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H. B. No. 240 *HR31/R363* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R363
PAGE 1 (DJ\JAB)
To: Public Property;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Clark
HOUSE BILL NO. 240
AN ACT TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY TO BE 1
KNOWN AS THE "HISTORIC COURTHOUSE FUND"; TO PROVIDE THAT THE FUND 2
SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY 3
FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING GRANTS TO COUNTIES FOR THE MAINTENANCE 4
AND/OR RESTORATION OF HISTORIC COURTHOUSES IN MISSISSIPPI; TO 5
PROVIDE THAT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A GRANT FROM THE FUND, A COUNTY 6
MUST PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT 7
OF THE GRANT; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO SOLICIT GIFTS AND 8
ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR THE FUND, AND TO SELL DONATED PROPERTY AND 9
DEPOSIT THE PROCEEDS IN THE FUND; TO AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATURE TO 10
APPROPRIATE, TRANSFER OR OTHERWISE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR 11
THE FUND; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL FUNDS DEPOSITED IN THE HISTORIC 12
COURTHOUSE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED, UPON APPROPRIATION BY THE 13
LEGISLATURE, BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY AS PROVIDED 14
IN THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 16
SECTION 1. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a 17
special fund to be known as the "Historic Courthouse Fund." The 18
Department of Archives and History shall administer the fund for 19
the purpose of making grants to counties for the maintenance 20
and/or restoration of historic courthouses in Mississippi, as 21
determined by the department. In order to receive a grant from 22
the fund, a county must provide matching funds in the amount of 23
twenty-five percent (25%) of the grant. 24
H. B. No. 240 *HR31/R363* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R363
PAGE 2 (DJ\JAB)
ST: Historic Courthouse Fund; create to provide
grants to counties for maintenance/restoration
of historic courthouses.
(2) The Department of Archives and History may solicit and 25
accept donations, bequests, devises, gifts and grants of money 26
from individuals, organizations and corporations to be deposited 27
in the Historic Courthouse Fund. In addition, the department may 28
solicit and accept donations, bequests, devises, gifts and grants 29
of real and personal property, and the board of trustees of the 30
department, in its discretion, may sell the property by public or 31
private sale and shall deposit proceeds derived from the sale into 32
the fund. The Legislature may appropriate, transfer or otherwise 33
provide additional funds for the fund. 34
(3) The State Treasurer shall invest all monies in the 35
Historic Courthouse Fund as other state funds are authorized to be 36
invested. Unexpended amounts in the fund at the end of a fiscal 37
year must remain in the fund and not lapse into the State General 38
Fund, and any interest earned on the unexpended amounts in the 39
fund must be deposited to the credit of the fund. 40
(4) All funds deposited in the Historic Courthouse Fund must 41
be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the 42
Department of Archives and History for the purpose of making 43
grants to counties for the maintenance and/or restoration of 44
historic courthouses in Mississippi, as determined by the 45
department. 46
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 47
and after July 1, 2026. 48