(3) The authorizer may expend its resources, seek grant 1778
funds and establish partnerships to support its charter school 1779
authorizing activities. 1780
SECTION 17. Section 37-37-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1781
amended as follows: 1782
37-37-1. (1) The State Department of Education is * * * 1783
authorized and directed to prescribe and formulate for use by all 1784
school districts of this state, including municipal separate 1785
school districts, adequate accounting systems and other essential 1786
financial records which shall be uniform for all of the school 1787
districts of this state. Such uniform system shall include a 1788
method of accounting for and keeping records of all funds 1789
received, handled and disbursed by such school district, whether 1790
derived from taxation or otherwise, including funds derived from 1791
donations, athletic events and other special activities of the 1792
school district. The uniform system of accounts so prescribed and 1793
formulated by the State Department of Education shall be 1794
distributed and disseminated to all of the school districts of 1795
this state and it shall be mandatory that the boards of trustees 1796
of all such school districts install, utilize and follow said 1797
uniform system of accounts in keeping the financial records of the 1798
school district. At the request of the Mississippi Department of 1799
Education, the Office of the State Auditor shall provide advice 1800
for implementation of this section. 1801
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 73 (ELS\KW)

(2) The Department of Education shall annually review its 1802
Accounting Manual for School Districts to determine whether it 1803
should make revisions that would assist school districts in 1804
providing greater detail, clarity and accuracy of district 1805
revenues and expenses. The department shall report any 1806
recommendations to the State Board of Education, the Mississippi 1807
House and Senate Education committees, and the PEER Committee no 1808
later than December 14 of each year. 1809
SECTION 18. Section 37-41-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1810
amended as follows: 1811
37-41-13. (1) All routes shall be laid out so as to place 1812
all pupils entitled to transportation within a reasonable distance 1813
of same. No child entitled to transportation shall be required to 1814
walk a greater distance than one (1) mile to reach the vehicle of 1815
transportation in the morning or to reach his or her home in the 1816
afternoon. 1817
(2) The State Department of Education shall develop guidance 1818
for school districts to use in assessing and optimizing bus routes 1819
with the goal of improving transportation services and reducing 1820
costs. 1821
SECTION 19. Section 37-151-211, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1822
amended as follows: 1823
37-151-211. (1) (a) Before February 1 of each year, the 1824
tax assessor of each county shall file reports with the State 1825
Department of Education which provide information essential to the 1826
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 74 (ELS\KW)

department in determining the local contribution that each school 1827
district or charter school is required to provide toward the cost 1828
of local school funding. A separate report must be filed for each 1829
school district or part of a school district situated in the 1830
county and must include the following information: 1831
(i) The total assessed valuation of nonexempt 1832
property for school purposes in each school district; 1833
(ii) Assessed value of exempt property owned by 1834
homeowners aged sixty-five (65) or older or disabled, as defined 1835
in Section 27-33-67(2); 1836
(iii) The school district's tax loss from 1837
exemptions provided to applicants under the age of sixty-five (65) 1838
and not disabled, as defined in Section 27-33-67(1); and 1839
(iv) The school district's homestead reimbursement 1840
revenues. 1841
(b) The State Department of Education shall prepare and 1842
make available to the tax assessor of each county a form for the 1843
reports required under paragraph (a) of this subsection (1)(a). 1844
(2) (a) The department shall use the information submitted 1845
pursuant to subsection (1) to calculate and certify to each school 1846
district the millage required to raise its minimum local tax 1847
effort, which must be the value of not less than twenty-eight (28) 1848
mills for the then current fiscal year or a millage rate 1849
equivalent to twenty-seven percent (27%) of the total funding 1850
formula funds for the school district, any charter schools, and 1851
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 75 (ELS\KW)

any Mississippi Achievement School District Schools located in its 1852
boundaries, whichever is a lesser amount as certified to the 1853
school district by the department, upon all of the taxable 1854
property of the school district, including the following sources: 1855
(i) One hundred percent (100%) of Grand Gulf 1856
income, as prescribed in Section 27-35-309; and 1857
(ii) One hundred percent (100%) of any fees in 1858
lieu of taxes, as prescribed in Section 27-31-104, in accordance 1859
with Section 37-57-1. 1860
(b) The department shall determine the local 1861
contribution of each school district or charter school based on 1862
the minimum local tax effort, as determined under paragraph (a), 1863
and shall certify this required local contribution to each school 1864
district or charter school, as follows: 1865
(i) For school districts in which there are no 1866
charter schools, the minimum local tax effort is the required 1867
local contribution for the school district. 1868
(ii) For school districts in which there is 1869
located one or more charter schools, the local contribution of the 1870
school district is the product of multiplying the local pro rata 1871
amount by the net enrollment of the school district. The 1872
department will calculate the local pro rata amount by dividing 1873
the school district's minimum local tax effort by the sum of the 1874
net enrollment of the school district * * * and the * * * net 1875
enrollment of charter school students * * * who reside or are 1876
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 76 (ELS\KW)

estimated to reside in the district * * *. The department shall 1877
calculate net enrollment under this paragraph (b) based on each 1878
school district's and each charter school's actual enrollment for 1879
months two (2) and three (3) of the school year for which the 1880
local ad valorem funds are being distributed. These net 1881
enrollment figures shall be used solely for determining the local 1882
pro rata amount and the local contribution under this paragraph 1883
(b), and shall not modify, replace or affect any enrollment, 1884
average daily membership, or projected enrollment calculation used 1885
for the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF) or for any 1886
other funding calculation under this chapter. 1887
(iii) For each charter school, the local 1888
contribution is the sum of the local pro rata amount for each 1889
charter school student * * * based on each student's district of 1890
residence. The department will calculate a local pro rata amount 1891
for each school district in which a student * * * attending the 1892
charter school resides or is estimated to reside using the 1893
methodology in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (b). 1894
(iv) In the case of an agricultural high school, 1895
the local contribution is based on an equitable amount per pupil, 1896
as determined by the State Board of Education. The State Board of 1897
Education shall set the millage requirement to generate such an 1898
amount and will certify this amount and millage requirement to 1899
agricultural high schools in the same manner as for all other 1900
school districts under this subsection. 1901
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 77 (ELS\KW)

(3) Except as otherwise provided in Section 37-151-213(1), 1902
the required state share in support of each school district and 1903
charter school is determined by subtracting the required local 1904
contribution, which total amount may not exceed twenty-seven 1905
percent (27%) of the total projected funding formula cost, from 1906
the total projected funding formula cost, as determined under 1907
Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215, for the school district or 1908
charter school. 1909
(4) If the school board of any school district or charter 1910
school governing board determines that it is not economically 1911
feasible or practicable to operate any school within the district 1912
or charter school for the full one hundred eighty (180) days 1913
required for the school term of a scholastic year under Section 1914
37-13-63, due to an enemy attack, man-made, technological, or 1915
natural disaster in which the Governor has declared a disaster 1916
emergency under the laws of this state or the President of the 1917
United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist 1918
in this state, the school board or charter school governing board 1919
may notify the State Department of Education of the disaster and 1920
submit a plan for altering the school term. If the State Board of 1921
Education finds the disaster to be the cause of the school not 1922
operating for the contemplated school term and that the school is 1923
located in a school district covered by the Governor's or 1924
President's disaster declaration, the board may permit the schools 1925
located in that district to be operated for less than one hundred 1926
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 78 (ELS\KW)

eighty (180) days and, in such case, the State Department of 1927
Education may not reduce the state share in support of the funding 1928
formula for that district or charter school because of the failure 1929
to operate those schools for one hundred eighty (180) days. 1930
SECTION 20. Section 47-5-579, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 1931
amended as follows: 1932
47-5-579. (1) (a) The corporation shall operate a work 1933
initiative at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, South 1934
Mississippi Correctional Institution, Mississippi State 1935
Penitentiary and the Mississippi Correctional Institute for Women, 1936
and is authorized, in its discretion, to create a work initiative 1937
at any other correctional facility listed in Section 47-5-539(d). 1938
In lieu of a work initiative created by the corporation, the 1939
warden or superintendent or sheriff at any regional and private 1940
facility listed in Section 47-5-539 is authorized to create a work 1941
initiative at their respective facility consistent with the 1942
provisions and requirements of this section. Each initiative 1943
shall be limited to no more than twenty-five (25) inmates in the 1944
state, regional or private facility at any given time. 1945
(b) The department, with regard to a work initiative in 1946
an MDOC facility, shall: 1947
(i) Have the ultimate authority for oversight of 1948
the administration of the initiative; 1949
(ii) Delegate the administration of the initiative 1950
to the corporation; and 1951
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 79 (ELS\KW)

(iii) Oversee the selection of inmates for 1952
admission to the initiative. 1953
(c) The sheriff, with regard to a work initiative at a 1954
regional facility, shall: 1955
(i) Have the ultimate authority for oversight of 1956
the administration of the initiative; 1957
(ii) Oversee the selection of inmates for 1958
admission to the initiative; and 1959
(iii) Work with the department and the corporation 1960
to establish guidelines for the initiative and develop a report 1961
thereon. 1962
(2) (a) An inmate is eligible for participation in the 1963
initiative if the inmate has: 1964
(i) No more than two (2) years remaining on the 1965
inmate's sentence; 1966
(ii) Not been convicted under Section 97-9-49 1967
within the last five (5) years; and 1968
(iii) Not been sentenced for a sex offense as 1969
defined in Section 45-33-23(h). 1970
(b) Any inmate who meets the eligibility requirements 1971
of paragraph (a) may request assignment to a work initiative 1972
established under this section. 1973
(3) (a) The commissioner, in the case of MDOC facilities, 1974
or the warden, superintendent, sheriff or similar leader in the 1975
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 80 (ELS\KW)

case of regional and private facilities, shall select inmates for 1976
admission to the program. 1977
(b) An inmate currently participating in vocational 1978
training or a soft skills training program at a facility 1979
authorized to operate a work initiative shall have priority in 1980
admission to the program. 1981
(4) (a) The chief executive officer, in the case of MDOC 1982
facilities, or the warden, superintendent, sheriff or similar 1983
leader in the case of regional and private facilities, may 1984
authorize the inmate to participate in educational or other 1985
rehabilitative programs designed to supplement his work initiative 1986
employment or to prepare the person for successful reentry. 1987
(b) Before accepting any participants to the program, 1988
the corporation, in consultation with the department, shall adopt 1989
and publish rules and regulations to effectuate this section no 1990
later than six (6) months after the effective date of this 1991
section. These rules and regulations shall include all protection 1992
requirements for work release programs established pursuant to 1993
Sections 47-5-451 through 47-5-471. 1994
(5) Participating employers shall pay no less than the 1995
prevailing wage for the position and shall under no circumstance 1996
pay less than the federal minimum wage. 1997
(6) Any inmate assigned to the initiative who, without 1998
proper authority or just cause, leaves the area to which he has 1999
been assigned to work or attend educational or other 2000
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 81 (ELS\KW)

rehabilitative programs, or leaves the vehicle or route of travel 2001
involved in his or her going to or returning from such place, will 2002
be guilty of escape as provided in Section 97-9-49. An offender 2003
who is convicted under Section 97-9-49 shall be ineligible for 2004
further participation in the work initiative during his or her 2005
current term of confinement. 2006
(7) (a) The inmate shall maintain an account through a 2007
local financial institution and shall provide a copy of a check 2008
stub to the chief executive officer, the warden, the 2009
superintendent or the sheriff at a regional facility, as the case 2010
may be. 2011
(b) The inmate shall be required: 2012
(i) To pay twenty-five percent (25%) of the 2013
inmate's wages after mandatory deductions for the following 2014
purposes: 2015
1. To pay support of dependents or to the 2016
Mississippi Department of Human Services on behalf of dependents 2017
as may be ordered by a judge of competent jurisdiction; and 2018
2. To pay any fines, restitution, or costs as 2019
ordered by the court to include any fines and fees associated with 2020
obtaining a valid driver's license upon release. 2021
(ii) To pay fifteen percent (15%) of the inmate's 2022
wages after mandatory deductions to the corporation for 2023
administrative expenses to include transportation costs to be 2024
remitted to the state, regional or private facility where the 2025
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 82 (ELS\KW)

inmate is housed. In the case of state facilities, the 2026
administrative expense reimbursement shall be paid to the 2027
corporation; in the case of regional facilities, the 2028
administrative expense reimbursement shall be paid to the 2029
sheriff's department; in the case of private facilities the 2030
administrative expense reimbursement shall be paid to the 2031
contractor overseeing the facility. 2032
(iii) To save fifty percent (50%) of the inmate's 2033
wages after mandatory deductions in the account required under 2034
paragraph (a) of this subsection. Monies under this subparagraph 2035
shall be made available to the inmate upon parole or release. 2036
(c) The inmate shall have access to the remaining ten 2037
percent (10%) of the monies in the inmate's account to purchase 2038
incidental expenses. 2039
(d) Any monies remaining under paragraph (a) of this 2040
subsection after all mandatory deductions are paid, shall be 2041
deposited in the inmate's account established under this 2042
subsection. Any monies remaining upon release in paragraph (c) of 2043
this subsection shall be released to the inmate. 2044
(8) The chief executive officer of the corporation shall 2045
collect and maintain data which shall be shared semiannually with 2046
the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and 2047
Expenditure Review (PEER) and the Corrections and Criminal Justice 2048
Oversight Task Force in sortable electronic format. The first 2049
report shall be made on January 15, 2023, and in six-month 2050
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 83 (ELS\KW)

intervals thereafter unless PEER establishes a different schedule. 2051
The data shall include: 2052
(a) Total number of participants at the end of each 2053
month by race, gender, and offenses charged; 2054
(b) Total number of participants who began the program 2055
in each month by race, gender, and offenses charged; 2056
(c) Total number of participants who successfully 2057
completed the program in each month by race, gender, and offenses 2058
charged; 2059
(d) Total number of participants who left the program 2060
in each month and reason for leaving by race, gender, and offenses 2061
charged; 2062
(e) Total number of participants who were arrested for 2063
a new criminal offense while in the program in each month by race, 2064
gender and offenses charged; 2065
(f) Total number of participants who were convicted of 2066
a new crime while in the program in each month by race, gender and 2067
offenses charged; 2068
(g) Total number of participants who completed the 2069
program and were convicted of a new crime within three (3) years 2070
of completing the program; 2071
(h) Total amount earned by participants and how the 2072
earnings were distributed in each month; 2073
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 84 (ELS\KW)

(i) Results of any initial risk and needs assessments 2074
conducted on each participant by race, gender, and offenses 2075
charged; 2076
(j) List of participating employers; 2077
(k) List of jobs acquired by participants; 2078
(l) List of the hourly wage paid to each participant; 2079
(m) Accounting of the manner and use of the * * * 2080
fifteen percent (15%) of the wages paid to the corporation by the 2081
inmate for administrative expenses; 2082
(n) Total costs associated with program operations; 2083
(o) List of participating financial institutions; 2084
(p) * * * Participating financial institutions, which 2085
must collect, maintain and report the creation date for financial 2086
accounts opened by work initiative participants; 2087
(q) The average hourly wage earned in the 2088
program; * * * 2089
(r) Accounting of any dependent support payments, 2090
fines, restitutions, fees or costs as ordered by the court for 2091
each work initiative participant; 2092
(s) The remaining sentence length of work initiative 2093
participants; and 2094
(r) Any other data or information as requested by the 2095
task force. 2096
(9) The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance 2097
Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) shall conduct a review of 2098
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 85 (ELS\KW)

the initiative, including any expansion of the initiative 2099
authorized under this section, and produce an annual report to the 2100
Legislature on their effectiveness by January 1 of each year. The 2101
PEER Committee shall seek the assistance of the Corrections and 2102
Criminal Justice Task Force and may seek assistance from any other 2103
criminal justice experts it deems necessary during its review. 2104
SECTION 21. Section 73-9-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 2105
amended as follows: 2106
73-9-5. (1) For the purpose of this chapter, a dental 2107
hygienist shall be an individual who has completed an accredited 2108
dental hygiene education program, passed the national dental 2109
hygiene board and is licensed by the State Board of Dental 2110
Examiners to provide, as an auxiliary to the dentist, preventive 2111
care services including, but not limited to, scaling and 2112
polishing. In fulfilling these services, dental hygienists 2113
provide treatment that helps to prevent oral disease such as 2114
dental caries and periodontal disease and for educating patients 2115
in prevention of these and other dental problems. 2116
(2) No person shall practice dental hygiene in a manner that 2117
is separate or independent from a supervising dentist, or 2118
establish or maintain an office or a practice that is primarily 2119
devoted to the provision of dental hygiene services. 2120
(3) Under general supervision, a dental hygienist may 2121
provide to patients of record, for not more than ten (10) 2122
consecutive business days, all dental hygiene services (except the 2123
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 86 (ELS\KW)

administration of nitrous oxide inhalation or local anesthesia, 2124
which must be under direct supervision) if all of the following 2125
conditions are satisfied: 2126
(a) The dental hygienist has practiced dental hygiene 2127
in the State of Mississippi for a minimum of five (5) years, such 2128
five-year period having been determined by the board as equivalent 2129
to a minimum of six thousand (6,000) hours of dental hygiene 2130
practice; 2131
(b) The dental hygienist * * * submits evidence of 2132
current CPR certification and completion within the previous 2133
twelve (12) months of three (3) hours of board approved continuing 2134
dental education focused on medical emergencies, and complies with 2135
the established protocols for emergencies that the supervising 2136
dentist has established; 2137
(c) The supervising dentist examined the patient of 2138
record not more than seven (7) months before the date that the 2139
dental hygienist provides the dental hygiene services; 2140
(d) The dental hygienist provides dental hygiene 2141
services to the patient of record in accordance with a written 2142
treatment protocol prescribed by the supervising dentist for the 2143
patient; 2144
(e) The patient of record is notified in advance of the 2145
appointment that the supervising dentist will be absent from the 2146
location; 2147
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 87 (ELS\KW)

(f) No licensed dental hygienist, under general 2148
supervision, may delegate or supervise any dental hygiene duties 2149
for a dental assistant; and 2150
(g) The supervising dentist is responsible for all 2151
actions of the dental hygienist during treatment of patients under 2152
general supervision. 2153
(4) The following limitations also apply to the practice of 2154
dental hygiene under general supervision: 2155
(a) No entity may employ dental hygienists to provide 2156
treatment for patients of record under general supervision other 2157
than: 2158
(i) A nonprofit entity that meets the statutory, 2159
regulatory and program requirements for grantees supported by the 2160
Public Health Service and that has supervision by a Mississippi 2161
licensed dentist; * * * 2162
(ii) An office owned by a dentist or group of 2163
dentists licensed in Mississippi * * *; 2164
(iii) A licensed nursing home as defined by 2165
Section 73-17-5; 2166
(iv) An institution for the aged or infirm as 2167
defined by Section 43-11-1; or 2168
(v) A public or private prison, detention center 2169
or other correctional facility. 2170
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 88 (ELS\KW)

(b) No duly licensed and registered dentist shall 2171
supervise more than three (3) dental hygienists under general 2172
supervision at any one time. 2173
(c) No duly licensed and registered dentist shall 2174
supervise a dental hygienist for more than ten (10) consecutive 2175
business days * * *. 2176
(d) No patient may be seen twice consecutively under 2177
general supervision. 2178
(e) An examination fee must not be charged if a patient 2179
is seen under general supervision. 2180
(f) The patient undergoing dental hygiene services 2181
under general supervision must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years 2182
of age * * *. 2183
(g) In the settings described in paragraph (a)(iii) 2184
through (v) of this subsection (4), a dental hygienist practicing 2185
under general supervision may provide only non-invasive routine 2186
services, including oral prophylaxis, topical fluoride treatments, 2187
dental sealants, oral health screenings and patient education. A 2188
dental hygienist practicing under general supervision in these 2189
settings shall not perform any invasive procedures, including 2190
tooth scaling and root planning, or any other procedure that 2191
requires the physical presence of a supervising dentist under 2192
direct supervision. 2193
(5) Notwithstanding the above subsections of this section, a 2194
dental hygienist licensed in Mississippi may perform radiographs, 2195
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 89 (ELS\KW)

oral prophylaxis, and place fluoride varnish without a Mississippi 2196
licensed dentist being physically present in the office if all of 2197
the other conditions of this section are met. 2198
* * * 2199
SECTION 22. Section 5-3-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 2200
brought forward as follows: 2201
5-3-61. The committee shall issue performance evaluation 2202
reports and expenditure review reports, favorable or unfavorable, 2203
of any agency examined, and such reports shall be a public record. 2204
A copy of the report, signed by the chairman of the committee, 2205
including committee recommendations, shall be submitted to the 2206
governor, to each member of the legislature, and to the official, 2207
officer, or person in charge of the agency examined. 2208
SECTION 23. Sections 57-89-1, 57-89-3 and 57-89-7, 2209
Mississippi Code of 1972, which establish incentives for local 2210
motion picture production, shall stand repealed on January 1, 2211
2027. 2212
SECTION 24. Section 57-89-51, Mississippi Code of 1972, 2213
which establishes incentives for local television production 2214
incentives, shall stand repealed on January 1, 2027. 2215
SECTION 25. Nothing in this act shall affect or defeat any 2216
claim, assessment, appeal, suit, right or cause of action for 2217
taxes due or accrued under the ad valorem tax laws before the date 2218
on which the applicable sections of this act become effective, 2219
whether such claims, assessments, appeals, suits or actions have 2220
H. B. No. 1529 *HR26/R1613PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1613PH
PAGE 90 (ELS\KW)
ST: Efficiency and Transparency; revise certain
laws to increase through state government.
been begun before the date on which the applicable sections of 2221
this act become effective or are begun thereafter; and the 2222
provisions of the ad valorem tax laws are expressly continued in 2223
full force, effect and operation for the purpose of the 2224
assessment, collection and enrollment of liens for any taxes due 2225
or accrued and the execution of any warrant under such laws before 2226
the date on which the applicable sections of this act become 2227
effective, and for the imposition of any penalties, forfeitures or 2228
claims for failure to comply with such laws. 2229
SECTION 26. Sections 23 and 24 of this act shall take effect 2230
from and after January 1, 2027. Section 15 of this act shall take 2231
effect from and after its passage. The remaining sections of this 2232
act shall take effect from and after July 1, 2026, and shall stand 2233
repealed on June 30, 2026. 2234