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HB1763 • 2026

Public land; extend repealer on statute prohibiting certain corporations and nonresident aliens from purchasing.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 29-1-75, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON THE PURCHASE OF PUBLIC LANDS BY CERTAIN CORPORATIONS AND NONRESIDENT ALIENS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Shanks
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its specific effects are unknown.

Extend Rules for Buying Public Land

This bill changes the date when certain rules about buying public land by corporations and nonresident aliens will end.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the repeal date of restrictions on the purchase of public lands by certain corporations and nonresident aliens.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Corporations that want to buy public land.
  • Nonresident aliens interested in buying public land.
  • The state government managing public land sales.

Terms To Know

Repealer
A part of a law that says when the law will end or be removed.
Nonresident alien
Someone who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Mississippi and lives outside the state.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass, so it has no effect.
  • It only changes when certain rules about buying public land will end, but does not change those rules themselves.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    03/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/16 (S) Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

  3. 2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/11 (H) Transmitted To Senate

  4. 2026-02-10 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/10 (H) Passed

  5. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To State Affairs

Official Summary Text

Public land; extend repealer on statute prohibiting certain corporations and nonresident aliens from purchasing.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1763 *HR43/R426* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R426
PAGE 1 (RKM\KP)

To: State Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Shanks

HOUSE BILL NO. 1763

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 29-1-75, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON THE 2
PURCHASE OF PUBLIC LANDS BY CERTAIN CORPORATIONS AND NONRESIDENT 3
ALIENS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 29-1-75, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
29-1-75. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, 8
neither a corporation nor a nonresident alien, nor any association 9
of persons composed in whole or in part of nonresident aliens, 10
shall directly or indirectly purchase or become the owner of any 11
of the public lands; and every patent issued in 12
contravention * * * of this section shall be void. 13
(2) (a) A banking corporation owning such tax-forfeited 14
lands or holding a mortgage or deed of trust thereon at the time 15
of the sale to the state, and whose mortgage or deed of trust is 16
still in force and effect, may purchase such lands, regardless of 17
acreage, owned by it as aforesaid or on which it held a mortgage 18
or deed of trust. In the event of a purchase by such corporation 19
H. B. No. 1763 *HR43/R426* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R426
PAGE 2 (RKM\KP)

as a mortgagee, such lands shall be held for the benefit of the 20
mortgagor subject to all the terms and conditions of the mortgage 21
or deed of trust held by the purchasing banking corporation and, 22
upon payment of the debt secured by such mortgage or deed of 23
trust, together with interest and incidents, such banking 24
corporation shall in that event reconvey such lands to the 25
original mortgagor, his or her heirs or assigns. 26
(b) Any other nonbanking corporation may purchase lands 27
sold or forfeited to the state for delinquent taxes under any 28
section of Chapter 1, Title 29, specifically relating to the sale 29
of such tax-forfeited lands by the Secretary of State. A 30
nonbanking corporation purchasing land sold or forfeited to the 31
state shall be subject to the acreage limitations of Section 32
29-1-73. 33
(c) Except as provided in Sections 89-27-5 and 89-27-7, 34
nonresident aliens may acquire and hold not to exceed three 35
hundred twenty (320) acres of public lands in this state for the 36
purpose of industrial development thereon. In addition, any 37
nonresident alien may acquire and hold not to exceed five (5) 38
acres of public lands for residential purposes. If any land 39
acquired by a nonresident alien for the purpose of industrial 40
development ceases to be used for industrial development, it shall 41
escheat to the public body that sold such land to the nonresident 42
alien. 43
H. B. No. 1763 *HR43/R426* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R426
PAGE 3 (RKM\KP)
ST: Public land; extend repealer on statute
prohibiting certain corporations and nonresident
aliens from purchasing.
(d) Land that is classified as an industrial or 44
residential zone, but is otherwise used as forest or agricultural 45
land in the performance of forest or agricultural activities, 46
shall serve as a prima facie case as to the purpose of the land 47
being devoted to forestry * * * agriculture, or both, and shall 48
make the land and the nonresident alien subject to the provisions 49
of Sections 89-27-5 and 89-27-7. 50
(3) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, * * * 2029. 51
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 52
and after July 1, 2026. 53