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H. B. No. 1899 *HR26/A490SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ A1/2
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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. 1899
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT APPROVING THE EXPENDITURE OF SPECIAL FUNDS FOR THE 1
PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PEARL RIVER VALLEY WATER 2
SUPPLY 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
special source funds which are received by or otherwise become 7
available to the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, for the 8
purpose of defraying the expenses of the district for the fiscal 9
year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............. 10
............................................... $ 28,826,107.00. 11
SECTION 2. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 12
Section 1, the following positions are authorized: 13
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 14
Permanent: 99 15
Time-Limited: 1 16
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 17
the terms, conditions and procedures established by law. No 18
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general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to 19
replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being 20
used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and 21
which are withdrawn and no longer available. 22
SECTION 3. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 23
Pearl River Valley Water Supply District shall maintain complete 24
accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all 25
funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be 26
in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal 27
Year 2026. It is further the intention of the Legislature that 28
the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall be 29
submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format 30
and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail 31
provided during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. 32
SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that 33
whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the 34
purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things 35
stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, 36
quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind 37
shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to 38
the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are 39
made without competitive bids. 40
SECTION 5. The funds herein approved for expenditure, except 41
and less an amount approved by the State Fiscal Officer which 42
shall be sufficient to cover disbursements for current operations, 43
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shall be deposited at interest with any official depository of the 44
state at a rate of interest numerically not less than one percent 45
(1%) below the bank discount rate on United States Treasury bills 46
of comparable maturity as determined by the State Treasurer. 47
SECTION 6. None of the funds appropriated for expenditure 48
under this act may be expended by Pearl River Valley Water Supply 49
District until the district agrees to comply with the following 50
condition: the District shall waive traffic control fees for any 51
vehicle displaying a “REZ” tag. 52
SECTION 7. None of the funds appropriated for expenditure 53
under this act may be expended by Pearl River Valley Water Supply 54
District until the district agrees to comply with the following 55
conditions: (1) If any local governmental or nonprofit entity 56
wins the bid for the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major 57
Open, these events shall be exempt from the district's lottery 58
system for host events at the reservoir and given priority of any 59
and all date options available. (2) If any local governmental or 60
nonprofit entity wins the bid for such events, the district shall 61
waive the daily launch fees or any other special event fees for 62
the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major Open. (3) The 63
Catch A Dream Foundation Bass Classic shall be held on the first 64
Sunday in May unless any local governmental or nonprofit entity 65
wins the bid for the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major 66
Open on that date. The Catch A Dream Foundation Bass Classic 67
shall be exempt from the district's lottery system for host events 68
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at the reservoir and given priority for the first Sunday in May. 69
The district shall waive the daily launch fees or any other 70
special event fees for the Classic. 71
SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated herein, Two Hundred 72
Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) is provided for the purpose of 73
funding overtime, callback or standby pay. 74
SECTION 9. Funds are provided herein out of the Ross Barnett 75
Reservoir Dredging Fund for dredging and other related activities 76
to remove sediments and debris from the bottom of the Ross Barnett 77
Reservoir. 78
SECTION 10. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 79
act, Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00) is provided to 80
the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District to conduct a study on 81
the spillway gates. Of this amount, Two Hundred Thousand Dollars 82
($200,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be 83
derived from funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the 84
Capital Expense Fund, as established in Section 27-103-303, 85
Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated as determined by the State 86
Treasurer. The remaining funds shall be derived from any special 87
fund sources received or otherwise made available to the district. 88
SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions 89
of Section 1 of this act, One Million Seven Hundred and Fifty 90
Thousand Dollars ($1,750,000.00) is provided for the purpose of 91
dredging and other related activities to remove sediments and 92
debris from the bottom of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. 93
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ST: Appropriation; Pearl River Valley Water
Supply District.
SECTION 12. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions 94
of Section 1 of this act, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) is 95
provided for repairs and improvements to parks and campgrounds. 96
SECTION 13. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 97
Section 1 of this act, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) is 98
provided for repairs and improvements at Northshore Parkway 99
Causeway and the Eastern side of the Breakers. 100
SECTION 14. The funds herein appropriated shall be expended 101
in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, 102
that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in 103
excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, 104
either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held 105
responsible for actions contrary to this provision. 106
SECTION 15. The money herein approved for expenditure shall 107
be disbursed upon bank checks signed by the proper person, officer 108
or officers, in the manner provided by law or in accordance with 109
the provisions of a valid trust indenture. 110
SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by 111
the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the 112
credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon 113
warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal 114
Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the 115
proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. 116
SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from 117
and after July 1, 2026. 118