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H. B. No. 1940 *HR26/ANAP2SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ A1/2
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To: Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Read, Cockerham
HOUSE BILL NO. 1940
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT MAKING AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF CAPITAL EXPENSE 1
FUNDS, EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT FUNDS AND SPECIAL FUNDS FOR FISCAL 2
YEARS 2026 AND 2027 TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE OF THE 3
ATTORNEY GENERAL; THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; THE DEPARTMENT 4
OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION; THE MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY 5
MANAGEMENT AGENCY; THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SUPREME COURT - 6
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS; THE MISSISSIPPI BOARD OF MEDICAL 7
LICENSURE; THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES; THE DEPARTMENT OF 8
EDUCATION; THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS AND MARRIAGE 9
AND FAMILY THERAPISTS; THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES; THE 10
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL 11
AID; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. In addition to all other sums herein 14
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 15
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 16
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 17
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of paying for 18
certain outside legal assistance, expert witness fees, court fees, 19
judgments and settlement agreements incurred by the Office of the 20
Attorney General for the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending 21
June 30, 2026................................... $ 3,018,500.00. 22
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Of the funds appropriated in this section, the following 23
amounts are provided: 24
(a) United States Environmental Protection Agency and 25
the State of Mississippi; Chemfax, Inc., Superfund Site, Gulfport, 26
Harrison County, Mississippi; Docket Number CERCLA 04 2014 3756... 27
................................................... $ 10,000.00 28
(b) Curtis Flowers v. State of Mississippi, Circuit 29
Court of Montgomery County, Mississippi, Cause No. 1:20 cv 00150 30
................................................... $ 50,000.00 31
(c) Eddie Lee Howard v. State of Mississippi, Circuit 32
Court of Lowndes County, Mississippi, Cause No. 2021 0026 CV1C 33
................................................... $ 50,000.00 34
(d) Sherwood Dwayne Brown v. State of Mississippi, 35
Circuit Court of Desoto County, No. 22-287......... $ 50,000.00 36
(e) Courtney Williams v. State of Mississippi, Circuit 37
Court of Yazoo County, No. 23-00012................ $ 48,000.00 38
(f) Kelton K. Hathorne, Sr. v. State of Mississippi, 39
Circuit Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, No. 25-cv-00095..... 40
................................................... $ 86,000.00 41
(g) Civil Action No. 3:23-cv-233-DPJ-ASH United States 42
District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi........... 43
................................................... $ 100,000.00. 44
(h) Civil Action No. 3:24-cv-607-DPJ-ASH and Civil 45
Action No. 3:24-cv-464-KHJ-MTP (S.D. Miss.) settlement 46
agreements......................................... $ 149,500.00. 47
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(i) Civil Action No. 25CI1:23-cv-00204-WLK settlement 48
agreement ......................................... $ 2,475,000.00. 49
SECTION 2. In addition to all other sums herein 50
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 51
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 52
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 53
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of paying for 54
certain outside legal assistance, expert witness fees, court fees, 55
judgments and settlement agreements incurred by the Office of the 56
Attorney General for the period beginning upon passage of this act 57
and ending June 30, 2027........................... $ 720,000.00. 58
Of the funds appropriated in this section, the following 59
amounts are provided: 60
(a) Olivia Y., et al v. Tate Reeves, et al., United 61
States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, 62
Northern Division, Cause No. 3:04cv251-HSO-FKB...... $ 120,000.00 63
(b) White, et al.v. State Board of Election 64
Commissioners, et al., No.4:22-CV-00062-SA-JMV (N.D. Miss)........ 65
.................................................... $ 100,000.00 66
(c) Mississippi State Conference of the National 67
Conference for the Advancement of Colored People, et al. v. State 68
Board of Election Commissioners, et al. No. 3:22-cv-734 (S.D. 69
Miss)............................................... $ 100,000.00 70
(d) AbbVie Inc., et al. v. Fitch, Civil Action No. 71
1:24-cv-00184-HSO-BWR (S.D. Miss.).................. $ 100,000.00 72
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(e) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP v. Fitch, 73
1:24-cv-00196-LG-BWR (S.D. Miss.)................... $ 100,000.00 74
(f) Express Scripts Pharmacy, Inc. v. Mississippi Board 75
of Pharmacy, et al., 1:25-cv-01390.................. $ 100,000.00 76
(g) Arkela Lewis, et al. v. Mississippi Department of 77
Public Safety et al., 3:25-cv-721 (S.D. Miss.)...... $ 100,000.00 78
SECTION 3. In addition to all other sums herein 79
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 80
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 81
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 82
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Office of 83
the Attorney General for the period beginning upon passage of this 84
act, and ending June 30, 2027...................... $ 1,500,000.00. 85
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 86
allowable expenses for Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial 87
Sexual Exploitation pursuant to Sections 97-3-54.10 through 88
97-3-54.13, Mississippi Code of 1972. 89
SECTION 4. In addition to all other sums herein 90
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 91
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 92
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 93
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department 94
of Public Safety for the period beginning upon passage of this 95
act, and ending June 30, 2027...................... $ 3,529,925.00. 96
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This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 97
expenses related to the construction and furnishing of the 98
Department of Public Safety headquarters. 99
SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums herein 100
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 101
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 102
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 103
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department 104
of Finance and Administration for the period beginning upon 105
passage of this act and ending June 30, 2027....... $ 6,000,000.00. 106
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 107
expenses related to the repair, renovation, and relocation 108
expenses that occurred due to the closing of the Bolton Building. 109
SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums herein 110
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 111
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 112
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 113
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department 114
of Finance and Administration for the period beginning upon 115
passage of this act and ending June 30, 2027...... $ 1,250,000.00. 116
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 117
expenses incurred by the Mississippi Semiquincentennial Commission 118
to plan, promote and implement public celebrations, events, 119
programs and commemorations as outlined in Section 39-41-1, 120
Mississippi Code of 1972. 121
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SECTION 7. In addition to all other sums herein 122
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 123
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 124
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 125
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi 126
Emergency Management Agency for the period beginning upon passage 127
of this act and ending June 30, 2027............... $ 1,315,990.00. 128
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 129
operational expenses, including, but not limited to, salaries 130
resulting from the loss of the Emergency Management Performance 131
Grant (EMPG). 132
SECTION 8. In addition to all other sums herein 133
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 134
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 135
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 136
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi 137
Emergency Management Agency for the period beginning July 1, 2025, 138
and ending June 30, 2026........................... $ 2,672,869.00. 139
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of providing 140
funding to counties in a proportional amount that would have been 141
received through the Emergency Management Performance Grant 142
(EMPG). 143
SECTION 9. In addition to all other sums herein 144
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 145
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury 146
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to the credit of the Administrative Office of Courts and allocated 147
in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the 148
expenses of the Mississippi State Supreme Court - Administrative 149
Office of Courts for the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending 150
June 30, 2026...................................... $ 4,000,000.00. 151
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 152
expenses related to court reporters and trial judge support staff. 153
SECTION 10. In addition to all other sums herein 154
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 155
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 156
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 157
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi 158
State Supreme Court - Administrative Office of Courts for the 159
period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026........... 160
................................................... $ 796,572.00. 161
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 162
expenses related to trial judge appointments and payments of 163
terminal leave. 164
SECTION 11. In addition to all other sums herein 165
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 166
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury 167
to the credit of the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure and 168
allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to 169
defray the expenses of the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure 170
for the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026... 171
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................................................... $ 25,000.00. 172
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 173
expenses related to the replacement of a vehicle. 174
SECTION 12. In addition to all other sums herein 175
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 176
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury 177
to the credit of the Tidelands Fund No. 3345200000 to the 178
Department of Marine Resources and allocated in a manner as 179
determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of 180
the Department of Marine Resources for the period beginning July 181
1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.................. $ 5,309,560.00. 182
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 183
expenses related to prior year Tidelands projects. 184
SECTION 13. In addition to all other sums herein 185
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 186
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 187
Education Enhancement Fund, and allocated in a manner as 188
determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of 189
the Mississippi Department of Education for the period beginning 190
July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026............. $ 16,626.00. 191
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 192
expenses related to the Educable Child Program. 193
SECTION 14. In addition to all other sums herein 194
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 195
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury 196
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to the credit of the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and 197
Marriage and Family Therapists and allocated in a manner as 198
determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of 199
the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family 200
Therapists for the period beginning upon passage of this act, and 201
ending June 30, 2027............................... $ 50,000.00. 202
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 203
expenses related to licensing system upgrades and maintenance. 204
SECTION 15. In addition to all other sums herein 205
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 206
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 207
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 208
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department 209
of Human Services for the period beginning upon passage of this 210
act and ending June 30, 2027....................... $ 4,500,000.00. 211
This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of 212
defraying the expense related to income verification software. 213
SECTION 16. In addition to all other sums herein 214
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 215
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury 216
to the credit of the Department of Human Services and allocated in 217
a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the 218
expenses of the Department of Human Services for the period 219
beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2027....... 220
................................................... $ 1,500,000.00. 221
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This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of 222
defraying the expense related to income verification software. 223
SECTION 17. In addition to all other sums herein 224
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 225
necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the 226
Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by 227
the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi 228
State Department of Health for the period beginning upon passage 229
of this act and ending June 30, 2027............... $ 3,748,030.00. 230
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 231
legal expenses associated with the City of Jackson Water 232
litigation. 233
SECTION 18. In addition to all other sums herein 234
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 235
necessary, is appropriated out of any special source funds which 236
are received or otherwise become available to the Mississippi 237
Office of Student Financial Aid, to defray the expenses of the 238
Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid for the period 239
beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.................. 240
................................................... $ 5,100,000.00. 241
This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying 242
expenses related to Higher Education Legislative Plan Grant 243
(HELP), Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG), and 244
Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG). 245
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ST: Appropriations; additional appropriations
for FY26 & FY27.
SECTION 19. The money appropriated by this act shall be paid 246
by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to 247
the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act 248
not otherwise appropriated, upon warrants issued by the State 249
Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his or 250
her warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, 251
officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. 252
SECTION 20. This act shall take effect and be in force from 253
and after its passage. 254