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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. 1898
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT APPROVING THE EXPENDITURE OF SPECIAL FUNDS FOR THE 1
PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PAT HARRISON WATERWAY 2
DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL 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 authorized and approved for expenditure out of any 6
funds which are received by or otherwise become available to the 7
Pat Harrison Waterway District, for the purpose of defraying the 8
expenses of the district for the fiscal year beginning 9
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.......... $ 9,876,696.00. 10
SECTION 2. Of the funds approved for expenditure under the 11
provisions of Section 1, the following positions are authorized: 12
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 13
Permanent: 39 14
Time-Limited: 0 15
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 16
the terms, conditions and procedures established by law. No 17
general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to 18
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replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being 19
used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and 20
which are withdrawn and no longer available. 21
SECTION 3. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 22
Pat Harrison Waterway District shall maintain complete accounting 23
and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds 24
appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the 25
same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 26
2026. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the 27
agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall be submitted to 28
the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of 29
detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided 30
during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. 31
SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that 32
whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the 33
purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things 34
stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, 35
quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind 36
shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to 37
the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are 38
made without competitive bids. 39
SECTION 5. The funds herein approved for expenditure, except 40
and less an amount approved by the State Fiscal Officer which 41
shall be sufficient to cover disbursements for current operations, 42
shall be deposited at interest with any official depository of the 43
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state at a rate of interest numerically not less than one percent 44
(1%) below the bank discount rate on United States Treasury bills 45
of comparable maturity as determined by the State Treasurer. 46
SECTION 6. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, Seven 47
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00) is authorized to be 48
expended to defray the cost of park facilities repairs only. 49
These repairs are to include bath houses and cabins and to exclude 50
any Flint Creek Horse Trail repairs. 51
SECTION 7. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, Four 52
Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($480,000.00) is authorized to be 53
expended to defray the cost of dam repairs. 54
SECTION 8. The Pat Harrison Waterway District shall provide 55
a report on completed park facilities repairs. This report shall 56
be provided to the Legislature by December 1, 2026, and shall 57
include photos of stated repairs. The Pat Harrison Waterway 58
District shall provide the Joint Legislative Budget Committee a 59
copy of this report with the subsequent fiscal year's budget 60
submission. 61
SECTION 9. The Pat Harrison Waterway District shall provide 62
an annual five-year plan containing a prioritized list detailing 63
the purposes, goals and projected costs of projects which it 64
intends to implement or is in the process of implementing. This 65
report shall be provided to the Legislature on or before July 15 66
of each year as required in Section 51-15-119(2). The Pat 67
Harrison Waterway District shall provide the Joint Legislative 68
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ST: Appropriation; Pat Harrison Waterway
District.
Budget Committee a copy of this report with the current year's 69
budget submission. 70
SECTION 10. The Pat Harrison Waterway District shall provide 71
an annual audit of the district operations. This report shall be 72
provided to the Legislature as required in Section 51-15-119(3). 73
The Pat Harrison Waterway District shall provide the Joint 74
Legislative Budget Committee a copy of this report with the 75
current year's budget submission. 76
SECTION 11. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 77
funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with 78
Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency 79
shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their 80
appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally 81
or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for 82
actions contrary to this provision. 83
SECTION 12. The money herein approved for expenditure shall 84
be disbursed upon bank checks signed by the proper person, officer 85
or officers, in the manner provided by law. 86
SECTION 13. This act shall take effect and be in force from 87
and after July 1, 2026. 88