Appropriation; Marine Resources, Department of.

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To: Appropriations B;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson
(122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th),
Pigott, Rosebud

HOUSE BILL NO. 1896
(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND 1
MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES FOR THE FISCAL 2
YEAR 2027. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 5
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General 6
Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance 7
of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year 8
beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.................. 9
............................................... $ 3,710,653.00. 10
SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 11
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in any special fund in 12
the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Marine 13
Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending 14
June 30, 2027.................................. $ 316,532,445.00. 15
Of the funds appropriated in this section, Three Million 16
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($3,050,000.00) is derived from the state 17
excise taxes upon gasoline, oil and other petroleum products. 18
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SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 19
this act, not more than the following amount of funds, with the 20
exception of the provisions in this section, shall be expended 21
only for "Personal Services," which includes "Vacancy Funding," 22
for the following authorized number of employment headcount: 23
FUNDING: 24
General Funds: $ 3,710,653.00 25
Special Funds: $ 11,160,420.00 26
Total Funds: $ 14,871,073.00 27
PERSONAL SERVICES: 28
Employee Salaries, Wages and 29
Fringe Benefits: $ 14,048,493.00 30
Progressions: $ 0.00 31
Vacancy Funding: $ 822,580.00 32
Total Personal Services: $ 14,871,073.00 33
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 34
Permanent: 108 35
Time-Limited: 65 36
As used in this section, the term "Personal Services" shall 37
mean funds provided under the major object of expenditure category 38
Personal Services for Salaries, Wages, and Fringe Benefits. Funds 39
in this category shall not be transferred to any other category. 40
It is the intention of the Legislature to ensure compliance 41
with the Variable Compensation Plan, as outlined in Section 42
25-9-147, Mississippi Code of 1972. Payment from these funds 43
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shall be in accordance with the Variable Compensation Plan 44
promulgated by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. It is the 45
Legislature's intention that no employee's salary falls below the 46
minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel 47
Board. 48
The State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the 49
projected annual cost of "Personal Services" based on monthly and 50
year-to-date payroll expenditures in compliance with the 51
provisions of this act. 52
With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency's 53
responsibility to ensure that no single personnel action or 54
combination of personnel actions, when annualized, exceeds the 55
Fiscal Year 2027 appropriation for "Personal Services" with the 56
exception of escalated funds. Further, it shall be the agency's 57
responsibility to ensure that funds required to be appropriated 58
for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2028 do not exceed Fiscal 59
Year 2027 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or 60
positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2027 budget by the 61
Mississippi Legislature. 62
If, at the time the agency takes any action to change 63
"Personal Services," the State Personnel Board determines that the 64
agency has taken or will take an action that would cause the 65
agency to exceed the funds appropriated in this act when 66
annualized for Fiscal Year 2027 or increase the need for "Personal 67
Services" for Fiscal Year 2028, when annualized, the State 68
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Personnel Board shall process no salary actions until such time as 69
the requirements of the provisions of this section are met with 70
the exception of new hires determined to be essential for the 71
agency. 72
When used in this section, "Vacancy Funding" shall mean funds 73
included in the Total Personal Services amount listed above and 74
designated for approved vacancies in Fiscal Year 2027. These 75
funds are to be utilized to increase the number of filled 76
headcounts that were authorized but unfilled as of the last day of 77
Fiscal Year 2026. If the agency fills additional headcounts after 78
March 1, 2026, until the end of Fiscal Year 2026, the amount of 79
available Vacancy Funding may be proportionally adjusted to 80
reflect the updated number of filled headcounts. The agency shall 81
be responsible for ensuring that "Vacancy Funding" is used to 82
increase headcounts and not for promotions, title changes, 83
in-range salary adjustments, or any other mechanism for increasing 84
salaries for current employees. 85
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 86
the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or 87
allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State 88
Personnel Board shall not escalate positions or increase the 89
Personal Services total without written approval from the 90
Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of 91
Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to 92
escalate any funds for salaries and/or headcounts without proof of 93
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availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated 94
level. Unless specifically noted, all Fiscal Year 2026 escalated 95
headcounts have been accounted for and shall be converted to 96
authorized time-limited headcounts. 97
No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be 98
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for 99
salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are 100
withdrawn and no longer available. 101
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in 102
violation of the Internal Revenue Service's Publication 15-A 103
relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as 104
interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. 105
If the agency's total authorized headcount decreases from 106
Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2027, it will be the agency's 107
discretion as to what headcounts are removed. 108
SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 109
Department of Marine Resources shall maintain complete accounting 110
and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds 111
appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the 112
same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 113
2026. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the 114
agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall be submitted to 115
the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of 116
detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided 117
during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. 118
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SECTION 5. Each Marine Conservation Officer and Supervisor 119
shall be furnished an allowance for uniforms not to exceed Six 120
Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per annum. 121
SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums heretofore 122
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 123
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State 124
Treasury to the credit of the Tidelands Fund No. 3345200000 to the 125
Department of Marine Resources for the purpose of defraying the 126
expenses of the tidelands projects for the fiscal year beginning 127
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............ $ 18,360,000.00. 128
This amount is allocated as follows: 129
PROJECT NO. PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECTS AMOUNT 130
Harrison County: 131
FY27-P600-10 East and West Harbor Breakwater 132
Improvements 133
-City Of Pass Christian................ $ 340,000.00 134
FY27-P613-11 Long Beach Harbor Northwestern 135
Bulkhead Phase I 136
-City Of Long Beach.................... $ 500,000.00 137
FY27-P603-05 Courthouse Road Boat Launch and 138
Jetties Improvement 139
-City Of Gulfport...................... $ 500,000.00 140
FY26-P601-01 Kuhn Street Boat Launch Ramp 141
Area Expansion 142
-City Of Biloxi........................ $ 500,000.00 143
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FY26-P601-11 Oak Street South Pier and Docking 144
Facility Construction 145
-City Of Biloxi........................ $ 400,000.00 146
FY26-P811-01 Working Waterfront and Commercial 147
Seafood Harbor Phase II 148
-City of D'Iberville................... $ 500,000.00 149
Jackson County: 150
FY27-P501-12 Moss Point South Shorelines 151
Enhancement 152
-City of Moss Point.................... $ 350,000.00 153
FY27-P602-15 Webb's Landing Boat Launch Parking 154
Expansion 155
-Jackson Cnty Brd of Supervisors....... $ 450,000.00 156
FY27-P604-05 Public Safety Improvements to River 157
Park Piers Phase II 158
-City of Pascagoula.................... $ 400,000.00 159
FY27-P618-04 Shepard State Park Upgrades 160
-City Of Gautier....................... $ 250,000.00 161
FY27-P618-02 Mary Walker/Bayou George Martin 162
City Park Upgrades 163
-City Of Gautier....................... $ 250,000.00 164
FY27-M999-12 Sioux Bayou Landing Erosion Control 165
-Sioux Bayou Landing RV Resort LLC..... $ 375,000.00 166
FY27-P648-15 Entrance, Access and Parking 167
Improvements At the Gulf Coast 168
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Research Lab 169
-University of Southern Mississippi.... $ 245,000.00 170
Hancock County: 171
FY27-P610-14 Bayou Caddy Marina Improvements 172
-Hancock Cnty Brd of Supervisors....... $ 450,000.00 173
FY27-P401-12 Municipal Harbor Beach Amenities 174
and Improvement 175
-City Of Bay St. Louis................. $ 300,000.00 176
FY27-P646-01 Coleman Avenue Waterfront 177
Improvements 178
-City Of Waveland...................... $ 300,000.00 179
FY27-P610-11 Mcleod Park Bulkhead Improvements 180
On the Jourdan River 181
-Hancock Cnty Brd of Supervisors....... $ 450,000.00 182
Total Public Access Projects........................ $ 6,560,000.00 183
Total Management Projects........................... $ 3,800,000.00 184
Bond Repayment...................................... $ 2,000,000.00 185
Prior Year Projects................................. $ 6,000,000.00 186
Total Tidelands Funds............................... $18,360,000.00 187
Each political subdivision receiving funds authorized in this 188
section shall be held responsible for complying with Section 189
29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be subject to an 190
audit by the State Auditor and shall submit detailed reports 191
beginning June 30, and every six (6) months thereafter for the 192
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duration of the project to the Department of Marine Resources on 193
how funds authorized in this section were expended. 194
It is the intention of the Legislature that any political 195
subdivision seeking to qualify for tidelands funds for the 196
subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the Department 197
of Marine Resources no later than July 1, 2026. All proposals 198
submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of 199
Marine Resources in accordance to department plans and procedures. 200
Multi-phased projects, multi-year projects, proposed projects with 201
high dollar value and projects that have a record of stacking 202
funds shall be considered as low priority projects when evaluated. 203
It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of 204
the Tidelands funds appropriated in this act exceed the actual 205
amount of tidelands funds available, the available funds shall be 206
allocated on a pro rata basis between projects listed in this 207
section. 208
SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 209
department shall place any special trust funds appropriated to the 210
department in a special trust fund and the interest earned on the 211
principal shall be credited to the special trust fund. Monies in 212
the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be retained in the 213
special trust fund for use in the next succeeding fiscal year. 214
The department may use the interest earned on the fund to pay 215
reasonable costs for administering the fund and related projects. 216
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SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 217
Department of Marine Resources has the authorization to move 218
tidelands funds between approved projects upon request from entity 219
and proper completion of Form TTF-6 documentation. 220
SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature for the 221
Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Environmental 222
Quality to continue with any agency partnerships, including grant 223
agreements, that provide environmental projects to restore 224
Mississippi's natural resources in the wake of the Deepwater 225
Horizon Oil Spill. 226
SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that 227
whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the 228
purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things 229
stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, 230
quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind 231
shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to 232
the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are 233
made without competitive bids. 234
SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, One 235
Hundred Fifty-two Million Seven Hundred One Thousand Four Hundred 236
Sixty-eight Dollars ($152,701,468.00) is provided for the funding 237
of the following prior year Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act 238
(GOMESA) projects for FY 2027: 239
(1) Awards from the 2026 Regular Session: 240
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(a) To assist the City of Bay St. Louis with City-Wide 241
Sewer Rehabilitation................................ $ 4,000,000.00 242
(b) To assist the City of Waveland with Center City 243
Infrastructure Improvements–Phase II................ $ 3,950,000.00 244
(c) To assist the Hancock County Port and Harbor 245
Commission with Dock C Bulkhead Replacement......... $ 4,000,000.00 246
(d) To assist the City of Diamondhead Drainage, Flood 247
Prevention and Water Quality........................ $ 2,000,000.00 248
(e) To assist the City of Biloxi with Lighthouse 249
Boardwalk Construction.............................. $ 2,000,000.00 250
(f) To assist the City of Gulfport with City-Wide Sewer 251
Interceptor Assessment.............................. $ 2,500,000.00 252
(g) To assist the City of Long Beach with Northwest 253
Bulkhead Improvements............................... $ 2,500,000.00 254
(h) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Harbor 255
Bulkhead Wall Replacement........................... $ 5,400,000.00 256
(i) To assist the City of Biloxi with Hiller Part 257
Nutrient Reduction and Stormwater Control........... $ 1,300,000.00 258
(j) To assist the Jackson County Board of Supervisors 259
with Estuary Habitat Restoration-Containment Berm... $ 2,000,000.00 260
(k) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Utility 261
Relocation (Sewer) Hwy 90 Widening.................. $ 5,000,000.00 262
(l) To assist the City of Gautier with Utility 263
Relocation (Sewer) Hwy 90 Widening.................. $ 1,000,000.00 264
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(m) To assist the Jackson County Board of Supervisors 265
with Signet Bulkhead Repair and..................... $ 4,000,000.00 266
(n) To assist the City of Moss Point with North 267
Shoreline Enhancements.............................. $ 1,800,000.00 268
(o) To assist the Southern Mississippi Planning and 269
Development District with the Coastal Waterways Inventory......... 270
.................................................... $ 2,000,000.00 271
(p) To assist Mississippi State University with 272
Evaluation and Monitoring of Marine Mammal Health... $ 1,721,529.00 273
(q) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi 274
with Design and Fabrication of USM Teaching and Research Vessel... 275
.................................................... $ 5,000,000.00 276
(r) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 277
Mississippi Oyster Restoration and Enhancement...... $ 1,000,000.00 278
(s) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 279
Artificial Reef Construction in the Mississippi Sound............. 280
.................................................... $ 1,200,000.00 281
(t) To assist the Mississippi Department of Marine 282
Resources with Spat on Cultch Oyster Reef Restoration............. 283
.................................................... $ 2,000,000.00 284
(u) To assist the City of Gautier with the Singing 285
River Property Storm Water Infrastructure............ $2,941,675.00 286
(v) To assist the City of Gulfport with Jones Park 287
Sanitary Lift Station Renovation.................... $ 2,000,000.00 288
(2) Awards from the 2025 First Extraordinary Session: 289
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(a) To assist the City of Long Beach with West Jetty 290
Hardening Small Craft Harbor........................ $ 2,453,900.00 291
(b) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with 292
Escatawpa Septic System Abatement................... $ 2,646,100.00 293
(c) To assist Pearl River Community College 294
hydrographic technician curriculum for Benthic Mapping/Monitoring. 295
.................................................... $ 2,300,000.00 296
(d) To assist the Kiln Utility and Fire District with 297
Sewer improvements from Hwy 43 to Cuevas Town Road................ 298
.................................................... $ 2,600,000.00 299
(3) Awards from the 2024 Regular Session: 300
(a) To assist the City of Waveland with Center City 301
Infrastructure Improvements – Sewer................. $ 2,554,600.00 302
(b) To assist the City of D'Iberville with Working 303
Waterfront Marina Expansion Project Phase II........ $ 2,500,000.00 304
(c) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Washington 305
Avenue and Front Beach Utility Improvement.......... $ 1,015,031.00 306
(d) To assist the City of Gautier with Marin Bluff and 307
Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements.................... $ 2,701,150.00 308
(e) To assist the City of Moss Point with Riverfront 309
Coastal River Protection............................ $ 3,750,000.00 310
(f) To assist the City of Moss Point with Storm Water 311
Park................................................ $ 118,500.00 312
(g) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with 313
Poticaw Road Sewer Extension........................ $ 1,200,000.00 314
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(h) To assist Mississippi State University with Fixed 315
Lab Equipment....................................... $ 849,832.00 316
(i) To assist the Diamondhead Water and Sewer District 317
Sewer Improvements Phase III........................ $ 859,493.00 318
(j) To assist the Hancock County Water and Sewer 319
District with Asbestos Water Pipe Replacement and Port Bienville 320
Water Improvements................................. $ 852,719.00 321
(k) To assist the Kiln Utility and Fire District with 322
Hwy 603 Sewer Expansion from Hwy 43 To Cuevas Town Road........... 323
.................................................... $ 2,190,565.00 324
(l) To assist The Nature Conservancy with Using Brood 325
Stock Reefs to Enhance Oyster Production on Commercial Leases..... 326
.................................................... $ 1,000,000.00 327
(m) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Front 328
Beach Bulkhead...................................... $ 1,600,000.00 329
(n) To assist the City of Long Beach with the Small 330
Craft Harbor Eastern Bulkhead Improvements.......... $ 882,278.00 331
(o) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 332
Oyster Spat......................................... $ 2,000,000.00 333
(p) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 334
Oyster Cultch....................................... $ 1,000,000.00 335
(q) To assist the City of Pass Christian with 336
Highway 90 Hurricane Mitigation Improvements........ $ 2,810,000.00 337
(r) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 338
artificial reef construction........................ $ 764,299.00 339
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(s) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sanitary 340
Sewer Pump Station Repairs.......................... $ 2,112,760.00 341
(t) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 342
MS Reef Fish Monitoring and Assessment.............. $ 250,000.00 343
(u) To assist the City of Biloxi with White Avenue 344
Storm Water Outfall Improvements.................... $ 1,277,500.00 345
(v) To assist the National Oceans and Applications 346
Research Center with Mitigation of Hurricane Impacts on Municipal 347
Harbors............................................. $ 2,194,509.00 348
(w) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi 349
with the Marine Aquaculture Demonstration Center.... $ 3,079,941.00 350
(x) To assist the City of Gulfport with Wastewater 351
Treatment Plant Upgrades............................ $ 1,725,000.00 352
(y) To assist the Southern Mississippi Planning and 353
Development District with Mississippi Coastal Map Revisions....... 354
.................................................... $ 796,368.00 355
(z) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 356
with the Dolphin and Sea Turtle Hospital and Rehabilitation Center 357
.................................................... $ 932,407.00 358
(4) Awards from the 2023 Regular Session: 359
(a) To assist the City of Pascagoula with the Live Oak 360
Corridor Drainage to Remedy Flooding................ $ 1,818,500.00 361
(b) To assist the Hancock County Utility Authority with 362
the Stennis Space Center Wastewater Conveyance Project............ 363
.................................................... $ 3,687,986.00 364
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(c) To assist the City of Pass Christian with the West 365
Breakwater Wall Hurricane Mitigation Improvements... $ 1,992,527.00 366
(d) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 367
Oyster Spat......................................... $ 1,443,500.00 368
(e) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 369
with Monitoring and Evaluation of Sea Turtle Nesting in 370
Mississippi......................................... $ 490,577.00 371
(f) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi 372
with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment.......... 373
.................................................... $ 2,754.00 374
(g) To assist the Hancock County Port and Harbor 375
Commission with Sewer Construction and Improvements to Site 1 at 376
Port Bienville Industrial Park...................... $ 299,738.00 377
(h) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi 378
with Oak Island Oyster Company in the Development and Testing of 379
an Off Bottom Oyster Structure...................... $ 269,968.00 380
(i) To assist Jackson County with Coastal Roadway 381
Hurricane Protection................................ $ 750,000.00 382
(j) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 383
with Monitoring/Gauging Habitat Suitability for Dolphins and 384
Turtles............................................. $ 873,089.00 385
(k) To assist the Kiln Utility District with Jourdan 386
River Shores Sewer Improvements Phase II............ $ 2,019,002.00 387
(l) To assist Harrison County with Sand Beach Outfall 388
Coordination........................................ $ 1,540,793.00 389
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(m) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Sewer 390
Rehabilitation...................................... $ 1,960,000.00 391
(n) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Highway 392
90 Hurricane Mitigation Improvements................ $ 110,048.00 393
(o) To assist Coastal Mississippi with the promotion of 394
the Seafood Industry and its Economic Contributions to the state 395
.................................................... $ 289,139.00 396
(p) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, 397
Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements Phase II.......... 398
.................................................... $ 595,263.00 399
(q) To assist Jackson County with East Beach 400
Outfalls/Shoreline Protection....................... $ 1,710,000.00 401
(r) To assist the City of Gautier with Hickory 402
Hills/Lagrange Water Quality and Stormwater Improvements.......... 403
.................................................... $ 869,078.00 404
(s) To assist the City of Biloxi with Keegan Bayou 405
Restoration......................................... $ 2,413,681.00 406
(t) To assist the City of Long Beach with Small Craft 407
Harbor Southern Quay Bulkhead Improvements.......... $ 2,554,000.00 408
(u) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 409
Bonnet Carre Spillway Mitigation.................... $ 293,320.00 410
(v) To assist the City of D'Iberville with the Working 411
Waterfront and Seafood Harbor Project............... $ 500,000.00 412
(5) Awards from the 2022 Regular Session: 413
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(a) To assist the American Shrimp Processors 414
Association with the Shrimp Processors Feasibility Study.......... 415
.................................................... $ 550,190.00 416
(b) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with 417
Septic System Abatements............................ $ 420,815.00 418
(c) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi 419
with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment.......... 420
.................................................... $ 650.00 421
(d) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 422
the Katrina Key Expansion........................... $ 183,425.00 423
(e) To assist the Secretary of State with the 424
Broadwater Marina Restoration....................... $ 3,124,240.00 425
(f) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sewer 426
Pump Station Repairs................................ $ 177,870.00 427
(g) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, 428
Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements..... $ 677,664.00 429
(h) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 430
the Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton Response............ $ 284,993.00 431
(i) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with the Front 432
Beach Pub Access and Storm Water Mitigation Improvements.......... 433
.................................................... $ 1,361,040.00 434
(j) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Phase II 435
of the Gravity Sewer System Improvements............ $ 1,920,349.00 436
(k) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 437
the Off Bottom Oyster Aquaculture................... $ 1,020,117.00 438
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(l) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 439
the Pelican Key Beneficial Use Site................. $ 348,220.00 440
(m) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 441
Phase II of the Katrina Key Expansion............... $ 53,003.00 442
(n) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 443
GOMESA project management, development and mitigation............. 444
.................................................... $ 746,097.00 445
(o) To assist Mississippi Gulf Fishing Banks Inc. with 446
Artificial Reef Construction........................ $ 67,000.00 447
(6) Awards from the 2021 Regular Session: 448
(a) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sanitary 449
Sewer Pump Station Repairs.......................... $ 901,375.00 450
(b) To assist the City of Biloxi with the Point Cadet 451
Living Shoreline.................................... $ 158,976.00 452
(c) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 453
MS Reef Fish Monitoring and Assessment.............. $ 9,119.00 454
(d) To assist Hancock County Utility Authority with Oak 455
Harbor Sewer Improvements........................... $ 2,270,600.00 456
(e) To assist Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission 457
with Port Bienville Conservation Management......... $ 226,135.00 458
(f) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Gravity 459
Sewer System Improvements Phase I................... $ 150,175.00 460
(g) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 461
GOMESA project management, development and mitigation............. 462
.................................................... $ 361,219.00 463
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(7) Awards from the 2020 Regular Session and prior: 464
(a) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 465
water testing for Seafood Consumption Safety........ $ 45,262.00 466
(b) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with 467
artificial reef construction........................ $ 10,065.00 468
(c) To assist the Department of Environmental Quality 469
with water quality.................................. $ 819,750.00 470
SECTION 12. It is the intent of the Legislature that the 471
Department of Marine Resources shall have the authority to expend 472
funds in an amount not to exceed Five Million Dollars 473
($5,000,000.00) from funds for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security 474
Act (GOMESA) that may become available to the agency in fiscal 475
year 2027 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the 476
Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent 477
with the escalation of federal funds. 478
SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that none 479
of the funds provided herein shall be used to pay certain 480
utilities for state furnished housing for any employees. Such 481
utilities shall include electricity, natural gas, butane, propane, 482
cable and phone services. Where actual cost cannot be determined, 483
the agency shall be required to provide meters to be in compliance 484
with legislative intent. Such state furnished housing shall 485
include single-family and multi-family residences but shall not 486
include any dormitory residences. Allowances for such utilities 487
shall be prohibited. 488
H. B. No. 1896 *HR26/A450SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/A450SG
PAGE 21
ST: Appropriation; Marine Resources, Department
of.
SECTION 14. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 489
funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with 490
Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency 491
shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their 492
appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally 493
or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for 494
actions contrary to this provision. 495
SECTION 15. With the funds appropriated herein, the 496
Department of Marine Resources is authorized to make payments for 497
expenses incurred during prior fiscal years for an amount not to 498
exceed One Hundred Seventy-seven Thousand Six Hundred Seventy-nine 499
Dollars and Sixty-two Cents ($177,679.62). 500
SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by 501
the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the 502
credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon 503
warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal 504
Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the 505
proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. 506
SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from 507
and after July 1, 2026. 508